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Show Summary
In this episode of the Real Estate Pros Podcast, host Michelle Kesil interviews Alex Nahle, a real estate broker and investor. Alex shares his insights on navigating the California real estate market, the importance of mentorship, and strategies for new investors. He emphasizes the significance of passion in business, the need for teamwork in real estate, and offers practical advice for those looking to start their investment journey. The conversation also touches on Alex’s personal journey into real estate, his current focus in the market, and how he supports aspiring investors through his brokerage.
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Investor Fuel Show Transcript:
Alex Nahle (00:00)
Yeah, that’s a great question. So, you know, many people want to get started and they want to do things on their own and that’s fine, right? However, real estate, like I said, you know, it’s a lonely business. It’s a team sport and it’s easy to get distracted and with all these shiny objects. One of the things that I share with with many as much as I can, and this is something I learned from somebody at an event that I was at and it stuck with me and I shared over and over again. And this is it. The reason why many people fail in real estate is because there’stoo many ways to succeed. Okay. There are many options, many avenues, many ways, many strategies people can pursue and be successful. However, that’s also the reason why they fail is because they’re always chasing after one thing than the other, rather than focusing on one thing that works best for them. Right? So when you’re chasing and trying different things, you end up doing nothing.
Michelle Kesil (02:26)
Hey everybody, welcome to the Real Estate Pros Podcast. I’m your host, Michelle Kesil. Today I’m joined by someone I’m looking forward to chatting with, Alex Nahle, who is a real estate broker and active real estate investor. So excited to have you on the show today, Alex.Alex Nahle (02:45)
Thank you so much for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to it.Michelle Kesil (02:49)
I think our listeners are really going to take something away from how you’re approaching your investing business as well as supporting people in their investments as they want to become investor as well. So let’s dive in.Alex Nahle (03:07)
Awesome, let’s do it.Michelle Kesil (03:08)
First off, for those who are not yet familiar with you and your world, can you share what your main focus is?Alex Nahle (03:14)
Absolutely, yeah. My main focus is really to show others that investing in real estate, it’s not far-fetched. Anyone truly can do it with the right support and guidance. It is a team sport, so it is something that You know I personally recommend based on my experience that you seek someone to help you, whether it’s a mentor, it’s a business partner, so forth and so on. it is attainable by…anybody that wants to do it and I feel you my role is in such a situation is to really be a resource to others and helping them get through that process and making it possible.
Michelle Kesil (03:53)
Absolutely. And what markets are you focusing on?Alex Nahle (03:56)
So I am in California and Los Angeles specifically. So we do heavily focus in the LA area, LA city, LA county, in the foothills, in the San Fernando Valley. That is truly like the area that we focus on and for many reasons. One, because many don’t like California or Los Angeles due to the laws and so forth. I feel I see it completely differently, right? I see the opportunity for many reasons. I know it’s challenging.to purchase investment properties in California, one, because you know the rent does not necessarily satisfy the purchase price ratio, and also the tenant landlord laws are tend to be difficult. However, I feel that if you know the pros and cons of an area, you’re able to navigate it accordingly, and you gotta keep in mind the opportunities. So
When, you know, for me, I like to dissect a deal or underwrite a deal and figure out a way how I can generate multiple streams of income to offset the challenge of not having enough rental income from a property. And how do I do that is by really understanding and being in tune with the local laws. And at the same time, you know, keeping in mind appreciation, right? Because when you invest in real estate, for the most part, you’re either investing for cash flow or appreciation. The way I see it, I go for both.
I want the cake and I want to eat it too and I enjoy showing others how to do the same. In addition to that, I do focus on out of state investing as well. I do own rental properties out of state. I’m not against that at all. However, I do feel it’s not for everybody. Many people tend to go out of state, especially to areas with a much lower price point.
For me, I feel that if you do that for the wrong reasons, if you’re just chasing the price point, you’re missing out on the big picture and you’re overlooking a lot of the challenges that you may ⁓ encounter. And a lot of newer investors tend to take that route because I have lot of conversations with newer investors. When they do start, they tend to go to areas with a lower price point and then after they’ve done it for some time, they realize, you know, I would have done it differently. I get it. We all have to start somewhere. However, with the right guidance,
you can take the right steps from the get go.
