Path To Passive: Real Estate Investing For Technology Professionals

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If you're a W-2 tech professional wondering why your stock portfolio feels like a rollercoaster with no seatbelt, this episode is going to change how you think about building real wealth. 

Host Steven Arita sits down with Mike Zlotnik — chess master, former software engineer, fund manager at TF Management Group, and the man behind BigMikeFund.com — who traded midnight software deployments for what he calls "asymmetric return opportunities" in private real estate. 

In this conversation, Mike breaks down exactly why private real estate investing offers something the stock market simply...

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If you thought investing in private deals was only for people with hundred-million-dollar venture funds and a team of lawyers on speed dial — this episode will change that. 

In this conversation on the Path to Passive podcast, host Steven Arita sits down with Jeremy Neilson, an attorney-turned-private-asset-investing specialist who has personally closed nearly 9,000 SPVs, processed over 10,000 tax returns, and helped onboard upward of 300,000 investors since getting a cold call from a 6-person AngelList in 2013 — while pushing his kid on a backyard swing. 

Jeremy breaks down exactly what a special purpos...

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What if your next investment had a waitlist of tenants, constrained supply, and cash flow that holds up even when the economy doesn't? 

In this episode, Steven Arita sits down with Leo Young, founder of Cornell Communities and former top performer at Tesla, to break down exactly why mobile home parks (manufactured housing communities) are one of the most overlooked passive income vehicles for tech professionals today. 

Leo walks through the three-part investment thesis that changed his thinking — recession-resistant demand, government-constrained supply, and operational arbitrage that most individual owners leav...

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What percentage of your investible net worth is actually outside your home country? 

If you're like most tech professionals, the answer is "basically zero" and you might be missing one of the smartest diversification plays available. 

In this episode of Path to Passive, Steven Arita sits down with Mike Cobb, CEO of ECI Development, who's spent over 25 years developing resort communities, running a bank, and building a teak timber empire across Latin America. 

Mike started his career in the IBM clone business in the 1980s, where he lea...

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What if AI could finally make real estate data actually useful instead of overwhelming? 

In this episode of Path to Passive, Steven Arita sits down with Kevin Shtofman, Global Head of Alliances and Corporate Development at Cherre, a real estate data warehouse platform serving insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, and REITs. 

Kevin brings over 20 years of experience from investment banking, Morgan Stanley, EY, and Deloitte, and he's now helping real estate companies turn fragmented data from acquisitions, leasing, accounting, and reporting into actionable intelligence. 

You'll learn how AI...

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What if part of the money you send to the IRS each year could instead be working for you in oil wells? In this episode, Steven welcomes John Engel, COO of Gulf Coast Western, for a clear and honest conversation about oil and gas investing. John explains how investors can participate in packaged wells that generate monthly cash flow, often to return initial capital in 18 to 24 months, depending on the project. They also talk through the real tax advantages, including the ability to write off a large portion of the investment in year...

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What if the secret to building real wealth isn’t working harder, but getting smarter about ownership and leverage? In today’s episode, Steven chats with entrepreneur and investor Joe Edgar as he shares how calling himself a “lazy entrepreneur” actually helped him win. From buying his first fixer-upper at 14 to building tech platforms and launching Loca, Joe breaks down the difference between income, ownership, and systems that work without you. He shares lessons from real estate, venture capital, and time spent with Aboriginal communities in Australia that shaped his views on money and simp...

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What if the real key to strong investor returns isn’t focusing on investors first, but creating an amazing living experience for residents? In this episode, Steven sits down with John Makarewicz, President of Ferris Capital Partners, to break down what operator-level thinking truly means. John shares his journey from early struggles in college to building and exiting a major real estate company, and how clear systems, strong culture, and disciplined execution drive long-term results. He explains his simple 1-3-5 framework for goal setting, why resident experience fuels investor success, and how he...

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What actually makes money in self-storage, and why do smart people still get it wrong? In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Vanderslice, co-founder and principal at VanWest Partners, for an honest, operator-first conversation about how these businesses really work. Jacob shares how pricing and revenue decisions happen day to day, why his team walked away from REIT management to run everything in-house, and how small choices add up to real NOI growth. We also talk about real risks investors should pay attention to right now, including new supply, local market pressure...

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What really happens after a big startup exit, and how do the ultra-wealthy actually decide where to put their money? In this episode, Steven chats with Tad Fallows, Managing Director of Long Angle, as he shares what he learned after selling his bootstrapped SaaS company and suddenly facing the question: “What do I do with all this capital?” Tad opens up about the challenges of wealth management, what most people get wrong about investing, and why he built Long Angle, a private community for first-generation wealth creators and execs looking for honest, no-sales conv...

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What happens when the market crashes, you lose everything, and you have to start all over again? In this episode, Stephen Arita sits down with Fuquan Bilal, a real estate investor who’s been in the game for 26 years and has seen it all. From flipping hundreds of homes before 2008, to bouncing back through the world of mortgage notes, and now focusing on multifamily rentals and luxury spec homes, Fuquan shares the mindset shifts and lessons that helped him reinvent himself again and again. He opens up about what real estate taught him ab...

