Raising capital for your first real estate deal is harder than most people think.

Having the right systems, processes, and investment opportunity doesn't guarantee investors will write a check.

In this conversation with Ruben Kanya, we break down what it really takes to raise capital, why trust and relationships matter, and why even the best systems can't replace persistence and hard work.

You'll learn:

• Why raising capital for your first syndication is so challenging

• How credibility, trust, and investor relationships influence fundraising

• Why having an established network creates a significant advantage

• How podcasts, investor groups, and in-person meetups can help build relationships

• Why coaching programs and marketing systems aren't enough on their own

• Why grit and consistent execution are essential to raising capital

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple:

Money. Trust. Network. Grit.

These are the foundations of raising capital.

Systems can help you organize the process. A strong network can open doors. But neither replaces the work required to build trust and secure commitments.

Capital raising is a business, and success requires showing up, building relationships, and doing the difficult work.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley's Links:

X: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Ruben Kanya's Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubenkanya_/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenkanya Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rubenkanya

When you're first starting out as a passive investor, it's easy to focus on one thing.

Projected returns.

But a higher projected IRR doesn't necessarily mean a better investment.

In this conversation with Ben Fraser of Aspen Funds, I break down what passive investors should actually look for when reviewing a real estate syndication, from understanding the Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) and Operating Agreement to evaluating sponsor track records, voting rights, capital calls, and investor protections.

For newer investors, reviewing 100 or 200 pages of legal documents can feel overwhelming.

But understanding what you're signing is just as important as evaluating the projected returns.

You'll learn:

• Why projected returns shouldn't be the only factor when evaluating a syndication

• What passive investors should look for in a PPM and Operating Agreement

• Why the Operating Agreement is critical to understanding your rights as an investor

• How to identify inconsistencies between legal documents and sponsor marketing materials

• Why sponsor track records and past performance matter more than projected IRRs alone

• What voting rights investors may have when a manager underperforms or engages in misconduct

• How manager removal provisions work and why they can be difficult to exercise

• What happens during capital calls and how mandatory contributions or excessive dilution can create potential red flags

• Why risk-adjusted returns matter when comparing investment opportunities

• How sponsor fees and alignment of interests can affect investors

• Why asking questions about the legal documents can reveal how well a sponsor understands their own offering

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple: Projected returns are based on assumptions.

The Operating Agreement establishes the terms that govern the investment.

When a deal doesn't perform as expected, investors need to understand what rights they have, whether additional capital may be required, and what mechanisms exist to remove a manager under certain circumstances.

It's also important to understand whether the sponsor's interests are aligned with investors.

Does the sponsor have meaningful skin in the game?

Are they sharing in the downside, or primarily collecting fees regardless of performance?

And do the terms presented in the marketing materials actually match what's written in the legal documents?

The more familiar you become with these documents, the easier it becomes to recognize unusual provisions and ask better questions.

Don't just compare projected returns.

Understand the sponsor, the structure, and the terms before you invest.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley's Links:

X: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Ben Fraser / Aspen Funds Links:

Original Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiRq38II33s&t=1047s

Ben Fraser LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwfraser/

Aspen Funds LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspen-funds/

Aspen Funds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspenfunds/

When markets get difficult, a lot of investors start looking for the next opportunity.

They leave one asset class, jump into another, and assume the problem was the strategy instead of the market cycle.

In this conversation, Seth Bradley and Joe Fairless break down why specialization still matters, why constantly moving from one investment strategy to another can prevent investors from building real expertise, and why Joe has remained committed to multifamily through one of the toughest environments the sector has faced in years.

Joe explains why he still believes in the fundamentals of multifamily, even after rising interest rates, increased insurance costs, heavy new supply, and broader pressure across commercial real estate.

They also discuss the importance of staying focused during difficult cycles, building experience when conditions are challenging, and why the investors who develop real depth in one area may ultimately be better positioned when the market improves.

The conversation also touches on:

• Why specialization creates deeper expertise • Why constantly chasing new asset classes can become a distraction • What difficult market cycles teach investors • Why multifamily demand remains resilient • How declining new supply could change the market • Why housing shortages continue to support rental demand • How consumer debt may affect first-time homeownership • Why conviction should come from fundamentals, not hype

The goal is not to stay committed to a strategy blindly.

It is to understand the underlying fundamentals well enough to know when the market is temporarily difficult and when the investment thesis has actually changed.

If you’re investing in multifamily, raising capital, building a real estate business, or trying to develop long-term expertise in any investment strategy, this conversation is worth watching.

