The Truth About Real Estate Investing... for Canadians

Andrew Hines spent 5 and a half years building one of Canada's top 3 real estate podcasts. Nearly 1.3 million downloads. Then, at its peak, he shut it down. Andrew is the co-founder of multiple US-based real estate acquisition companies operating across Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. His teams run house flips, land investments, creative finance deals, and direct-to-seller acquisitions. He also owns Grotto Getaway, a glamping and cottage resort near Tobermory, Ontario, that did $655,000 in sales last year. In this conversation, we cover: Why Andrew shut down one of Canada's top real estate podcasts at its peak Why he sold his entire Ontario rental portfolio after the pandemic lockdowns How his team finds motivated sellers in the US using public liens and tired landlord lists How he made $163,000 on a 47-acre land flip without picking up a hammer Why hard construction costs in Florida run a fraction of what they do in Ontario Why Grotto Getaway, his glamping resort near Tobermory, hit $655,000 in sales last year Why he believes Canadian real estate investors now need to think like business builders What he'd tell an investor deciding whether to stay in Ontario rentals or move capital south Andrew's arc is the arc TAFI exists to cover: someone who built real wealth in Canadian real estate, watched the rules change, and rebuilt his entire model instead of waiting for the old one to work again.

Real estate investors understand leverage. 25% down, 75%from the bank, let the asset grow. But what if you could apply that same principle to the stock market, with no tenants, no tribunals, and no 2 a.m. calls? Mozzie Chleilat is an Account Manager Business Development at DUCA Specialized Lending, one of Canada's leading credit unions. He works with financial advisors and their clients to structure investment loans into professionally managed stock funds. The core product is the 3:1 loan: put 25% down, DUCA loans you 3 times that amount, and you're invested in a $100,000 portfolio from a $25,000 starting point. In this conversation, Erwin and Mozzie cover: ✅How the 3:1 investment loan works and why the 25% equity requirement exists ✅The minimum loan ($50,000, requiring $16,667 client equity) and the path to $1 million with limited underwriting ✅How DUCA counts 90% of gross rental income toward debt servicing (vs. 50% at the big banks) ✅Why DUCA does not report this loan to credit bureaus as a trade line item ✅The net worth qualification pathway for investors whose income on paper doesn't reflect their assets ✅DUCA's soft margin breach program: why they give you 30 days and options, instead of calling your loan the moment you hit a threshold ✅Erwin's own AMD margin call story during COVID: no phone call, no email, just liquidated overnight ✅The right investor profile for this strategy: long-term horizon, comfortable with leverage, cash flow to service interest ✅Why 80 to 90% of Mozzie's clients are overallocated in Canadian real estate and looking to diversify ✅A real client case study: a doctor who exited a Cambridge rental (down 8%), deployed capital into the market, and stopped being a landlord Chapters0:00 — Show Intro8:34 — Mozzie's background: RBC, Equitable Bank, specialized lending 11:44 — What is the 3:1 investment loan and how does it work 14:14 — The $25,000 example: what day one looks like 16:44 — Minimum loan $50,000, how it compares to buying a rental 18:50 — Interest-only structure, no prepayment penalties, interest may be deductible 21:41 — How to qualify: no income docs needed up to $1 million 23:44 — Corporate and personal loans available, up to $2 million combined 26:14 — TDSR 44%, net worth test: 1.5x the loan amount 29:14— DUCA counts 90% of gross rental income (banks count 50%) 36:44 — DUCA does not report this loan to credit bureaus 42:44 — Erwin's AMD margin call: bought at $45, liquidated without warning, stock went 10x 46:14 — Buy the dip, dollar cost averaging, Cherry's annual investment strategy 50:14 — 25% down in the stock market vs 25% down in real estate: the simple math 52:14— Why 80-90% of investors are overallocated in Ontario real estate 55:14— REIT funds vs S&P 500: why DUCA steers clients toward the index 58:44 — How to reach Mozzie Chleilat at DUCA Specialized Lending

