Real Estate Addicts

#134 - AI Tools Built for Construction Professionals w/ Jordan Hayashi

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 12 May 2026 05:30:00 -0400

In this episode, Dan and Marc sit down with Jordan Hayashi, founder of Bizzen, to break down how AI is rapidly transforming small businesses—especially in construction and real estate. Jordan shares his journey from working in a top AI lab to building tools that eliminate tedious tasks like estimates, reporting, and project communication. The conversation dives into the overwhelming explosion of AI tools, how to separate signal from noise, and why choosing the right platform matters more than ever. They also tackle the big question: will AI replace jobs—or unlock a new era of productivity and opportunity for those who adapt early?

#133 - How AI Is Changing The Way We Run Our Businesses Part 2

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 05 May 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Because we couldn't get enough of AI a few episodes ago, we continue our discussion and dive deeper into how AI is transforming real estate, entrepreneurship, and everyday business operations—faster than most people realize. They share real-world examples, including launching a fully branded company in just hours, automating workflows, and replacing expensive tools like CRMs with custom-built AI solutions. The conversation explores both sides of the AI boom: massive efficiency gains and cost savings, alongside risks like over-reliance, poor implementation, and market disruption.

#132 - Rent Control is Coming ...

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys break down the heated debate around rent control in Massachusetts, unpacking how it made it onto the ballot and what it could mean for investors, landlords, and everyday homeowners. They explore the proposed 5% cap on rent increases, exemptions, and the potential unintended consequences—like rising taxes, stalled development, and reduced housing quality. Drawing comparisons to markets like New York, the conversation highlights the economic ripple effects that often go overlooked in mainstream headlines. While opinions differ on whether it will pass, the group agrees: the real story lies in what happens after the vote—and how the legislation could ultimately be reshaped.

#131 - What Your Architect Wishes You Knew Before Breaking Ground w/ Talia Cannistra

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Marc, Ray, and Dan sit down with Talia Cannistra, founder of boutique architecture firm Studio Cann. The conversation covers the real challenges of adaptive reuse projects, including hidden structural surprises, extended permitting timelines, and the importance of early contractor collaboration. Talia also breaks down how architecture firms structure their fees — fixed vs. hourly — and why architects are often the first to feel slowdowns in the construction economy, making them a leading indicator of broader market cycles. Finally, the guys run through a spirited round of "overrated, underrated, or appropriately rated".

#130 - The Only Real Estate Metrics That Actually Matter (And the Ones You Can Ignore)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys break down the key metrics real estate investors and developers use to quickly evaluate deals, from cap rates and NOI to cash-on-cash return and IRR. They emphasize that while these formulas are useful shortcuts, the real value comes from using realistic assumptions and understanding the story behind the numbers. The conversation highlights how different strategies— rental vs. for sale —require different metrics and priorities when analyzing opportunities. At the end of the day, successful underwriting isn’t about complex spreadsheets, but about knowing your numbers, your market and your risk tolerance.

#129 - Negotiating Strategies We Use in Our Real Estate Businesses Every Day

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys break down practical negotiation strategies drawn from real-world experience in real estate, construction, and everyday life. They explore the balance between getting a good deal and maintaining strong relationships, emphasizing that trust and reputation often matter more than squeezing out every dollar. From working with subcontractors to negotiating with tenants and sellers, they highlight the importance of preparation, transparency, and treating people with respect.

#128 - Prostitutes, Property Damage & $50K Losses w/ Willie Mandrell

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

This episode dives headfirst into the raw, unfiltered reality of real estate investing—from a shocking $50,000 eviction disaster to the emotional toll of burnout and rebuilding. Willie shares behind-the-scenes stories most investors never talk about, including tenant chaos, financial setbacks, and the pressure of always “winning” in public. The conversation also explores stepping away, rediscovering purpose, and even learning to fly—literally—as a path to reclaiming balance. It’s a brutally honest look at success, failure, and what it really takes to stay in the game long term.