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Links from the Show and Guest Info and Links:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

Joe Fairless’s Links:

https://www.facebook.com/imjoefairless https://x.com/joefairless https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefairless/ https://ashcroftcapital.com/our-team/joe-fairless/ https://www.instagram.com/besteverpodcast/?hl=en

Multifamily has been one of the most popular real estate strategies for years.

But when the market shifted, Mike Stohler went looking for a better opportunity.

In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Mike Stohler, co-founder of Gateway Private Equity Group, to break down why he pivoted from multifamily into hotels, and why he’s now investing in boutique hotels and historic properties in Spain.

Mike has owned and operated more than 1,500 units across hotels, multifamily, and residential real estate. After moving into hotels for stronger returns and better value-add opportunities, changing U.S. market conditions, higher interest rates, and thinner margins led him to expand internationally into Spain.

You'll learn:

• Why Mike moved from multifamily into hotels • What makes hotels different from traditional multifamily investments • How dynamic pricing allows hotels to adjust rates every day • Why Mike started looking outside the U.S. for opportunities • What attracted him to boutique hotels and historic properties in Spain • How European hotel valuations compare to similar U.S. properties • The challenges of investing and operating real estate internationally • Why having the right local team matters when entering a foreign market • How Mike approaches raising capital for international investments • Why investor education is critical when introducing a new market or strategy

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple:

Sometimes the best opportunity isn't in the asset class or market everyone else is chasing.

Hotels require more active operations than traditional multifamily.

But they also provide flexibility through dynamic pricing and create value-add opportunities that work very differently from apartments.

And when U.S. economics became more difficult, Mike didn't stop investing.

He changed the strategy and changed the market.

For investors willing to look beyond traditional multifamily and familiar U.S. markets, there may be opportunities most people aren't even considering.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Mike Stohler's Links:

Website: gatewaype.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelstohler Youtube: youtube.com/@mike.stohler

Raising $1 billion in capital doesn't come from having a better deal.

It comes from building a better system.

In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Craig Cecilio, founder and CEO of DiversyFund, to break down what it actually takes to raise capital at scale, and how technology, trust, investor relationships, and AI are changing the game.

Craig is a three-decade operator who has raised more than $1 billion in capital.

Through DiversyFund, he's built a real estate technology platform that has served 30,000+ investors across more than 70,000 investor transactions, with that technology now being developed into software for other real estate sponsors and operators.

You'll learn:

• What raising $1 billion taught Craig about capital raising • Why successful capital raisers are always raising capital • How AI is changing investor communications and operations • Why technology means nothing if it doesn't produce real ROI • What Craig learned building and operating Reg A+ funds • Why he's focused on Reg D in today's market • How investor behavior has changed after the last real estate cycle • Why trust matters more than the deal itself • How to identify the right investors in a difficult capital-raising environment • Why experienced operators using AI could dramatically increase their output • Where private markets, AI, tokenization, and investment technology could be heading next

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple:

Investors aren't just investing in the project.

They're investing in you.

The market has changed. Many investors have been burned, trust is harder to earn, and the same capital-raising strategies that worked a few years ago may not work today.

That means knowing your investor, building real relationships, communicating consistently, and creating the infrastructure to raise capital at scale matters more than ever.

AI can make that infrastructure faster.

Technology can make it more efficient.

But trust is still what moves capital.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Craig Cecilio's Links: Instagram: @cxcecilio Website: www.craigxcecilio.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CXCExperience/videos

Buying real estate outside the U.S. sounds exciting. But once you get past the beaches and lifestyle, the questions get real fast.

In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Rebecca Clower, founder and CEO of Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, to break down what it actually takes to buy, build, finance, and invest in real estate abroad.

Rebecca shares how she left a successful Tampa real estate business in 2006, moved to Costa Rica, and built one of the largest independent real estate brokerages in Guanacaste from the ground up.

They dive into how the Costa Rican real estate market works, why more North Americans are buying and relocating there, what financing options are now available, and what investors need to understand before purchasing property outside the United States.

Rebecca also explains how she identifies emerging markets before they become crowded, what makes a strong short-term rental today, why easy Airbnb investing is over, and how buyers can protect themselves when navigating foreign ownership, escrow, property management, and local regulations.

Plus, she pulls back the curtain on her years appearing on HGTV, including what is actually real, what gets recreated for television, and what happens behind the scenes of shows like House Hunters International.