Michelle Kesil (06:54)
Absolutely. How did you get started as an investor?Alex Nahle (07:00)
That’s an awesome question. So my first, you know, prior to getting started as a real estate investor, I was exposed from my family to rehabbing properties. I never knew what it was. I was young, maybe 12, 13 years old. that was, you know, I’m grateful to have a cousin that is much older than I am and he’s a contractor.He currently is the head contractor for a main hospital here in the LA area. However, you know during his career, he had you know used to do projects, side jobs, and so forth. And you know on my free time when I’m off of school or on vacation, I just would raise my hand and go out and help him out. So I’ve painted homes, cleaned you know done landscaping, and you know I did one roofing job.
So that’s kind of how things started for me. I just loved it, enjoyed it. I love architecture. I love design. Now, when did the actual real estate investing start? Is May 19, 2000. That is when I purchased my first investment property. you know, back then I was just a little over 19 years old. And I got into the automotive business and my brother and I partnered up to open up a dealership.
And one, know, he did have, my older brother had more real estate experience than I did at the time. He owned real estate properties. I had nothing to my name. I, again, I was young, going to school, fell in love, and just needed to work and be able to pay the bills and support, you know, my family.
So one advice that my older brother gave me was, you know, if you’re gonna open up this business, you should probably purchase the property rather than lease it. So we were looking for a car dealership, a car lot to run a used car business, which we did find in a very key area as far as, you know, automotive is concerned. It’s in the El Monte area. It’s a corner lot with an office.
and I was like, how am I gonna do this? I have no money to my name. So, you know, with asking questions and that’s something that I feel, you know, is a gift for me. It’s like, I don’t like to stop when there are, you obstacles, right? I feel the obstacle is the way. So I asked, I figured things out and luckily we did find that that particular property that I purchased, they identified a situation with the seller.
And you know we approached it so I ended up buying the property with seller financing a big portion of it and then the other portion I was able to raise money from friends and family so that is the first property that I purchased it was a commercial property and Now that I look back on it. I’m like wow how did I do that right? How did I do that? But it’s really you know about just not giving up
and being tenacious and asking questions and I figured it out. So that’s how my investing career started.
Michelle Kesil (10:32)
Amazing. That’s so cool that you were able to get kicked off in that way.You mentioned commercial. Why did you decide that that was the particular avenue for you?
Alex Nahle (10:43)
Well that was just for that particular property simply because it was appropriate for the business that we were opening. So it just happened to be that way. However, you know, after years have gone by, you know, we closed the dealership, I leased it out, and so forth and so on. Making long story short, the last tenant that I got in there come to find out that the city had rezoned the property. So…Though there’s a lot of things that go on in real estate that, you know, I was not notified about it as a landlord per se. The mail went to the property and, the tenant never brought it to my attention. So when we were getting another tenant in there, we come to find out that it was rezoned to residential. Therefore, we could not lease the property to another operator that’s going to run a car business out of there. So that was unfortunate. And due to circumstances at that time,
I ended up selling the property. Now looking back, again, that was one of the biggest mistakes that I made because the people that bought it ended up building a duplex on the property. it turned into residential. So my focus is on residential real estate, but that particular property happened to be due to being a solution to the business that we were running at the time.
Michelle Kesil (11:54)
Yeah, makes sense. What do you feel are some of the keys that have made the biggest difference in allowing your business to be able to grow and run successfully?Alex Nahle (12:04)
You know, I feel it’s the passion, it’s truly all about passion, because when you’re passionate, when you do things from the heart, nothing’s going to stop you. And it doesn’t feel like it’s a burden, right? Because, you know, if you’re, you know, working a job, and for me, I was 18 years in automotive, and I treated it like it was my own business. Again, I was very passionate, I moved up executive level and so forth. But corporate America, you’re as good as your last month, right?And it gets old very quickly. when you do things with passion and for the right reasons, I feel that you know nothing can come in your way and you’re the only person that’s gonna either stop yourself from achieving the goals that you have or not. So that’s kind of the way I look at it. It’s all about passion.
