The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast|Real Estate Investing

Welcome to the Smart Real Estate Coach podcast. Our episodes are designed to help YOU reach the next level of real estate investing no matter where you are right now. To make this a reality, we lean into our 32+ years of experience, our huge network of experts, and our thriving community of Associates. With the right tools, the right education, and the right mindset YOU can take control of your financial future. At Smart Real Estate Coach, we empower individuals and families to create the life of their dreams through real estate. If you are an aspiring or seasoned real estate investor looking for a proven investment system, robust education, and a thriving support community, you have come to the right place. We share the best information from our own deals, our Associate's deals, and our guest experts, helping you potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars in costly mistakes. And we know what the work actually takes. Between our Associates and our own deals, we're stil

The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast|Real Estate Investing is a business podcast hosted by Chris Prefontaine, with 575 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Chris Prefontaine hosts The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast|Real Estate Investing, a business show with 575 episodes published.

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  Episode #574

  Episode 574: Why a "Dead Lead" Might Still Be Worth Five Figures with Derek Dombeck

  Sep 16, 202626 minS1

  This week marks our third Wednesday, which means it's time for a conversation with someone from our own community, and I couldn't be more excited to have Derek Dombeck back. Derek's been coaching with us for about a year now at the highest levels of our program, and he brings almost 25 years of his own real estate investing experience to every session. Today I wanted to get his honest, unfiltered perspective on what actually separates the students who take off fast from the ones who stay stuck, since he's seen it up close in a way nobody else has. Derek gets real about what he's learned coaching inside our community: why showing up to live events and building genuine relationships accelerates everyone's progress, why he's passionate about a communication and negotiation system he built called No Means Not Yet, and why option-based deals on distressed and default properties remain one of the most overlooked tools in creative real estate. He also opens up about a genuinely hard season this year and the way our community showed up for him. If you've ever wondered what's actually happening behind the scenes at the highest levels of a coaching community, this conversation pulls back the curtain. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:40 Announcing the show's new format: a solo cast every first Wednesday, a community guest every third Wednesday 01:17 Introducing Derek Dombeck and his coaching role at the Presidents Club and High 6 levels 02:24 The number one difference between students who take off fast and those who stay stuck: showing up and building relationships 04:08 What Deal Lab and Deal Room actually look like, and why nothing like it exists elsewhere in the industry 06:32 What's changed in Derek's own beliefs about the industry after coaching at this level 08:29 Why creative deals beat the old way of getting paid once, no matter the market 10:15 Why some leads people assume are dead can still produce five or six figures once properly structured 11:39 Introducing Derek's No Means Not Yet system and its four steps 12:54 Introducing the Apprentice Program as a low commitment way to meet the team in person 13:23 The recurring "aha" Derek sees: people opening up about personal challenges affecting their business 16:12 Introducing the weekly Monday Rant and why the people who engage with it consistently succeed 19:09 Derek shares the loss of his mother in June and the support he received from the community 20:27 What's encouraging Derek most about creative real estate right now: options on distressed properties 22:24 Derek's message to 10,000 listeners on why now is the time to learn creative real estate 24:12 Closing thoughts and how to schedule a free advisory call Quotables "It's not what we do every day, all day, but just knowing that the resource is there and the ability to do those deals are there." "Is there a better time to do creative? And the answer is every day." "There is no better time to get started. I don't care when you're listening to this, today is the day to get started." Links No Means Not Yet: https://smartrealestatecoach.com/nomeansnotyet Propsperity: https://propsperity.io The Generations of Wealth: https://thegenerationsofwealth.com Book Your Free Discovery Call: https://SmartRealEstateCoachPodcast.com/Discovery Download: Inside the Deals (Real Case Studies): https://SmartRealEstateCoachPodcast.com/Deals Watch the Free Masterclass: https://SmartRealEstateCoachPodcast.com/Mastersclass Learn About the Apprentice Program: https://3PaydaysApprentice.com/Podcast Explore Our Partner Resources: https://SmartRealEstateCoachPodcast.com/Resources

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  Episode #573

  Episode 573: From No Money, No Credit, to a Better Path in Real Estate with Chris Prefontaine