#127 - From Developer to General Contractor w/ Adam Jaspon

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys sit down with Adam Jaspon of Centerline Development to discuss the evolution of his business from spec development to a hybrid model that includes third-party general contracting. Adam shares lessons learned from taking on client work, including how communication processes, budgeting strategies, and contract structures like cost-plus and fixed-fee models impact project success. The conversation also dives into why interior designers are essential to avoid costly mistakes during construction and how small decisions can create major downstream impacts on projects. Finally, the group discusses scaling a construction company, hiring the right team, and balancing development, contracting, and long-term property ownership.

#126 - Recurring Income vs. The Hamster Wheel

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we answer a question by Illinois developer Spencer Barber about the psychological pressure of relying on large, unpredictable paydays. We dive deep into why recurring monthly income—whether through rentals, construction, lending, or even a W2 job—can be the difference between long-term success and constant stress. From the BRRRR strategy to the harsh reality that real estate development is a capital-intensive game, they unpack what it really takes to build wealth without over-leveraging or “buying yourself a job.”

#125 - How AI Is Changing The Way We Run Our Businesses

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode, the guys break down how they’re using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and CapCut to underwrite deals in seconds, automate marketing, generate construction takeoffs, and even troubleshoot job-site problems. They debate whether AI will create massive unemployment or unlock a new era of entrepreneurship — and share real-world examples of AI building websites, analyzing architectural plans, and even acting as a business “therapist.” If you're in real estate, construction, or investing, this episode will make you rethink how fast the future is arriving.

#124 - Zoning Is Broken (and How We Can Fix It) w/ Matt Kiefer

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

On this episode, the guys are joined by zoning attorney Matt Kiefer to discuss how zoning began, why the current system feels broken, and what reforms might look like. He explains that zoning originated about 100 years ago to bring order to rapidly industrializing cities and protect homeowners, but over time it has become layered with complex rules that often slow development and limit housing. The discussion highlights how detailed regulations and the variance process can empower existing residents to block projects, creating barriers to new housing even in cities that need it. Kiefer suggests shifting toward a more flexible “impact review” model—where projects are evaluated based on their actual effects and mitigation plans—so neighbors can have a voice without having a veto that halts development.

** Edits **

- At minute 9:56 Matt states "The Boston Zoning Code is 4,000 words of text for a city of 700,000 people." The correct language is 4,000 pages.

- At minute 40:27 The Mayor appoints 3 not 4 zoning commissioners at large.

- At minute 40:56 Any resident or property owner can submit a citizen petition—not ten registered voters.

#123 - From DIY House Hacking to a Full Service Design/Build Firm w/ Eagle Hill Homes

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

This episode features Nick and Samantha Riccio of Eagle Hill Homes sharing their accidental journey from house hacking and DIY renovations into building a full-scale design-build and development business. They discuss how early hands-on work, social media visibility, and shifting market needs shaped their pivot from pure investing into client-focused construction and larger development projects. The conversation also dives into partnership dynamics, hiring and scaling a team, navigating risk, and balancing client work with long-term goals like growing a rental portfolio. Throughout, Nick and Sam reflect on resilience, perspective, and how unexpected challenges—including major personal ones—reshaped both their business philosophy and approach to life.

#122 - Starting Your Own Real Estate Brokerage

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, the guys dive into the realities of running and growing a modern real estate brokerage, especially from a developer’s perspective. They unpack vertical integration, boutique vs. corporate brokerages, and why technology has leveled the playing field while mentorship, networks, and real-world experience still matter most. The conversation also explores new construction sales strategies—from pre-sales timing to thoughtful design decisions—and how brokers can add real value beyond just marketing. Along the way, the crew shares candid hot takes, war stories, and practical insights on what actually helps properties sell in today’s market.