And you know I just enjoyed, again, starting off very, very young, opening up my dealership, being the youngest licensed car dealer in California according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Those were all motivating factors for me. And it was also a double-edged sword because that kind of put me in situations where I was supposedly overqualified to get certain positions. I was the young one, so when I would meet with the…
know, finance managers and things like that, sometimes you’re not necessarily taken seriously. So with that, I, you know, I’m on a mission to helping others achieve something similar. Like, you I love breaking records. I love doing things that are, that are crazy out of the ordinary. So owning a business and a property at the age of 19, for me, that’s awesome. And I try to help others achieve the same thing, both my kids and
and others that I work with because you know I feel it’s very possible if I can do it anybody else can do it so I’m always chasing after that.
Michelle Kesil (13:54)
Yeah, definitely. If someone wants to get started investing, how do you suggest they go about it? Is there anything that you share to maybe your clients or people that you mentor that are wanting to get started in this world?Alex Nahle (14:49)
Yeah, that’s a great question. So, you know, many people want to get started and they want to do things on their own and that’s fine, right? However, real estate, like I said, you know, it’s a lonely business. It’s a team sport and it’s easy to get distracted and with all these shiny objects. One of the things that I share with with many as much as I can, and this is something I learned from somebody at an event that I was at and it stuck with me and I shared over and over again. And this is it. The reason why many people fail in real estate is because there’stoo many ways to succeed. Okay. There are many options, many avenues, many ways, many strategies people can pursue and be successful. However, that’s also the reason why they fail is because they’re always chasing after one thing than the other, rather than focusing on one thing that works best for them. Right? So when you’re chasing and trying different things, you end up doing nothing.
And I realized that years ago for myself, because I was in that trap.
also. So I took a step back and I realized, you I want to focus on that one thing. So what I share with people is, you know, one, 50 % of something is better than 100 % of nothing. Right? So with that said, I would say, you know, unless you’re able to do it on your own, you have the background, you have all the experience and so forth, great. But otherwise, I would say, you know, find somebody to partner up with, to be your mentor. I believe that is
truly instrumental in success as far as real estate is concerned. Why? Because you’re gonna save a ton of money and a ton of time by learning from other people’s mistakes, other people’s wins and their losses, right? So you’ll be saving time, you’ll take a shortcut. Yes, it’s gonna cost you money. Yes, it might cost you investing in your time. However, I would highly encourage, you know,
people to when if they do want to get started find that person that resonates with you that is someone that you know can be your mentor and invest either your time with them volunteer with them or you know financially hire them and let them be your your guiding star you know that’s that’s what I truly believe that anybody that wants to get started to to save money and save time and to accelerate their career in real estate is find the right support
Don’t do it on your own, you don’t have to.
Michelle Kesil (17:13)
Yeah.Definitely mentorship is so crucial.
Alex Nahle (17:17)
Absolutely.Michelle Kesil (17:18)
What are you most focused on right now when it comes to solving or scaling to the next thing in your business?Alex Nahle (17:25)
So the two things, I’m focusing on multiple things, right? Two things in my business that I’m really, really focusing on is solidifying some key players on my team to be able to scale and take our business to another level, both the coaching business and the real estate investing business, bridging them together. So that’s one of the things that I’m really focusing on, because you know as I’ve mentioned, it is a team sport. It’s something that you know it’s harder to do on your own. It’s much better to do with others. SoThat is one thing there. The other thing is really being in tune with the market, because the market is different today than it was six months ago or a year ago. And the challenge is many just watch YouTube or they’re on different podcasts and so forth. And they get some great information, don’t get me wrong. However, it’s not a cookie cutter situation. Every market is different. The time
It’s different today’s market is different like as I mentioned like six months or a year ago However, the local market here in LA is also very very different and diverse, right? So we can’t do what we did in the past Today and we can’t do what we do in other states or other cities the same as we do here in LA So with that said I’m very focused on the market I’m very focused on any rules and regulations and laws that get passed or are in the works of getting passed
to really identify the opportunities and then, you know, again, focusing on today’s market and the properties that we’re looking at, the properties we’re underwriting, we’re looking at them in a very different way. It’s not the same thing. So we do fix and flips and we do rental properties and anything in between. So what I’m realizing now is buying a property is, again, it’s not the same. There’s a lot more opportunities in my opinion now than there was before.