  Sep 2, 202616 minS1

  In this solo episode, I want to hit on something that I think is the single biggest thing separating you from your next deal, and it's not another strategy or skill set. It's clarity. I just got back from our Deal Lab, and for the third time in a row, I watched the exact same lightbulb go off in people's heads: it was never the deal structure holding them back, it was not knowing, with total clarity, what their own path actually looked like. I use an analogy that's stuck with me for years: imagine buying a thousand-piece puzzle, dumping all the pieces on the table, throwing away the box lid that shows you the picture, and then wondering three days later why you haven't finished it. That's exactly how most investors approach this business, trying to piece together random strategies without ever seeing the full picture first. I walk through my own version of that chaos, the four years after the 2008 crash where I dabbled with pieces instead of committing to one clear system, until necessity forced me into creative finance because I genuinely had no other option. I also break down the real order of how this works: clarity comes first, then action, then confidence, never the other way around. Readiness is never going to show up on its own while you wait for it. Finally, I talk about our September 3 Paydays Live event, going back to our roots this year with no outside speakers, and how I'm making it easier than ever to attend with a fully refundable seat fee. If you've been stuck in the "when I'm ready" mindset, waiting for one more course or one more sign before you actually start, this episode is a direct challenge to that thinking. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:23 Introducing today's topic: why clarity, not skill, is what separates you from your next deal 01:28 What just happened at Deal Lab and the lightbulb moment investors keep having 02:47 The thousand piece puzzle analogy for how most investors approach this business 03:47 Chris's own story: four years of dabbling with pieces after the 2008 crash 05:15 Why creative finance became his only option, and why it's a better path in general 06:06 The free discovery session offer with the Smart Real Estate Coach team 07:53 The pattern Chris hears constantly at Deal Lab: "I'll start when..." 08:46 Why readiness never comes first, and the real order: clarity, then action, then confidence 09:18 Why every deal affects three or four lives, not just the investor's own 10:27 What makes Three Paydays Live different from typical industry events: no outside speakers 11:38 Announcing the refundable seat fee for September's Three Paydays Live event 13:24 Announcing 3 Paydays Live for September 27th through 29th 14:07 What attendees will see: real deals, real numbers, and the full three paydays model 14:34 New this year: hands-on workshops and extended Q&A after each session Quotables "Readiness doesn't come first. It's clarity, then action, then confidence." "It's not a predatory niche in creative. It's a win win win niche." "It's costing you tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars by not taking action." Links 3 Paydays® Live https://3paydayslive.com/podcast Free Discovery Call https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery 3 Paydays® System Mastery Course - Use coupon code for 50% off https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qls Coupon code: pod Apprentice Program http://3paydaysapprentice.com/Podcast Masterclass https://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast 3 Paydays Books https://3paydaysbooks.com/podcast Partners https://smartrealestatecoach.com/podcastresources

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  Episode #572

  Episode 572: What Makes Mobile Home Parks Different From Every Other Asset with Brad Johnson

  Aug 19, 202630 minS1

  I've been digging into mobile home park investing for some personal initiatives lately, so this was a genuinely selfish interview for me. My guest, Brad Johnson, is the co-founder and CIO of Vintage Capital, and he's got the kind of resume that makes you want to just sit back and ask questions: 20 years across traditional and alternative asset classes, over $3.3 billion in commercial real estate acquisitions closed, and a rare perspective as both a former mobile home park operator and a current capital allocator in the space. We started with his own jump from Wall Street, leaving a real estate investment bank in his mid-30s, right after having his first kid, because manufactured housing showed the highest cash flow yields paired with the lowest default rates he'd ever seen, a combination that shouldn't exist but does. From there we got tactical: what makes mobile home parks structurally different from other real estate, why owning the infrastructure instead of the homes themselves changes your entire profit margin, and the specific due diligence checklist Brad runs on every deal, from market-level home price ratios down to road and utility conditions. We also got into the money side that most people never hear about: seller financing on smaller parks, how mom-and-pop sellers with decades of depreciation often want creative structuring more than a cash-out, and the accelerated depreciation tax benefit tied to land improvements that can hand investors an outsized first-year tax loss. Brad closed with a stat that stuck with me: the major players in this space have never had a negative year of net operating income growth in 25 years, a steady 5% annual compound that's almost unheard of in a normally cyclical asset class. If you've ever driven past a mobile home community and wondered whether there was real money in it, or you're already investing creatively and want to know how this niche fits into a three paydays approach, this conversation is worth your full attention. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:44 Introducing Brad Johnson, co-founder and CIO of Vintage Capital 01:04 Brad's 20 years across traditional and alternative asset classes, and $3.3 billion in acquisitions 02:05 Why Brad chose real estate over Wall Street securities: insider knowledge and lower volatility 03:15 Discovering manufactured housing's unusual combination of high yield and low default rates 03:33 Leaving a W-2 in his mid-30s, right after his first child, to buy mobile home parks 05:19 Advice for high income earners stuck and afraid to leave their W-2 07:23 Why mobile home parks structurally have low default rates and declining supply 08:35 Why owning the infrastructure instead of the homes creates higher profit margins 09:42 Park sizes Vintage Capital focuses on: the 50 to 150 pad middle market 11:53 Key due diligence: market-level home prices, population stability, and infrastructure condition 16:20 The accelerated depreciation tax benefit tied to land improvements and infrastructure 17:33 Why Vintage Capital partners with local operators and avoids anti-landlord states 19:34 How seller financing shows up in mobile home park deals, and why 22:08 A real community story: a woman who focused on free-and-clear parks for creative financing 23:12 Why clustering smaller parks into a regional portfolio creates arbitrage opportunities 24:32 How to reach Brad and Vintage Capital directly 25:37 The stat that stands out: 25 years without a single negative year of NOI growth Quotables "If I don't do it now, I'm never going to do it." "You can and should operate with the utmost confidence… it doesn't matter if you're in an up, down, or sideways market." "The major players in our space have never had a negative year of NOI growth… a steady compound at 5% per year." Links Vintage Capital — Brad's mobile home park investment firm and educational resources — https://vintage-funds.com Smart Real Estate Coach — https://smartrealestatecoach.com Free Discovery Call with the Smart Real Estate Coach team — https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery 3 Paydays Live 2026 (September 27–29, Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island) — https://3paydayslive.com Get Started with Smart Real Estate Coach — https://smartrealestatecoach.com/getstarted The Alternative Investor Podcast — Brad's podcast on tax-efficient and alternative real estate investing REI BlackBook / "Wicked Smart" platform (episode sponsor, referenced as "R.A. Black Book"; the spoken coupon code and URL were garbled on the recording, so confirm before publishing)

