David Perlleshi, Albanian-American broker (Bronx-born to '89 Kosovo immigrants) reveals how he ditched corporate paychecks for uncapped potential, scaling mom-and-pop storage facilities into institutional goldmines. From seeing "down units as gold" to closing 200+ deals with his 7-person team, David breaks down why self-storage crushes multifamily (35% expense ratios, month-to-month flexibility), his no-shortcuts integrity code ("Don't screw anybody"), and building trust with 9-figure clients over breakfast—not pitches.

Get the playbook on off-market sourcing, CapEx execution, upgrading your network, and why authenticity filters the right partners for long-term wins.

This Episode Explores:

- Self-storage vs multifamily: lower costs, faster rate growth, bigger exits

- 13 off-market flips: turning sub-50K sq ft assets into REIT magnets

- "No consistent paycheck" mindset

- Dad's rule: "The worst thing is success while looking over your shoulder"

- Albanian family values fueling discipline, honor, and deal-making

- From baseball scholarship to $1B+ valuation expert

- Value-first sales: breakfasts with billionaires, zero hard pitches

- Mentoring young entrepreneurs through social media and proximity

- Why authenticity repels wrong clients, attracts lifetime partners

- Immigrant hustle: 65 cousins, hard-working parents, uncles as blueprint

- Perfect for real estate investors, brokers, developers, and anyone trading time for money.

🔗 Connect with David Perlleshi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-perlleshi-7b632985

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlleshi_cre/

Franklin Street: https://franklinst.com/user_profile/david-perlleshi/

Follow REAL Mentors Podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/realmentorspodcast

Host Sean Martin: https://instagram.com/theseanmartin

Tags & Keywords

David Perlleshi, self storage investing, self-storage broker, Franklin Street, Sean Martin, REAL Mentors Podcast, storage vs multifamily, real estate investing, off-market deals, relationship selling, business integrity, immigrant entrepreneur, Albanian success story, real estate mentorship, CapEx strategy, storage development, REIT pipeline, value-add investing, network building, no paycheck lifestyle, authenticity in sales, Bronx real estate, Westchester entrepreneur, commercial brokerage, storage expense ratios, institutional self-storage, deal sourcing, sales philosophy, family business values, entrepreneurial mindset