And it’s just a matter of you really understanding those opportunities, identifying those opportunities, and then going after them. So those are the two things that I’m focusing on. Because as long as you’re in tune with the market and you have the right team, everything else comes into play.
Michelle Kesil (19:27)
Yeah, that’s awesome. I love that perspective.So when it comes to your brokerage, I know you’re also selling to investors. What does that side of your business look like?
Alex Nahle (19:40)
Yes, so, you know, as I mentioned, for the real estate brokerage side, we do support the average buyer and seller, and we just love that. I love taking on those challenging situations. A lot of our clients, both also buyers and sellers, happen to be real estate investors. Some are very well experienced, so we help guide them in any way they need.We build that relationship. My business is built on relationship base. It’s not transactional. So I’m very protective of who I work with, because I gotta make sure, one, I can provide you what you’re looking for, and two, that the journey, the relationship that we’re gonna have is gonna be ⁓ enjoyable for both of us, right? It’s not about the transaction, it’s about the journey that we’re on. So whether you end up buying or selling, that’s not the point. The point is that we’re able to satisfy
what your needs are and we’re not gonna have a difficult situation. We gotta be like-minded. And that’s how my business has grown with referrals. So with that said, I’ve evolved the business to also cater to the aspiring investor, right? Because that is my passion, is like helping those that feel that, again, it’s out of their reach to actually invest in real estate. And when I accomplish that,
with someone that comes in with that mentality or mindset and then they end up buying their first real estate property and despite the fact that they believe they didn’t have the right resources, that to me is just, it’s it, right? It’s it. It’s what really brings me joy.
just showing someone that they can do what they felt is not possible. So that’s the way, that’s the focus that has been on the investing side from the brokerage is really helping you know the average real estate investor just getting started. Because once you get your first deal and if you do things correctly, you’re just setting yourself up for success.
Michelle Kesil (21:34)
Definitely. Is there a specific investment strategy you recommend for people’s first deal or is it more case-dependent?Alex Nahle (21:41)
Both, both actually, that’s very, very good question. So it is case dependent, because for me, I don’t have a cookie cutter approach. I like to have a call with a client before I take them on and figuring out what are you looking for, what are you need, right? Because some may have more than others when it comes to the ability or resources. So it’s really figuring out, you know.creating a curated experience for that particular person. However, for the most part, on an entry level, house hacking is a strategy that I see a lot of my clients start off with. And house hacking, it’s a low barrier of entry. It’s purchasing a property that you’re both gonna live in and be able to create rental income out of it.
So that is you know one of the most common ways that a lot of aspiring investors or first-time investors Get started in real estate because typically a lot of them don’t even have their primary residence so when you’re able to understand again the laws the rules and regulations and the opportunities and the specific person’s Situation you put everything together and then magic happens from there. So house hacking is truly one of the most common
methods for the average investor to get started and what I’ve seen has worked for me as well.
Michelle Kesil (23:04)
Yeah, definitely. Thanks for sharing that perspective.So before we wrap up here, if someone wants to reach out, connect, learn more about what you’re up to, where can people find you and reach you?
Alex Nahle (23:15)
Yeah, absolutely. So you can call or email me. I can provide that information. I do host in-person and virtual events on a monthly basis. You know I would love to, if anyone is local, to invite them out to our local events, because I feel this is a people business. So meeting someone, getting to know someone.and building that relationship is crucial before you do business with that person, whether it’s me or anybody else, because if you’re going to invest with somebody, you’ve got to like them, trust them, and know that they have your best interest in mind. So those are the different ways people can get a hold of me. I also have my podcast, so I would love people to check it out as well. It’s the BRRRR Investor podcast. But the easiest way is just call me or email me that.
That’s the best way to reach me.
Michelle Kesil (24:03)
Perfect. I appreciate your time and your perspective. Thank you for being here.Alex Nahle (24:07)
Thank you so much for the opportunity. I truly enjoyed it.Michelle Kesil (24:09)
Of course And for the listeners tuning in, you got value, make sure you’ve subscribed. We have more conversations with operators like Alex who are building real businesses and we’ll see you on the next episode.