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  Episode #571

  Episode 571: The Five Step Formula for Getting Unstuck with Chris Prefontaine

  Aug 5, 202621 minS1

  In this solo episode, I wanted to make a couple of important announcements and get real about why most real estate investors never actually do a deal. Starting now, we're pivoting the Smart Real Estate Coach podcast to twice a month: the first Wednesday will be a solo cast from me, and the third Wednesday will feature someone from our Smart Real Estate Coach family sharing their own success story, many of whom started with zero experience. I get honest about my own story here too, including hitting a real low point between 2008 and 2012, going from an oceanfront home to a one-bedroom apartment in my mid-40s, starting over completely. What changed things wasn't the market, it was me finally admitting I was the problem, which also meant I was the solution. I break down why most investors don't fail from lack of knowledge, they fail because they never actually get in the game with a real, structured plan. I also announce the rebrand of what used to be our In The Trenches Bootcamp, now called Deal Lab, a hands-on, in-person experience where you're calling real leads, structuring real offers on a whiteboard, and walking away with real metrics and a plan, not just concepts. I walk through the five step formula I use with every student: get honest about where you are, decide where you want to go, identify what's really blocking you, build a massive action plan with help, and track it relentlessly. Finally, I announce this year's 3 Paydays Live event, September 27th through 29th, which is going back to our roots this year with no outside speakers, just our family team and coaches who are doing deals in the trenches every single week. If you've been stuck studying instead of doing, or waiting for permission you're never going to get, this episode is the direct nudge to finally get in the game. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:23 Introducing new announcements and updates to the show 02:13 The podcast's new format: twice monthly, solo casts and family member success stories 03:16 Why now is the biggest opportunity Chris has seen in 35 years in the business 04:13 The real reason most investors fail: never getting in the game with a real plan 05:08 Why staying in one niche for 3 to 7 years matters more than chasing shiny objects 06:06 Introducing what used to be In The Trenches Bootcamp, now rebranded as Deal Lab 07:03 Chris's own rock bottom: a one bedroom apartment in his mid-40s after an oceanfront home 09:16 Why "drifting" without deciding is the most expensive thing an investor can do 09:38 The four year stretch, 2008 to 2012, that cost Chris millions in missed opportunity 10:00 A real member example: designing a one year, one million dollar three paydays plan 12:09 The advice from a past podcast guest: "just get in a different room" 13:36 How Deal Lab actually works across its two and three quarter days 15:13 The five step formula: honesty, direction, identifying blocks, action, and tracking 16:11 A member's real 90 day metrics, and why numbers turn a hobby into a business 18:07 Announcing 3 Paydays Live, September 27 to 29, with no outside speakers this year 19:24 What's new at this year's event: hands on workshops and extended Q&A Quotables "If you're stuck, the good news is guess what, you're also the solution." "If you don't have numbers, you have a hobby. You don't have a business." "There's not a lack of deals right now. There's just a lack of knowledge on how to structure the right deals." Links Smart Real Estate Coach — https://smartrealestatecoach.com Deal Lab (formerly In The Trenches Bootcamp; free hands-on deal-structuring experience) — https://smartrealestatecoach.com/ittb-pod 3 Paydays Live 2026 (September 27–29, Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island; no outside speakers this year) — https://3paydayslive.com Apprentice Program — https://smartrealestatecoach.com/apprentice-pod Free Discovery Call / Get Started with Smart Real Estate Coach — https://smartrealestatecoach.com/get