Byron Darlison founded Rise Vision in 1992 in Toronto and ran it for 30 years without raising a dollar of outside equity. For 25 of those years, by his own admission, the business was unfocused, unpredictable, and running him. In year 25, he hired a Metronomics coach and installed a business operating system. In the 5 years that followed, profits went from break-even to 20% sustained net margins, his work week dropped from 60 hours to under 10, and the business grew to serve organizations in over 100 countries. In year 30, he sold Rise Vision for an 8-figure exit to a Taiwanese industrial display manufacturer, with no earn-out and no employment clause. His team still runs and grows the business today. He now coaches a small number of founders privately and serves as Mentorship Chair and Accelerator Coach at Entrepreneurs' Organization Toronto. In this conversation, we cover: Why 25 years of hard work without a system produced inconsistent results, and what changed in year 25 What a business operating system actually is, why most founders fail to self-implement one, and why a coach changes everything How Byron's team internalized the system to the point where the business self-corrected without him What made Rise Vision attractive enough to sell with no earn-out, no employment clause, and a premium multiple The owner's outcome framework: why most founders never ask what they actually want from their business Why the definition of strategy is the word no, and how narrowing to 1 core customer changed everything The founder's dilemma: why founders who solve every problem are the biggest bottleneck in their business What the great wealth transfer means for buyers and why many boomer-owned businesses are deeply undervalued Why Byron says entrepreneurship is less risky than employment, not more, if you are willing to do the work How AI has allowed Byron to run a 14-agent software development pipeline from his home, solo, at a fraction of traditional cost  Byron's arc is one of the clearest illustrations of what TAFI is now built around: multiple paths to financial independence, and the discipline to pick one and execute it properly. 

What does it actually look like to go all-in on AI? Mike Schwarz, founder and CEO of MyZone AI, negotiated a hall pass from his wife, adjusted his medication, and spent 3 to 4 months working until 2, 3, and 4 in the morning to find out. The result: 200 plus autonomous AI agents running across 7 divisions of his business. Mike has 25 years in tech, from building nightlife social networks in 1999 before Friendster existed, to running a full AI solutions company out of Vancouver today. He coaches CEOs and speaks at Entrepreneurs' Organization and YPO events. And he says the window for getting ahead in AI is measured in months, not years. In this episode, we go from first principles. What is AI. What is an agent. What is the difference between an agent and ChatGPT. Why legacy SaaS companies are down 50 to 60 percent. And what a non-developer can actually do right now to start automating their business. Real examples from this conversation: Mike's agent replied to 183 unread LinkedIn messages in 30 minutes, starred the 19 personal ones, and left them for him. He built a custom math game for his son in an hour using an AI coding agent. And after a sales call, he can send a fully personalized 5-page proposal website to a prospect in 10 minutes. Mike's one thing: master the art of learning. It's not about being technical. It's about being a sponge. Because the window is short and it's moving fast. Mike teaches regular free monthly workshops at myzone.ai. Upcoming: June 18 — How to Secure Your Agents. July 9 — How to Become an Agentic Developer (no coding required). 