#121 - When Cheap Works, When it Doesn’t, and How Not to Get Burned

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, the guys start off with a real-world scam story involving Alibaba, setting the stage for a broader conversation about risk, trust, and sourcing materials in real estate development. Where it does and doesn’t make sense to chase savings—covering everything from furniture and light fixtures to windows, cabinetry, and door hardware—while highlighting common pitfalls around codes, inspections, and false brand premiums. They debate loyalty to brands versus buying direct, arguing that many “high-end” finishes come from the same factories as cheaper alternatives. The episode wraps with hard-earned lessons on trades: never race to the bottom on labor, prioritize specialists, and spend money where people interact with a building every day.

#120 - Financing a Real Estate Deal

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, the guys break down the “capital stack” in real estate development, explaining how different layers of financing—senior debt, mezzanine debt, private lending, and equity—fit together to fund a project. The hosts emphasize that bank debt is typically the cheapest and largest portion, but also the hardest to secure without experience, which is why many beginners rely on private lenders or creative structures like seller financing. They discuss the value of debt brokers, who can source better terms and navigate shifting lender appetites across markets. Throughout the conversation, they highlight key loan terms, risk considerations, and practical lessons learned from their own development projects.

#119 - Low Key Hot Takes

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, the guys discuss a wide range of topics using a “low-key hot takes” approach. The hosts debate topics like why pocket doors, overused recessed lighting, excessive LED strips, and traditional hardwood flooring are overrated, while defending practical alternatives such as engineered flooring, Hardie siding, bidet toilets, and thoughtful lighting design. They also touch on construction best practices, window installation myths, energy efficiency metrics like HERS ratings, and the realities of modern building codes. The conversation wraps with forward-looking takes on robotics, home technology, and how changing standards are reshaping housing and everyday living.

#118 - Developing, Partnerships and a Fun New Game w/ Garrett Hogan

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:30:00 -0500

Garrett Hogan of OnPoint Companies returns to discuss recent Boston-area projects, including a unique Brookline property he renovated, sold, and then re-renovated as the new owner’s general contractor. Garrett shares insights on market timing, investment strategy, and balancing risk versus vision, along with lessons learned from affordable housing units, permitting, and all-electric multifamily development in Jamaica Plain. The conversation also covers the end of his long-term business partnership, the realities of real estate collaborations, and his side venture distributing innovative building envelope products like Thermal Buck and Thermal Tight.

#117 - Jumping into Real Estate Investing Full Time

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:15:00 -0500

The guys reflect on the transition from corporate careers to entrepreneurship in real estate, emphasizing the value of keeping a W-2 job as a financial safety net while building experience. They share personal stories around “house hacking,” early rental strategies, and creative ways to generate income before going all in. The conversation highlights the importance of mentors, strong local networks, and quality relationships over flashy online gurus. Ultimately, the episode underscores a give-and-take mindset—learn from those ahead of you, grow steadily, and send the elevator back down for others coming up behind you.

#116 - Sourcing Real Estate Deals

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:15:00 -0500

In this episode, the guys break down the many ways real estate deals actually get sourced, debating which strategies are underrated, overrated, or appropriately valued. They share real-world experiences with MLS deals, off-market opportunities, direct mail, auctions, wholesalers, and personal outreach, emphasizing persistence and relationship-building over gimmicks. The discussion highlights how credibility, follow-through, and human connection often matter more than automation or flashy marketing tactics.

#115 - Using Rice Husks in Building w/ Chris Guimond

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:15:00 -0500

In this episode, the guys are joined by Chris Guimond, founder and CEO of Modern Mill, about Acre—an innovative, wood-alternative building material made from upcycled rice husks. Chris explains how the product is manufactured, why it offers a sustainable solution to deforestation, and how it compares to traditional hardwoods in durability, ease of installation, and maintenance. The conversation also explores Modern Mill’s rapid growth, partnerships with major brands, and the broader entrepreneurial journey behind scaling a U.S.-based manufacturing company. The episode closes with insights into future applications of Acre and how builders and architects can integrate the material into both exterior and interior projects.