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  Episode #570

  Episode 570: The Google Search Trick That Finds Motivated Sellers with Seth Greene

  Jul 29, 202624 minS1

  Six years is a long time between visits, and I was excited to catch up with Seth Greene, someone I've known and worked with going all the way back to 2017 or 2018. Seth is the founder and CEO of Market Domination, one of the nation's foremost authorities on growing a business through strategic affiliate and referral relationships, and under his leadership Market Domination landed a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies. He's also the co-host of the Sharkpreneur podcast alongside Kevin Harrington, the original Shark from Shark Tank, a nine-time bestselling author, and has been featured on NBC News, CBS News, Forbes, Inc., and CBS MoneyWatch. We got into what Market Domination is doing right now, which has changed a lot even in just the last six years. Seth walked me through two of their newest capabilities: a way to place your podcast ads on other people's podcasts to grow your own audience, and a way to pull real time Google search data to build a list of people actively searching things like "sell my house" or "rent to own" in your target city, so you can put your message directly in front of a warm audience. We also got into the biggest marketing mistake Seth sees investors make, which is simply blending in and looking like everyone else, and who his services are actually built for, established investors doing real volume, not someone on their very first deal. Seth shared his process for building a network of "dream partners," people who already have your ideal audience, and how his own book turns podcast guest appearances into a referral engine. Toward the end, Seth got personal and told me the single most important thing he's learned recently: who you're being affects how well what you do actually works. It's less about the newest marketing tactic and more about the internal work. If you want a masterclass in both cutting edge direct response marketing and the mindset underneath it, this episode has both. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:23 Welcoming Seth Greene back after six years and revisiting his background 02:22 Catching up on what Seth has been building since his last appearance 02:48 The two newest capabilities at Market Domination: podcast-to-podcast advertising and Google search data targeting 04:23 Who the Google search targeting tool is actually built for 05:31 The biggest marketing mistake Seth sees real estate investors make 06:41 Who Seth's services are and are not a good fit for 07:36 Using accredited investor data to help investors raise capital without their own money 08:34 Overcoming the fear of pitching investors by getting reps in and expecting rejection 09:17 Why creative deals and the three paydays model beat the old way of getting paid once 11:39 Whether budget minimums apply the same way to brand new investors 12:40 Seth's pricing tiers, from self-serve resources to a full outsourced marketing department 13:22 How to reach Seth for an exploratory call 14:00 Confirming how long Seth and Chris have worked together 14:39 Other ways to reach Seth: email, website, and LinkedIn 14:57 Where Seth sees AI heading in marketing, and why the human check still matters 16:14 What's changed in AI-assisted marketing just in the last couple of hours of testing 16:31 The three things Seth would prioritize first if he stepped into real estate marketing tomorrow 18:19 Building a network of dream JV partners who already have your ideal audience 19:29 A preview of Chris's upcoming appearance on the Sharkpreneur podcast 19:47 The most important thing Seth has learned recently: who you're being affects how well what you do works 21:17 The $4 Sandwich, the book Seth recommends for mindset work 22:14 Closing thoughts and where to find Seth going forward Quotables "Who you're being affects how well what you do works." "If you say the same things as everybody else, nobody knows how to tell you apart." "Go have some really bad offer conversations… get some reps under your belt with getting rejected so you improve your technique." Links Market Domination LLC (Seth's direct response marketing firm) — https://www.marketdominationllc.com Sharkpreneur Podcast (Seth's podcast with Kevin Harrington of Shark Tank) — https://sharkpreneurpodcast.com The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Business with a Podcast: Turning Warm Fuzzy Feelings Into Cold Hard Cash (Seth's book, 30% off Amazon price for listeners as stated on air) — https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Growing-Business-Podcast/dp/B096LTQBH6 Book a call with Seth (free exploratory call for members of the Smart Real Estate Coach community) — https://bookwithseth.com 3 Paydays® Live https://3paydayslive.com/podcast Free Discovery Call https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery 3 Paydays® System Mastery Course - Use coupon code for 50% off https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qls Coupon code: pod Apprentice Program: 3PaydaysApprentice.com/Podcast Masterclass: https://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast 3 Paydays Books: https://3paydaysbooks.com/podcast Partners: https://smartrealestatecoach.com/podcastresources

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