Milena Simsic made $300,000 in commissions in her first year as a realtor, without any prior real estate connections, using nothing but TikTok and Instagram. She had no social media presence before she got her license. She figured it out in public.  Milena is the founder of WindSocial Realty in Windsor, Ontario, and the publisher of the Windsor Real Estate Insider, a newsletter and magazine that grew to 9,000 subscribers in under a year. She also runs Windsor REI Social, a 3,000-member community that fills events with 100 to 200 investors. She is currently switching brokerages from EXP to Real and building a community for realtors who want to learn AI-powered marketing.  In this conversation, we cover: Why Windsor's single-family homes have held value while student rentals and investment properties have softened What the Gordy Howe Bridge delay and the EV plant mean for Windsor's growth trajectory How Milena made $300K her first year as a realtor off TikTok and Instagram alone Why she replaced her virtual assistant with Claude AI and built her CRM systems in an afternoon How the top agents implementing AI are going to absorb market share from those who are not Why she left EXP for Real, and what Real is getting right that most online brokerages are not The health crisis that doubled her business once she fixed it Why business owners are particularly vulnerable to loneliness and what she did about it How Windsor REI Social went from monthly to biannual events and why that made it bigger  Milena's arc is the arc TAFI was rebranded to celebrate: a factory worker and ICU nurse who saw where the highest-leverage play was, went all in, and built a media brand and a business that works without grinding 60 hours a week. CONNECT WITH MILENA SIMSIC Windsor Real Estate Insider: https://www.windsorrealestateinsider.comInstagram / LinkedIn / Facebook / YouTube: search 'Milena Simsic' Chapters00:00: Introduction and Cold Open 01:20: Milena's background: factory worker, nursing, COVID, Windsor 03:00: Breaking news: brokerage switch from EXP to Real 04:00: Windsor Real Estate Insider magazine, 9,000 subscribers 05:30: Windsor market conditions: what is holding and what is not 07:00: The Gordy Howe Bridge delay 08:30: EV plant, population growth, downtown development 09:30: What investors are doing in Windsor right now 13:00: $300K first year off TikTok and Instagram 17:00: Building Windsor REI Social to 3,000 members 22:00: AI adoption gap: top agents vs. everyone else 28:00: Replacing a virtual assistant with Claude 31:00: How many hours per week to run the business 33:30: Teaching other realtors AI-powered marketing 38:00: The Windsor pageant: why she entered, first runner up 41:00: The autoimmune condition, the health pivot, business doubling 45:00: Salsa dancing as the one thing that started everything 48:00: Business owner loneliness and why dance helps 51:00: EXP vs. Real: why the switch and what Real is doing differently 58:00: AI tools, Fiverr comparison, what Claude does that nobody else can match 01:01:00: Advice for young people: build your skill set, buy a business, zero excuses 01:03:00: Wrap up and where to find Milena 

In January 2026, Ming Lim and Bryan Ma closed on AccounTrain, a 25-year-old bookkeeping firm based in Ottawa with clients across Canada. They beat out five other offers. They paid 1.3 times annual revenue. They spent almost two years searching for the right deal. Ming is the managing partner of Volition Properties, where his team has helped Canadians transact on more than $300 million of Toronto investment real estate. Bryan spent 20 years in Canadian financial services. He's a CPA, a CFA, and holds an MBA. He worked at three of the biggest professional services firms in the country and most recently at Intact Insurance in mergers and acquisitions. In this conversation, we cover: Why these two real estate operators are buying a business instead of more rentals How they sourced AccounTrain through Poe Group and a buy-side community called Village Wealth The difference between bookkeeping and full accounting firms, and why the simpler business won How multiples in this industry actually work (1.2 to 2.5 times revenue depending on quality) Why vendor take-back mortgages are standard in business sales, even though they're rare in Canadian real estate The seller's 25 years of institutional knowledge that was kept entirely in one person's head How Bryan and Ming approached due diligence with Bryan's M&A background as the advantage The lifestyle case for a business over a rental portfolio What they're modernizing now that they own it (CRM, workflow management, AI tools) Practical advice for small business owners with messy books This episode is part of TAFI's coverage of the great wealth transfer from retiring boomers to the next generation of Canadian operators. If you're an active real estate investor looking at what's next, this is the playbook.

Carlos Rodrigues spent 20 years in Canadian financial services. Mutual funds, life insurance both levels, and a full mortgage broker with five agents under him. He tried to start his own fund. Canadian compliance costs killed it. Now he drives 4.5 hours each way from Hamilton to Cleveland, Ohio to buy duplexes for $70,000 that appraise at $170,000 after renovation. In this episode, we get into: The $70,000 duplex near the Cleveland Clinic with a toilet falling through the floor How Section 8 rentals pay 20 to 30% above market, with one tenant paying $14 of her $1,400 rent Why 100% loan-to-cost financing is back, and why this isn't 2008 The joint venture partner who added $30,000 to $40,000 in renovation scope while Carlos was at Home Depot The contractor who ghosted him a week before closing How ICE enforcement is hitting the US construction labor pool Cleveland's side yard program: buy a vacant lot next to your house for $100 Why Carlos won't invest in Hamilton anymore, even though he lives there Plus my own update: my Hamilton duplex tenant has been non-paying for 7 months, $12,000 deep, and we're still waiting on the LTB. This is the world we're operating in. Want the investment loan strategy that produced a 40.6% return since September 2025? I'm hosting a free training on Saturday May 30 (Oakville hybrid) and Tuesday June 2 (Zoom only). Walking through the complete strategy, the math, every loss scenario, and how it fits alongside a real estate portfolio. Register at: ⁠https://wealthhacker.krtra.com/t/uqyHFbipnPrK⁠Connect with Carlos: Website: cashflowcarlos.com, Instagram & TikTok: @cashflowcarlos Connect with Erwin: Podcast: tafipod.ca Free Wealth Freedom Blueprint: infinitywealth.ca/freereport Book a Wealth Planning Call: linked at ⁠www.infinitywealth.ca⁠ 

