In investment, there is a holy grail, it’s the concept of arbitrage: taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets. In Commercial Real Estate specifically, it’s the rate difference between borrowing and earning – the cost of money vs. the return on a property. Arbitrage in CRE is called Positive Leverage.
Becoming a Dreamer: An Ode to Stephen Hawking
Don’t get me wrong, Stephen Hawking is a mathematical genius, but it takes more than that to estrange him from everyone. When writing a brief history, his editor warned him that for every equation included in his book, the readership would be cut in half. Imagine the imagination it requires to condense the most complex astrophysics and mathematical theory into something simple, enjoyable (yes enjoyable!), and comprehensible for ten million readers. He used only one equation.
Debt Service Coverage Ratio: A 1 Minute Lesson, A Lifetime of Knowledge
Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) is the ratio of cash available to debt service cost.
The 5 Most Important Things Ever Said by Donald Trump (hint: sarcasm)
Most of what Donald Trump says has been said before, only better. He’s easily one of the most influential figures in present-day Commercial Real Estate, so hey, maybe there’s a lesson here: if you know what works, work it.
Out of respect for a man Forbes pegs at 2.4 billion (a number Donald considers grossly undervalued), let’s run down to the local SuperCuts, ask for a really awfully bad haircut, and while we’re awaiting immense success, review the five rules of Trump (and who said it better):
Cash on Cash: Interns, Orange Mocha, and Riddles
We’ve all been there: a fresh faced intern running coffee, replacing #56 ink cartridges (or #57? Argh), making sure the perfectionist, power hungry boss’s pencils are perfectly sharp (Today’s a big day!).  True story: a former boss of mine needed 20+ No. 2 pencils freshly sharpened every morning.  My suggestion was mechanical pencils; my punishment was loosely tied to heretics. …
There’s Music in Absence and the Perfect Salesman
There’s my perfect salesman. She knows everything, but she needn’t immediately say anything. She knows there’s much to be said about what’s not said. She answers your questions well, she listens. She adds pertinent information to the conversation when necessary. She does not lie, she does not deceive.