#114 - Adapting Your Business in Real Time w/ Ricky Beliveau

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:15:00 -0500

A Real Estate Addicts regular Ricky Beliveau is back to discuss navigating development challenges during rising interest rates, including creative funding solutions that kept major projects like his 173-unit Worcester build on track. He details the growth of his various companies—from development to brokerage to property management—and explains how market shifts have pushed him toward single-family luxury projects and affordable-housing partnerships. The conversation also dives deep into the difficulties of entitling projects in Boston, construction-cost realities, and the tightening multifamily market. Overall, Ricky provides an inside look at adapting strategy and structure to survive a volatile real estate environment.

#113 - Lessons Learned in Landlording

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:30:00 -0500

This episode dives into the realities of being a landlord, especially around the hectic September 1st “move-in season” in Boston. The hosts share lessons learned from handling tenant turnovers, maintenance issues, and balancing expectations between renters and property owners. They also discuss tools for managing properties, lease terms, security deposits, and policies on renter’s insurance. The conversation wraps with insights on the new Massachusetts brokerage fee changes and how they’re reshaping rental practices for landlords and agents alike.

#112 - Is Smart Home Tech Worth the Investment?

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:30:00 -0500

In this episode, Marc shares his experience as a judge for Good Housekeeping Magazine’s Home Renovation Awards, testing and reviewing a wide range of home products. The hosts discuss both standout innovations—like smart dimmers, densified hardwood flooring, and inverter heat pumps—and product frustrations, including noisy water heaters and unreliable smart tech. Dan and Marc trade stories about home gadgets, from smart toilets and lighting to outdoor tools and decking materials, highlighting what’s worth the investment. The conversation offers a fun, insider look at emerging home technologies and practical takeaways for homeowners and builders alike.

#111 - Navigating the Challenges of Municipal Inconsistencies

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:30:00 -0500

In this episode, Marc shares a story about a recent trip to Italy before diving into the complex realities of home renovation and zoning regulations. Dan shares his experience rebuilding his own single-family home and the unexpected challenges caused by local zoning interpretations, special permits, and costly site work. The discussion expands into broader frustrations with building codes, occupancy classifications, and municipal inconsistencies that often complicate real estate development. The episode wraps with reflections on construction costs, design choices, and lessons learned from navigating bureaucracy and building a dream home.

#110 - Playing the Short Term Vacation Rental Game

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 06:30:00 -0500

In this episode, the guys dive into the topic of investing in vacation properties versus traditional investments like stocks. They share personal experiences with owning rental homes, discussing the financial realities, tax implications, and emotional factors that come with property ownership. The conversation explores balancing personal enjoyment with profitability, as well as practical tips for managing and marketing short-term rentals. They close with reflections on ideal second-home locations and the evolving landscape of real estate investing.

#109 - Candidate Frank Baker on Housing, Zoning and Local Government

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:37:25 -0400

In this episode of the Real Estate Addicts Podcast, former Boston City Councilor and current at-large candidate Frank Baker discusses his campaign and vision for bringing balance and common sense back to city government. Baker emphasizes the importance of responsive, efficient local services and criticizes bureaucratic inefficiencies that slow progress. He shares his opposition to rent control, arguing it discourages investment and hurts small landlords, and calls for reform of Boston’s restrictive zoning processes to make housing development more feasible. Throughout the conversation, Baker advocates for a centrist, practical approach to governance focused on core city operations and support for working- and middle-class residents.

If you are interested in learning more about Frank Bakers campaign or to provide support please visit: https://www.bakerforboston.com/

#108 - Builder Warranties

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:30:00 -0400

On this episode, the guys dive into the complexities of builder warranties, exploring what’s typically covered, what’s excluded, and how those issues play out in real projects. They discuss challenges with appliances, plaster cracks, flooring gaps, and HVAC systems, while also sharing stories about troubleshooting leaks and odor problems that required detective work and persistence. The conversation emphasizes the importance of strong subcontractor relationships, buyer education, and setting clear expectations to prevent disputes. They close by reflecting on how rapidly evolving technology in homes adds another layer of complication for builders and homeowners alike.