In this episode, Erwin sits down with Greg—an engineer turned real estate investor and e-commerce entrepreneur who scaled his business to $700K/month and is now leveraging AI to build apps, automate workflows, and save tens of thousands of dollars.From buying his first property with no experience to renovating duplexes across Ontario, Greg shares the real ups and downs of real estate investing—along with how he expanded into e-commerce and built multiple income streams.But the biggest shift? AI.Greg breaks down how he's using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to:Build apps without codingReplace $50K–$70K development costsCreate product images without expensive photoshootsAutomate business processes and marketingTo follow Greg: https://www.gregkowalczyk.com/ https://www.bronteharbourclassic.com/ (Discount code: Erwin) This episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to stay ahead in real estate, business, and the AI revolution.

What would you do if you had to sell your entire real estate portfolio… and start over?In this episode, we sit down with investor Sarah Copeland, who went from managing over 60 doors to liquidating everything—and now rebuilding from scratch in today's market.She shares the real, behind-the-scenes story of navigating divorce, selling cash-flowing properties, and resetting her entire strategy. We break down how she transformed a distressed 12-plex into a high-performing asset, the lessons from a $1M+ renovation, and why she's shifting back to joint ventures and simpler deals.This is a raw and honest conversation about what actually happens in real estate investing—when things don't go as planned.If you're an investor trying to make sense of today's market or wondering how to move forward in uncertain times, this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and practical takeaways.

Passive real estate investing in Canada has changed — and for many investors, the math no longer works.In this episode, Erwin Szeto explains why he's been telling investors to diversify out of Ontario real estate since 2023 and what he's personally doing instead to build wealth without turning investing into a second job.You'll learn:Why passive real estate in Ontario is effectively goneHow rent control, LTB delays, and rising costs changed the landscapeWhy U.S. real estate, business ownership, and leveraged investing matterThe real‑estate‑style leverage strategy applied to the stock marketThis episode marks the evolution of the show into The Truth About Financial Independence for Canadians (TAFI) — focused on multiple paths to wealth, time freedom, and peace of mind.Also, don't miss the

Real estate investors are feeling the squeeze—rising inflation, capital trapped in property, and nonstop landlord headaches.In this episode, Erwin breaks down the Zero-Down Wealth Strategy, a leveraged investing approach designed to help high‑income Canadians build long‑term wealth without buying more real estate.You'll learn why investing $433/month can be equivalent to deploying $100,000, how leverage works outside of property, and who this strategy is (and isn't) for.

In this episode of The Truth About Real Estate Investing, we unpack three stories that look disconnected in the headlines — but together reveal where Canadian real estate is really headed in 2026.Ontario's HST rebate triggered a surge in new‑build sales, but the benefit for investors is far narrower than most realize — and the investor cutoff has already passed. In Alberta, especially Calgary, inventory is rising, rents are softening, and out‑of‑town investors are starting to walk away, despite the province's long‑term fundamentals remaining intact.We also dig into a recent FSRA enforcement ruling that exposed major failures in private and syndicated mortgage lending — and share hard lessons about why due diligence on people matters just as much as due diligence on properties.This episode is about cutting through hype, spreadsheets, and sales pitches — and focusing on cash flow, landlord‑friendly rules, and real risk. If you're investing (or thinking about investing) in Canada or looking beyond it, this conversation will challenge popular narratives and sharpen your decision‑making.Facts over headlines. Data over hype.

Why do Ontario landlords wait 7+ months for an eviction while Alberta wraps it up in 30 days? Erwin sits down with Mackenzie Wilson of SingleKey — Canada's largest tenant screening service — to expose the massive risk gap between provinces. Inside: a live AI reference-check demo, the $60K rent guarantee product, why 76% of landlords never get reference calls, Calgary's rezoning reversal, and why turnkey beats development in 2026. A must-listen for every Canadian real estate investor.

In this episode, we break down Canada's rare population decline, rising unemployment, weakening income growth, and what these trends mean for housing prices, rents, and investment strategy. We also explore how inflation, interest rates, global conflicts, and political shifts are shaping capital flows—and why many investors are starting to look beyond Canada to places with stronger population and income growth.If you're a Canadian real estate investor wondering where the market is heading next, this episode helps you skate to where the puck is going—not where it's been.

In this episode, rent‑to‑own expert Rachel Oliver shares how real estate investing has changed — and why the traditional rent‑to‑own model no longer works in today's market. With over 16 years of experience and nearly 1,000 deals completed, Rachel explains Rent‑to‑Own 2.0, a strategy focused on cash flow, mortgage pay‑down, and stability in flat or uncertain markets. A must‑listen for investors, first‑time buyers, and anyone navigating modern real estate.

In this episode of The Truth About Real Estate Investing, Erwin Szeto sits down with best‑selling author and veteran investor Russell Westcott for an honest conversation about market cycles, hard lessons, and survival in Canadian real estate. Russell shares his personal journey through near‑bankruptcy, health scares, and tough portfolio decisions, along with why cash flow, fundamentals, and long‑term thinking matter more than hype. They discuss Alberta vs Ontario, development realities, policy challenges, and what investors should really focus on in today's market.

In this episode, Andy Tran breaks down what's really happening in the Canadian real estate market in 2026 and explains why 4+1 and 6+1 properties have become the new investment sweet spot in Toronto. We discuss housing supply shortages, CMHC financing, missing‑middle housing, garden suites, and why smaller, repeatable projects are outperforming large‑scale developments. A must‑listen for investors looking to adapt and find opportunity in today's market.

In this episode, Erwin sits down with Anderson, a professional trader who went from driving DoorDash and trading on his phone to getting paid to trade stocks, options, and futures. Anderson shares his real journey—immigrating to Canada, funding his trading account through side hustles, and learning disciplined risk management over years of hard work. They also discuss buy‑and‑hold investing, options trading for everyday people, real estate investing in Barbados, and why buying back your time matters more than chasing hype returns.

In this episode, Erwin talks with Glen Sutherland, a full-time Canadian investor actively scaling US real estate from Canada. They break down what's working in 2026, why relying on appreciation is risky, and how experienced investors use systems, creative financing, and organization to scale remotely. A practical conversation for Canadians investing in US real estate who want real-world insight—not hype.

Rasna Arora built a $50 million real estate portfolio across 70 properties using private money, refinancing, and aggressive scaling. Then the market shifted — and everything unraveled.In this raw and honest conversation, we unpack the realities of leverage, hard money loans, refinancing risk, and what happens when trusted advisors collapse. This episode goes beyond strategy and numbers — it dives into integrity, mental health, and the true cost of scaling too fast.There's no Lamborghini story here. Just the real truth about real estate investing in Canada — the wins, the warnings, and the lessons every investor needs to hear.

Adam Kitchener built a $14 million real estate portfolio — and then lost it after a CRA audit.In this episode, he shares the hard lessons from scaling fast, navigating tax mistakes, surviving an audit battle, and rebuilding from scratch.If you're a real estate investor, landlord, or entrepreneur in Canada, this is a cautionary story you can't afford to miss.Connect with Adam: https://renovationsolutions.ca/

Serena Holmes shares a powerful perspective on money, mindset, and real estate investing. In this episode, she breaks down why money isn't evil, how scarcity thinking holds investors back, and the mindset shift required to build wealth with intention and impact. A must-listen for anyone serious about financial freedom

In this episode, Erwin Szeto sits down with former corporate CFO turned personal wealth strategist, Winnie Tsang, to unpack why so many Canadian real estate investors feel stuck—and what smarter, more resilient wealth planning actually looks like today. They dive into landlord challenges, diversification beyond property, leveraging the stock market, corporate‑owned life insurance, and how families can build long‑term financial security without sacrificing time, health, or peace of mind.

Thinking about investing in U.S. real estate as a Canadian? In this episode, Scott Dillingham shares the real truth about cross-border real estate investing — from mortgages and financing challenges to tariffs, hidden costs, and lifestyle impacts. A must-listen for Canadian investors exploring the U.S. market.

Mike Rosehart shares his real estate journey from buying his first student rental while in university to scaling hundreds of units across residential, hotels, and motels in Canada. We talk house hacking, leverage, market timing, selling at the peak, and why hotels and motel conversions offer massive opportunities today. A raw, numbers-driven conversation on what actually works in real estate investing.Listeners can connect with Mike at:

Canadian real estate investor Thomas Lorini joins Erwin Szeto to reveal how Canadians can break into the US property market. From overcoming financing and legal hurdles to building wealth in Ohio multifamily real estate, Thomas shares practical tips, landlord strategies, and his coaching journey. Perfect for anyone curious about cross-border investing, landlord rights, and scaling up in real estate.

Discover how to sell a tenanted property in 2026! Investor and property manager Tim Hong joins host Erwin Szeto to break down market trends, new regulations, and practical strategies for selling with tenants in place. Get expert tips on maximizing your investment, navigating challenges, and making smart decisions in today's real estate market.Plus, get a sneak peek into the upcoming FREE webinar: "How to Sell an Investment Property for Maximum ROI" on January 13th, 8 p.m. EST.

Discover how Ontario's Bill 60 is reshaping rental laws for landlords and tenants. Host Erwin Szeto breaks down the key changes, including lease expiry rules, eviction timelines, and new protections for property owners. Tune in for practical insights and expert advice on navigating the evolving real estate landscape in Canada.

Learn how Canadian developers and real estate leaders are unlocking government grants, building affordable housing, and driving innovation. Chelsey Fawcett shares practical tips and inspiring stories from the front lines of real estate and community development.

Discover how Canadian developers are securing $1M to $100M in government grants for affordable housing and real estate projects. Chelsey Fawcett, President of OREIO and founder of Grant Solutions Canada, shares insider strategies, funding tips, and real-world examples to help you unlock major opportunities in the housing market.

Thinking about investing or moving to the U.S.?

Real estate coach Elizabeth Kelly joins Erwin Szeto for a candid conversation on surviving and thriving in the 2025 Canadian real estate market. From government financing and cash flow challenges to the importance of education, mindset, and adapting your investment strategy, this episode delivers practical advice, honest stories, and actionable insights for investors at any stage.Ready to rethink your approach to real estate and wealth building? Tune in for lessons learned, market trends, and strategies that work now.

How do top investors thrive in Canada's real estate market? Alfonso Cuadra reveals why multifamily wins, the dangers of private lending, and how to hedge against inflation. Learn strategies for scaling, financing, and surviving market shifts—plus the truth about equity vs. debt.

Luis Rivas shares how he left a 22-year government career, cashed out his pension, and pivoted into real estate investing and coaching. From the fear of leaving “golden handcuffs” to building wealth through multifamily properties, private lending, and U.S. opportunities, Luis dives into pensions, Canada's economy, AI's impact, and creating financial freedom on your own terms.

From family crisis to financial freedom — this is the inspiring journey of Arminda Simao, a single mom who built stability through student rental investing.She opens up about balancing kids' expensive tuition, losing her husband, and how smart real estate choices created cash flow, resilience, and generational wealth.

In this episode, Erwin Szeto talks with Jimmy La & Kartik Singla (SDG Canada) about their Clapperton Village project in Barrie and how they're reshaping rental housing with modular builds, multi-generational units, and CMHC's MLI Select financing.Plus, a preview of the Missing Middle Conference in Toronto.

Ontario's small landlords are struggling with LTB delays, tenant fraud, and rising risks. Host Erwin Szeto talks with Boubah, co-founder of SOLO.ca, about how a grassroots movement of nearly 9,000 members is supporting landlords, pushing for fair reforms, and fighting back against a broken system.

From early investing mistakes to building 5 duplexes, a luxury ski chalet, and breaking ground on a commercial development, Brad shares his journey through real estate's ups and downs. Learn how he scaled fast, mastered short-term rental math, and shifted to complex strategies in today's market. Packed with tips on location, scarcity, and building wealth with hard, scarce assets.You can follow Brad's weekly writing at - biggerthings.substack.com

Real estate lawyer and Cardinal Law co-founder Shawn Quigg joins Erwin Szeto to expose the biggest legal risks investors face in 2025—from joint venture breakups to disastrous private lending structures. They cover real-world deal failures, the importance of contracts, how to avoid losing your property to the province, and how to properly structure deals using CMHC MLI Select, limited partnerships, and more.Whether you're a new investor or a seasoned developer, this episode is packed with essential legal insights to help you protect your capital and partnerships in today's market.

Financial advisor Adam Niman joins Erwin Szeto to share how he turned private lending into a real estate portfolio—and the hard lessons learned along the way. Adam breaks down how he evaluates deals, handles failed loans, and why many Canadians are being misled about participating life insurance and the Infinite Banking concept.

In this mind-opening episode of The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, Erwin sits down with Andrew Kim to discuss how Share, a tech-enabled real estate asset management platform, is revolutionizing U.S. property investing for Canadians. With over 20 properties across four states, Andrew reveals how institutional-grade systems and AI-driven tools allow everyday investors to scale smartly—without the hassle of day-to-day property management.Whether you're a new investor or looking to scale beyond your first few doors, this episode is packed with practical insights and strategies to help you navigate today's market—on both sides of the border.Explore more:Website: www.sharefrs.com

In this episode, developer Rodney Wilts shares how he's turning contaminated land into zero-carbon housing—including the award-winning Zibi Project. From ESG-driven returns to affordable retrofits, learn how real estate can solve Canada's housing and climate crises.

In this episode of The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, we follow the journey of Carlos Rodrigues, a former Canadian financial planner who sold off his entire Ontario real estate portfolio to start over in Cleveland, Ohio. Carlos shares the real story—including the $30K he lost to a shady property manager, the challenges of lead paint certification and evictions, and how he uses DSCR financing to invest without personal income.

This week on The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, I'm joined by Nathan Payne, founder of Painless Flipping—and no, that's not just a clever name. Nathan's a full-time real estate wholesaler who runs his entire U.S.-based business virtually… from small-town Ontario, Canada.We get into: ✅ How he wholesales houses without ever meeting sellers in person ✅ His pivot during COVID that expanded his business nationwide ✅ Why he prefers wholesaling in the U.S. over Canada (spoiler: faster evictions, better cash flow, and yes—fewer meth labs) ✅ The truth behind wholesaling income claims, guru coaching fluff, and what new investors are getting wrong ✅ His hands-on apprenticeship model—a no-fluff, partner-on-deals approach to learning the businessNathan doesn't just talk about values—he lives them. From faith, family, and integrity-first investing, to feeding missionaries and knocking doors in rural Ontario during a snowstorm... This guy walks the walk.

I'm thrilled to have Tony Irwin on the show today. Tony is the President and CEO of both the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations (CFAA) and the Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO)—two of the largest organizations advocating for landlords and rental housing providers at the provincial and national levels.With years of experience in policy, government relations, and housing advocacy, Tony is at the forefront of the fight to protect landlords, encourage rental supply, and push back against policies that make it harder to provide housing.If you own rental properties or are thinking about investing, this is a must-listen episode. The policies being decided today will impact your bottom line for years to come!

Are you a Canadian investor struggling with low cash flow, rent control, or expensive renovations? In this episode, we sit down with Ben Barry, a U.S. real estate expert who's deployed over $2 billion in capital and helped transform how investors like you succeed south of the border. What You'll Learn:How Canadian investors can tap into high-yield U.S. rental marketsWhy technology and data are changing the game in real estateThe real story behind turnkey rentals and institutional landlordsTips on navigating taxes, financing, and management across bordersWhether you're fed up with Ontario's eviction delays or you're just curious about basement conversions vs. single-family rentals, this is your roadmap to smarter investing.

Hey friends, this is Erwin Szeto, and welcome to The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, where it's my job to interview the top minds in real estate and business to uncover the strategies, mindsets, and habits that actually work—especially in today's market. In today's episode, I'm joined by Ben Berry, a true industry heavyweight who's successfully deployed over $2 billion into single-family rentals, build-to-rent, and commercial real estate assets. Ben's journey began during the depths of the 2009 global financial crisis, where he carved out his path in commercial real estate before pioneering large-scale single-family home acquisitions during the U.S. housing recovery. His leadership helped operationalize the mass acquisition, rehab, and management of thousands of homes backed by major Wall Street and Canadian institutional investors. Now, Ben is the Vice President of Acquisitions and Sales at SHARE, a platform revolutionizing real estate investing by making U.S. rental property ownership simple, passive, and accessible — even to everyday Canadian investors. With boots-on-the-ground expertise across over 20 markets — from Florida to Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, etc… — Ben shares how institutional best practices are now being offered without the need to bring $50M to the table. We also talk about why landlord-friendly states matter, how technology and data have transformed real estate investing, and how Canadians now invest just like the ultra wealthy and finally escape tenant friendly markets and find deals that actually make sense. If you're serious about investing smarter in real estate, this episode is a must-listen. If you'd like to connect with Ben you can go to iwin.sharesfr.com and click the “Schedule a call”  Please enjoy the show!  

Hey friends, this is Erwin Szeto, and welcome to The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, where it's my job to interview the top minds in real estate and business to uncover the strategies, mindsets, and habits that actually work—especially in today's market. My guest today is Michael Ponte—a full-time real estate investor, educator, and co-founder of Savvy Investor. He's been investing for more than 20 years and owns a multi-provincial portfolio that spans Alberta, BC, and Atlantic Canada. He's raised capital, survived multiple recessions, and built a strategy around what he calls “lazy investing”—focused on cash flow, simplicity, and long-term success. In this episode, we get into: Why he avoids over-leveraged strategies like promissory notes and MLI Select What it's like to refinance and pull nearly $1 million out of a property And how he built a business around student rentals, multi-family units, and zero tolerance for rent control Also—Michael is hosting a free virtual boot camp on May 3rd, and I'll be one of the speakers. It's called The Savvy Investor Boot Camp, and it covers everything from BRRRRs to private lending to U.S. investing. You can register at thesavvyinvestor.ca -- again, it's completely free. Now, please enjoy my conversation with Michael Ponte.

Greetings friends, this is Erwin Szeto, and welcome to The Truth About Real Estate Investing for Canadians, the #9 ranked podcast for Canadian Investment and Personal Finance per FeedSpot! Thank you listeners and past guests of this show! As always it's a honour to have this platform and ability to give back to the community that has been so much to my family and I where we all share a passion for the best investment class in the world: real estate.  Here on this show, it's my job to interview the top minds in real estate investing and business to uncover the strategies, mindsets, and habits that actually work—especially in today's market. This week's guest is Scott Dillingham, founder of LendCity Mortgages, is returning to the show with a mortgage market update!  He is a rare expert in both Canadian and U.S. real estate financing. Scott built his career helping investors—starting as a high-volume mortgage broker at one of Canada's Big Four banks for ten years, where he consistently ranked among the top 1% nationwide. In his peak year, he closed over 410 mortgage deals, most of them for investment properties. He's also a seasoned real estate investor himself, owning dozens of rental units, which gives him firsthand insight into the challenges his clients face. What makes Scott especially unique is that, as a dual citizen, he's able to own and operate mortgage brokerages in both Canada and the U.S.—something rare, I don't know anyone else who can do that. That means Canadian investors working with Scott can access lending strategies, mortgage approvals, and support for properties on both sides of the border—all under one team. Through LendCity, Scott works with over 60 lenders in Canada and 2,500+ lending sources in the U.S., helping investors scale smarter no matter where they're buying.