In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, host Jonathan Twombley interviews Jilliene Helman, the CEO and founder of Realty Mogul, a pioneering online platform for real estate investing.

The conversation covers the origins and evolution of Realty Mogul as one of the first equity crowdfunding platforms in real estate, fueled by the 2012 JOBS Act which revolutionized online investing.

Helman discusses the challenges and strategies of starting and scaling the platform, the impacts of COVID-19 on real estate investment trends, and the future of investing in a dynamically changing market. With insights into different investment approaches, including fixed vs. floating rate debt, and the importance of a long-term, sustainable business model, this episode offers valuable lessons for both seasoned and aspiring investors.

🖋️ Some key points:

(00:30) Introducing Jilliene Helman : The Mind Behind Realty Mogul
(01:04) The Genesis of Realty Mogul and Crowdfunding in Real Estate
(05:03) Navigating the Cold Start Problem and Growing the Platform
(07:26) The Evolution of Realty Mogul and Its Impact on Real Estate Investing
(20:50) The Future of Real Estate Investing and Realty Mogul's Role
(33:29) Reflections and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

📑More about Jilliene Helman

Jilliene Helman is the Founder and CEO of RealtyMogul, a leading online platform for real estate investing with over 280,000 members. Through the platform, individual investors have collectively invested over $1.1 billion of capital into over $7 billion of real estate assets (as of 1/31/2024).

Jilliene holds Series 7, 24 and 63 investment licenses and is a Certified Wealth Strategist. She’s been featured as an expert on startups and real estate investing on Bloomberg, CNBC, The New York Times, Yahoo! Finance and Entrepreneur.

🌎Reach out to
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillienehelman
Twitter https://twitter.com/jillienehelman?lang=en
Realty Mogul https://www.realtymogul.com/jilliane-hellman

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting

📌 Check out Aleksey’s Substack HERE
In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, host Jonathan Twombley interviews Aleksey, an advisor dedicated to assisting Limited Partners (LPs) in the real estate investment realm. Aleksey shares insights on the importance of due diligence for LPs before entering deals, highlighting the significance of understanding execution capabilities, alignment of interests, and the specifics of the property being invested in. He introduces a 'three pillar framework' for evaluating investments and discusses common pitfalls and misunderstandings LPs might have about the investment process.

The conversation also touches on the ethical considerations and transparency required from General Partners (GPs) in presenting their deals to potential investors. Furthermore, Alexi gives advice on how GPs can effectively communicate and present their deals, underscoring the importance of honesty and clear depiction of past deal performances. This episode aims to bridge the gap in understanding between LPs and GPs, providing valuable advice for making informed investment decisions in the multifamily real estate market.

🖋️ Some key points:

(00:28) A Different Perspective: Advising LPs in Real Estate
(00:54) Unpacking Deals: The Role of an Advisor
(03:04) The Three Pillar Framework for Evaluating Investments
(04:50) The Importance of Trust and Transparency in Investments
(06:40) Communicating Challenges: A Guide for GPs
(13:05) The Power of Honesty in Fundraising
(18:15) Who Seeks Investment Advice? Understanding the Clientele
(21:25) Navigating Capital Calls: Insights and Strategies
(22:55) Market Distress and Real Estate Trends
(24:46) The Genesis of a Unique LPA Advisory Service
(27:13) Rapid Growth and the Power of Social Media
(30:17) The Art of LP Investing: Lessons and Mistakes
(33:27) Advising GPs and Maintaining Independence
(39:25) Final Thoughts and Advice for LPs

📑More about Aleksey Chernobelskiy

Aleksey Chernobelskiy advises limited partners (“LPs”) on existing and future investments. He writes weekly to 3,000 investors at LPlessons.substack.com to explain how to properly vet and think about LP investments in the grand scheme of their portfolios. Aleksey also helps General Partners on matters relating to LPs, such as capital calls or feedback on investment decks.

Prior to advising LPs, Aleksey ran STORE Capital’s $10 billion commercial real estate portfolio and oversaw the firm’s underwriting team. Aleksey graduated from University of Arizona with a quadruple major – Finance, Mathematics, Economics, and Accounting.

Recommended articles:

Top 15 syndication mistakes - https://lplessons.substack.com/p/top-15-syndication-mistakes

26 questions to ask your GP - https://lplessons.substack.com/p/26-questions-to-ask-your-gp

Do sunk costs matter in capital calls? - https://lplessons.substack.com/p/do-sunk-costs-matter-in-capital-calls

🌎Reach out to Aleksey Chernobelskiy
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/chernobelskiy
Twitter

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting

📌This week’s podcast episode features Anthony Walker, co-owner and Chief Investment Officer of Cornerstone. Initially selling popcorn door-to-door as a kid, Anthony evolved into a successful multifamily investor overseeing a portfolio worth approximately $170 million.

He shares his journey and valuable insights into investing in multifamily properties. He highlights the importance of person-to-person interactions, the power of branding, and the idols who influenced his business philosophy.

Anthony goes on to discuss how they utilise social media and email marketing to reach interested investors, as well as how Cornerstone prioritises building a sense of pride in the workplace and within the communities they manage.

The episode concludes with Anthony’s advice to those smaller-scale real estate and start-up entrepreneurs to avoid over-planning and take action, learning through activities and expansion of operations, which according to him, is the most effective form of learning.

🖋️ Some key points:

(01:01) Understanding Cornerstone: Anthony's Multifamily Private Equity Firm
(02:30) The Importance of Business Partnerships in Real Estate
(03:28) Anthony's Role and Responsibilities in Cornerstone
(03:54) The Art of Raising Capital: Anthony's Approach
(05:49) Building Trust and Relationships with Investors
(06:23) The Power of Personal Connections in Attracting Investors
(12:46) The Importance of Follow-ups and Keeping Relationships Warm
(15:47) Investing in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: A Unique Market
(16:46) Investing in Emerging Markets: The Strategy
(17:38) Why Invest in High-Growth, High-Quality Life Markets
(19:08) Scaling Business in Limited Market Opportunities
(19:46) Addressing Labor Challenges in Small Communities
(23:06) Making Communities Attractive for Residents
(24:45) The Journey from Popcorn Salesman to Multifamily Investor
(32:15) The Power of Focusing on One Thing: Advice for Beginners
(33:35) Connecting with Anthony: The Next Steps

📑More about Anthony
Anthony’s expertise lies in the multifamily property management, acquisition, and financing domains, and he is responsible for the successful implementation of Cornerstone’s investment strategy in this market sector. He has extensive experience in financial analysis, asset management, underwriting, and transactional risk management. In addition to his client-facing investment responsibilities, Anthony also oversees the firm’s brand management, continuously pushing the company to be an industry leader.

Anthony graduated in the top of his class from the University of Idaho’s J.A. Albertson School of Business where he earned degrees in Marketing and Finance. Before becoming CIO at Cornerstone, Anthony had a successful career as a Top Producing sales broker at Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, consistently ranking in the top 3% of agents worldwide.

Outside of work, Anthony’s passions include serving God, traveling, wake surfing, skiing, CrossFit, education, long walks, spending time with friends.

🌎Reach out to Anthony Walker
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-walker1
Cornerstone Commercial Investments https://cornerstonecommercialinvestments.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anthonywalker18/

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting.