DSCR Loans, Banking Relationships & Financing Strategies with Chris Gurski

Chris Gurski (00:00)
One thing I really learned, you should never be afraid to walk away from a deal. If you’re talking to a real estate agent, if you’re talking to a banker, because if you think about it, the market is so huge, especially in the US, you should never be afraid to walk away from a deal. Even though you may fall in love with the opportunity, you may fall in love with the real estate project, but you should never really be afraid.

Because then the other people can sense it and then they come down with the pricing. You know, interest rates also the banks can come up with better conditions for you, getting a higher line of credit.

Freddie Steen (02:12)
Hey everyone, welcome to Real Estate Pros Investor Fuel Podcast. I’m your host, Freddie Steen, and I today am joined by someone I’ve been looking forward to chatting with. His backstory is incredible. You all are not going to believe that not only is he a real estate pro, but he also knows how to get around in the pool. I’m talking about none other than Chris Gurski who’s been making serious moves in the real estate industry, specifically in creative finance, with his company, The Credit Genius. Chris, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. Glad to have you here.

Chris Gurski (02:54)
Thank you so much for the intro, Freddie. Really appreciate it. And yeah, let’s kick it off with Investor Fuel. Very, very happy to be on the show today. And yeah, give everything in. I know about banking credit and also obviously the part with business credit and real estate financing, which I think will be very interesting for many here in the audience.

Freddie Steen (03:15)
Chris, I’m glad to have you here. I mean, I think our listeners are really going to take something away from how you’re approaching creative financing, also your experience in being living here in the United States, but also having a footprint internationally, and also your capital raising. But let’s dive in. So first off, for people who may not be familiar with your world, give us the short version. What’s your main focus these days? And what markets are you operating in?

Chris Gurski (03:50)
That’s a great question, Freddie. So first of all, we’re all about US infrastructure and especially in the financial space, obviously. So we have a whole ecosystem developed to get investors and business owners in the best shape as possible in the banking and credit field. I know this industry is highly, highly fragmented in the US. There are so many banks, so many options, so many ins and outs of the credit score on the personal and the business side that many people are not really aware of.

I was also very amazed by it when I was 18 and came to the States on a swimming scholarship, but I was fascinated by it because there are so many options and so many opportunities out there. And most of the Americans I spoke to, they don’t really know about it in detail and they don’t really leverage it. I even experienced that as a student.

So really get your profile in the best shape as possible to be eligible for good lending and financing because this can open so many doors. I know many of you here are interested in real estate deals. You can have many deals available to you. I don’t think many people have a deal flow problem. It’s more about the back end on how to get these deals financed and approved, and this is where we step in.

You know, getting personal credit profiles in an excellent ratio, like above FICO 800, and then slowly and steadily developing also the business credit profile so that you’re just in the best way possible and eligible for DSRC loans. SBA loans are also part of it. But in order to make that happen and get the lines of credit that you need, you need to do the homework and groundwork, and that’s where we can consult and get our clients going.

We have a high focus on international clients as well, because me coming from Germany, I had to figure it out the hard way and learn the hard lessons along it. I know it’s not easy, especially if you maybe don’t have a social security number, but there are always options out there, especially also if you’re non-American, to get started and get the ball rolling. If you’re American, obviously you need to make use of that thing, the social security number, because that’s your gateway. If you have a good credit score established.

To really get going and get good deals with great rates in the end, you know. I mean, mortgage rates are so high at the moment, you really need to improve your profile in order to get better financing options.

Freddie Steen (07:14)
Love it. Love it. You know what caught my attention about you, Chris, was the way you’ve been able to have a deep dive knowledge and interpret that to your clients with DSRC loans, creative financing. That’s not easy, especially in this climate. What’s been the key to keeping that machine running smoothly?

Chris Gurski (07:37)
Yeah, you just have to be on top of your game. It never sleeps. And especially regulations are always changing, especially with the current administration. It’s a very volatile market. We’ve just been hearing news about SBA loans, for example. They won’t be accessible for non US persons anymore. This definitely created some friction and some worries around my client base.

But yeah, you just have to be on top of your game. There are always options out there, especially in the US. I mean, it’s called the land of opportunities for a reason. But in order to stay on top of that and really be in the best shape possible, you just have to do the groundwork and maybe invest some money in getting the right structure in place.

Of course, you can figure out this stuff on your own, but really having expertise and consultants at your side I think really help to get not only good deals, especially in real estate, but also get the financing fast and at good conditions.

Freddie Steen (08:46)
Every operator I know has a moment when things got real. But before we get there, Chris, can you give us just kind of a smattering of the markets that you’re currently in with the Credit Genius company?

Chris Gurski (08:59)
Sure. So we’re obviously high in the banking industry and in the credit industry, which is obviously highly correlated. And obviously then the logical next step and the way we’re currently expanding big time in is the real estate sector because banking, credit, and real estate it’s a magical symbiosis, right?

You always need banks, you always need credit and financing to really get going in the real estate market and also have good conditions on your deals in the end. And also what I found out very interesting when coming to the States more than 10 years ago and now working with the clients for four years, it always highly depends on who you talk to.

Because also at banks people have different opinions about your story, about your business. And maybe the one banker says no but the other one says yes. It always depends. Never be frustrated if somebody tells you no.

You just have to get connected to the right people who understand your profile, who understand your potential and opportunity. And this is what we do, you know, we find out the best relationships, mainly down here in Miami. They love to work with our clients and it’s been a lot of fun so far.

But the one thing I would say it’s all about relationships. Especially in real estate, you know, the realtor you talk to is the banks that you talk to. It always depends on the relationship in the end, how much they trust you. So establishing these relationships early, not spreading out too much of your capital at ten different banks, but really choosing primary banks that you work with and creating strong relationships with them, showing their algorithms, you know, that you’re an active and running customer, that really helps throughout the process.

Freddie Steen (11:27)
Now, every operator I know again has a moment where things got real. Maybe a deal that went sideways. I know you do a lot with different banks and financing here in the States, or maybe a time that you had to pivot fast. You mind sharing one of those moments for you?

Chris Gurski (11:47)
Yeah, I can share one thing. I unfortunately had a depression in 2024 because I don’t know where I really wanted to be with the business. I didn’t know what’s my ideal clientele. It did take some time for me to really figure that out.

But I also realized those times when a deal falls apart, when your health is suffering, this can only make you stronger because then you really appreciate what you have and what’s really important in your life.

Many of the entrepreneurs and operators I talked to, they always had a time where they really struggled and they came out stronger. But I think it’s important to understand if your business may be falling apart, if the deal is not working on your end, it’s hard to say but in the end it’s only you that can save yourself.

And you have to take responsibility for it, create new opportunities, create new deals, get in better shape, become a better person, and just become the best version of yourself. Then I am a big believer and advocate in the law of attraction. If you radiate the right energy out there in the world, you automatically get connected to the right people and you also attract better and more trusted and more reliable deals down the line.

If you radiate bad behavior or scammy or wishy washy deals, you get that back and you will have some problems down the line, even if they might sound good in the beginning.

Freddie Steen (13:29)
Relationships, that’s the kind of stuff people don’t talk about enough. And honestly, you know, it’s what separates the folks who just dabble from the ones who stay in the game long term, like our audience. Let me ask you this. What are you most focused on solving or scaling next? What’s the next real goal for you and the Credit Genius?

Chris Gurski (13:52)
That’s a great question. We talked about that earlier. I definitely want to develop the team here on site in the US more and more. We just made another hire about three months ago with a new US consultant for that market.

But yeah we’re basically a concierge consulting firm still with lean structures. But now I feel ready, the systems are in place, the processes are in place, and the relationships with the banks and credit operators are in place. I feel ready to scale that even more.

But I will always want to keep that personal touch and don’t become like a volume firm where the client is just a number. I want to keep it personal and rather scale through quality.

We just launched a new client portal where they can log in, see their deals, see their current status. It’s very exciting. But I’m doing that not with a big rush. I’m a big believer good things take time. That’s also what my girlfriend always taught me. You gotta be patient for the good things and then they’re gonna be great.

Freddie Steen (15:48)
That’s big, especially when you’ve already got your relationships in banking in place. The next move can either compound things or create chaos depending on how you play it.

Now I know a lot of people listening are either earlier in their journey or looking to level up. When it comes to building relationships and growing your network, what’s made the biggest difference for you, Chris?

Chris Gurski (16:19)
I have a hot take there, which I realized also during COVID, everything was online. That’s not my type, just meeting people online and trying to establish real relationships through that.

I would also love to meet you in person, Freddie, because the moment you see somebody, look them in the eyes and shake their hands, I think you can understand in the first two to three seconds what this person is about and if he’s genuine.

I was a global traveler or digital nomad before I moved to Miami last year. What was nice about that, I always could fly out, meet people in Dubai, establish that personal relationships, and that really made a difference.

Because when you show up in person, you’re just ahead of the competition. So I can highly encourage take that flight, make it happen and don’t stay in the comfort zone of just staying in your home and doing Zoom calls because the real world is happening out there, not at your home.

Freddie Steen (17:34)
Chris, I have to take a step back because I can literally feel the ears of our audience itching for one question that I failed to ask early on. Can you please give a high-level 30,000-foot view of your background coming from Germany to the US as a competitive swimmer who makes his way into real estate?

Chris Gurski (18:03)
Totally. It’s not easy to get started. You have to do the first baby steps first, establishing the first relationships. Go to the banks, apply for your ITIN if you can’t get an SSN yet, but really do the small steps.

I know it can be very frustrating in the beginning if you get low credit limits of 500, maybe 1,000 or 2,000 dollars. It might look like it’s not going anywhere.

But it really has to be a continuous process down the line and always keep your eye on the goal. And what many people don’t realize it’s always an exponential trajectory and path because those limits are stacking up so fast once you’re established for half a year, for one year.

Also for the LLC, it might make sense for a lot of people who are getting into that field, especially real estate financing, around business credit, to maybe buy an aged corporation because an aged corporation has some story behind it, it has maturity around it and that’s what banks like to see.

So if you’re looking for a head start, there’s no real shortcuts on the personal credit, maybe establishing some authorized user lines from friends or relatives who are more developed in the game.

But yeah, personal credit development and then business buying opportunities, maybe of aged corporations to get more foot on the track earlier, that I think it might be very useful for the audience to do.

Freddie Steen (19:57)
Wow, Chris, we greatly appreciate that. How about for the savvy investor before we go? What’s your quick tip before we wrap?

Chris Gurski (20:11)
I think many of the audience here are savvy investors. We always try to get the best deal in the end. One thing I learned in negotiations is you should never be afraid to walk away from a deal.

If you’re talking to a real estate agent or a banker, because the market is so huge, especially in the US, you should never be afraid to walk away from a deal. Even though you may fall in love with the opportunity or the real estate project.

Because then the other people can sense it and they come down with pricing. Interest rates also the banks can come up with better conditions for you, getting a higher line of credit.

You should never be afraid to walk away from a deal and just see what happens if you’re almost stepping out of that door.

I can tell you the person who wants to sell their house or sell you a mortgage or a business line of credit, they’re going to come back to you because they’re also looking for clients and revenue.

Freddie Steen (21:48)
Yeah, you can’t fake that. Relationships are everything in this space and referrals are really important and a network is even more important.

All right, before we wrap, if someone wanted to reach out, connect with you Chris, maybe collaborate or learn more about what you’re doing, what’s the best way for them to reach you?

Chris Gurski (22:11)
Yes, so one option is Instagram @the.creditgenius. You can find me there. We’ll be posting regularly about all the banking, credit, and also points and miles side if you’re into travel hacking.

And yeah, we’ve been also growing up our LinkedIn presence. You can find me there with Christopher Gurski, G-U-R-S-K-I.

And then yeah, let’s connect. Happy to talk through. And I’m really excited about the opportunities and hope that I could help you and your audience with my expertise.

Freddie Steen (23:05)
Perfect. Perfect. Well, listen, I appreciate your time, your story, and your perspective, Chris. We need more people in this space who are doing it the right way. Thanks again for being here and for those of you tuning in. If you got value from this, make sure you’re subscribed. We’ve got more conversations coming with operators just like Chris Gurski who are out there building real businesses. We’ll see you on the next episode.