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Can you really build wealth through rental properties without ever setting foot in them? Melissa Nash says yes, and she’s done it. In this episode, Melissa shares how she built a 7-figure rental portfolio entirely out-of-state, all while living in California and raising four kids. She breaks down what passive investing actually looks like when you still want ownership and control. From choosing landlord-friendly markets to building reliable teams and using smart financing options like DSCR loans, Melissa walks through her step-by-step system for turnkey real estate success. Whether you're looking to re...

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Are hidden fees eating away at your investment returns? In this episode, Steven Arita sits down with Robert Rolih, author of The Million Dollar Decision, to talk about what really hurts long-term investors, and it’s not just the market. Robert shares how even a small 1% fee can quietly cost you hundreds of thousands (or more), why short-term trading usually backfires, and how you can build a simple, hands-off portfolio with just a couple of ETFs. Whether you’re focused on real estate or looking to clean up your stock market game, this epis...

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What if everything you’ve been told about retirement is wrong? In this episode, Steven sits down with Chris Miles, also known as the “anti-financial advisor,” as he shares how most traditional financial advice keeps people stuck, even those doing all the “right” things. He opens up about watching his own dad follow the system only to retire on a tight budget, and why he walked away from his job as a financial advisor to build real, passive income instead. Chris breaks down how you can stop chasing net worth and start building income tha...

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What if the best time to think about your goals is not when you are rushing into a new year, but when things finally slow down? In this holiday episode, Steven talks about setting goals from gratitude instead of pressure. When work eases up and life feels a little quieter, it is easier to step back and think about what actually matters to you. We walk through a simple goal-setting process you can come back to anytime, one that focuses on the kind of person you want to become, not just the boxes...

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What if you could learn how the Hilton family invests, and apply some of those same strategies to your own money, even if you're not a millionaire? In this episode, Steven Arita chats with Mark Miller, co-founder of Hilton Tax and Wealth Advisors. Mark has spent decades working with the Hilton family office, and now he’s on a mission to bring those smart money principles to everyday investors. They talk about how wealthy families protect and grow their money, how retail investors are being steered wrong, and what you can do differently, ev...

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How does someone go from being an overworked civil engineer to building a $2 billion real estate portfolio? In this episode, Steven sits down with Lane Kawaoka as he shares his surprisingly relatable story. Lane breaks down how one simple rental in Seattle led to a whole new way of thinking about money, freedom, and how tech and engineering pros can get ahead faster by doing things differently. We talk about his Wealth Elevator framework, how to avoid the trap of traditional investing advice, and why buying one rental at a time might not...

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What does it take to walk away from a 14-year-old business and fully commit to passive real estate investing? In this episode, Steven chats with Ian Noble, founder of RunSteady Investments, as he shares how he scaled a 14-location service business in Austin, led 90+ employees, and ultimately exited in 2023. Now fully focused on helping others invest passively in real estate funds, like mobile home parks and private credit, Ian breaks down what he looks for in deals, why partnerships matter, and the shift from “doing it all” to trusting others with your capital. He a...

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What if gratitude wasn’t just a “feel-good” exercise, but the key to seeing your life clearly? In this personal and real episode, Steven opens up about the kind of gratitude that actually means something, not the checklist kind, but the type that comes from lived experiences, growth, pain, and the people who showed up along the way. He shares what he's most thankful for this year: from his health and family to early job breaks, the wild ride at Amazon, his relationship, and the raw challenges that shaped him. If you’re growth-m...

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Think your W-2 income is safe once you invest in real estate? Think again. In this episode, Rich Dad Advisors Garrett and Ted Sutton join Steven to break down exactly how tech professionals can protect their assets before problems happen. From the right way to use LLCs, to why insurance alone isn’t enough, this father-son legal team shares clear, practical strategies every investor should know. Plus, hear about their upcoming financial education projects, including a law book for teens, narrated by a golden doodle. Whether you own one rental or ten, this ep...

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What would you do if your high-paying tech job suddenly disappeared? In this episode, Steven chats with Mike Deaton, who shares how getting laid off, alongside his wife, became the moment that changed everything. With no real estate background and a $1,000 land course collecting dust, they took a chance on land investing. Today, that business gives them steady income, control of their time, and a life they love in the Colorado mountains. Mike breaks down how they got started, what it really takes, and how you can build your own safety net before...

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Ever seen one of those picture-perfect hotel ads and thought, “Wow, I wish I was there”? That’s kind of what a real estate pitch deck is like; it looks amazing and full of promise. But what’s really inside? In this episode, Steven breaks down what you’ll actually find in a multifamily real estate pitch deck. He goes over what’s real, what’s just marketing, and what to look out for before you invest. If you’ve ever felt unsure about what you’re looking at or didn’t know what to ask, this ep...

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What if you could legally keep up to 40% of your profits when you sell real estate, and most people don’t even know it’s possible? In this episode, Steven chats with Jon Hilley, aka “Mr. 1031,” to talk about one of the biggest tax-saving moves in real estate: the 1031 exchange. Jon explains what it is, how it works, and why more investors should be using it. He also shares his own story, from working at Goldman Sachs to running cannabis companies to now leading one of the top 1031 exchange firms in the country. You’ll a...