If you’re considering buying real estate abroad, investing in short-term rentals, relocating internationally, or simply want to understand how overseas real estate really works, this episode gives you a practical look at what happens beyond the highlight reel.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• What buyers need to know before purchasing real estate abroad • Why more North Americans are buying and relocating to Costa Rica • How financing works for foreign real estate buyers • The difference between fee-simple and concession property • How Rebecca identifies growing markets before they become crowded • Why the short-term rental market has become more competitive • What makes an overseas rental property actually perform • How investors can protect themselves when buying internationally • Why working with the right local professionals matters • What really happens behind the scenes on HGTV real estate shows

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Rebecca Clower’s Links:

Website: bluewaterproperties.com Instagram: @iamrebeccaclower Email: becky@bwpcr.com

The last real estate cycle made a lot of bad deals look good.

Cheap debt, aggressive rent growth assumptions, compressed cap rates, and short hold periods allowed operators to make the numbers work.

Then the market changed.

In this episode of Raise the Bar, we sit down with Shannon Robnett, founder and CEO of Shannon Robnett Industries, to talk about what separates the operators who survived the last cycle from those who didn’t.

With more than 30 years in real estate and $425 million in development experience, Shannon has built through multiple market cycles across multifamily, industrial, and other real estate projects.

We break down why fundamentals matter more than ever in today’s market.

You’ll learn:

• Why the math has to work before you ever buy the deal • How aggressive assumptions hurt operators when the market turns • Why reserves can make or break a real estate investment • The importance of wage growth when evaluating a market • How oversupply and new development affect rents and occupancy • Why Shannon continues to invest and develop in Boise • What makes markets like Utah, Nevada, and parts of the South worth watching • Why long-term fundamentals matter more than chasing the next “hot” market

Real estate cycles change.

Interest rates change.

Cap rates change.

But the fundamentals behind a good deal don’t.

The operators who understand their markets, maintain sufficient reserves, underwrite conservatively, and make decisions based on the actual numbers are the ones positioned to keep building through every cycle.

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If you enjoyed this episode and want to go deeper into funds, syndications, capital raising, securities law, and private markets, you can join the waitlist for my upcoming book, RAISE: The Book on Funds and Syndications.

The book covers the complete framework for launching funds, structuring deals, raising capital compliantly, and building a scalable private capital business.

📚 Join the waitlist here: https://sethbradleyesq.com/book

✅ Sign up today and you'll receive a FREE copy of the book as soon as it officially launches.

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Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradley https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Shannon Robnett's Links: https://www.instagram.com/shannonrayrobnett/ https://shannonrobnett.com https://www.youtube.com/@ShannonRobnett

#realestateinvesting #multifamily #realestatedevelopment #capitalraising #syndication #privatemarkets #sethbradley

Most people think success comes down to having the perfect plan. But what if taking action before you have everything figured out is actually the advantage?

In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Jeffrey Holst to break down the mindset and decision-making principles that helped him build financial freedom, scale a real estate portfolio, and design a life around experiences instead of waiting for “someday.”

Jeffrey shares his Extraordinary Life Formula, the idea that extraordinary results come from exposing yourself to bigger ideas and then taking the right action.

He explains why opportunity isn’t something you wait for, why successful people move without having all the possible information, and how avoiding analysis paralysis can completely change your trajectory.

They also dive into Jeffrey’s “100 Things List,” his 50-50-7 travel goal, why goals should evolve as your life changes, and how real estate created the financial flexibility to pursue bigger experiences.

Toward the end, Seth and Jeffrey get into the current multifamily market, why Jeffrey pulled back from acquisitions as valuations and interest rates shifted, what happened to investors who bought at peak pricing, and why he believes the market may finally be creating attractive opportunities again.

If you’re building a business, investing in real estate, raising capital, or simply waiting until you have everything figured out before making your next move… this conversation will challenge the way you think about opportunity and action.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • Why opportunity is something you create, not wait for • Jeffrey’s Extraordinary Life Formula for turning ideas into action • Why successful people act without having all the information • How to avoid analysis paralysis when making big decisions • Why the “100 Things List” can change how you think about goals • How real estate can create freedom beyond just generating income • Why Jeffrey stopped aggressively buying as the market shifted • What happened to multifamily deals purchased at peak valuations • Why today’s multifamily market could be creating new opportunities

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradley https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Jeffrey Holst’s Links: https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyholst https://www.youtube.com/@jeffreyholst https://www.facebook.com/holstjef https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffreyholst https://jeffreyholst.com/ https://lastlifeever.com/