#107 - Design Build vs. Development Plus Housing Affordability with Josh Brandt

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:30:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys welcome Josh Brandt of Stack + Co, who shares insights on his transition from design-build to focusing on construction and development. Josh discusses the challenges facing Boston’s housing market, particularly how rising construction costs, stricter affordability requirements, and layered regulations make projects difficult to finance and build. He emphasizes the importance of creative deal structuring, accurate cost modeling, and aligning partnerships to navigate today’s tough environment. The conversation also highlights policy trade-offs, construction efficiencies, and the role of collaboration in overcoming barriers to housing development.

#106 - The Importance of Branding and Marketing with Kenny Isidoro

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 06:30:00 -0400

In this episode, we chat with Kenny Isidoro about the importance of branding in real estate and development. Kenny explains that branding goes beyond logos and taglines—it’s about shaping perception through internal values, external expressions, and consistent storytelling. He shares insights on naming projects, building a cohesive identity, and collaborating with architects, brokers, and designers early in the process to create stronger market presence. The conversation also highlights strategies for developers of all sizes, from core brand packages to co-branding opportunities, emphasizing how thoughtful branding can add credibility and visibility to projects.

#105 - How Public Facing Should Your Business Be w/ Nick Schiffer (NS Builders)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 06:30:00 -0400

In this podcast episode, we welcome back Nick Schiffer from NS Builders who shares a personal story of losing a project because a client felt he was “too public,” prompting him to implement strategies that offer clients more privacy. This prompts a discussion that dives into the tension between public visibility and client privacy in the construction and development industry. The group discusses how branding, experience, and innovation play into securing high-end projects, especially for younger builders trying to prove themselves. Finally, we take a deep dive into Nick's current ambitious project, 45 White Oak, a high-end spec home that showcases his design philosophy, attention to detail, and willingness to take financial risks to build credibility and shift his career trajectory.

#104 - Is Social Media Good for your Business?

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:15:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys dive into the value and challenges of using social media as a tool for real estate developers and business owners. They explore platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram for networking, marketing, and building trust with clients, subcontractors, and investors. While acknowledging the time commitment, creative fatigue, and risks—such as public scrutiny or attracting critics—they highlight the strong return on investment, especially in terms of visibility and credibility. The episode underscores that thoughtful, authentic content can elevate your reputation, grow your network, and ultimately help your business succeed.

#103 - Starting Your Development Journey Today

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:15:00 -0400

In this episode, Marc discusses his preparation for a talk at Northeastern University by reflecting on his path into real estate development. The guys then discuss the importance of patience, gaining hands-on experience, and building specialized knowledge before trying to lead large projects. Key topics include how to raise capital, assemble a reliable team, and creatively enter the market through strategies like house hacking or using first-time homebuyer programs. The episode emphasizes responsible investing, avoiding shortcuts, and understanding real estate as a long-term, risk-bearing commitment.

#102 - The Agent/Developer Relationship with Sam Reifman-Packett

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:15:00 -0400

In this episode of the Real Estate Addicts podcast, the hosts are joined by real estate agent Sam Reifman-Packett, who discusses his journey from aspiring musician to top-producing agent in Boston. Sam shares how he leveraged social media—particularly Instagram—to authentically connect with clients and grow his business, eventually generating millions in sales annually. The conversation also delves into challenges with new construction, the importance of agent experience in shifting markets, and current buyer preferences like moody design trends and functional flex spaces. The episode wraps up with insights on industry changes post-NAR settlement and the evolving expectations between agents, clients, and developers.

#101 - Issues in Construction, a Quick Market Update and ADU's

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:32:18 -0400

What do you do when a neighbor claims you built on their property? In this episode, the guys talk about problem solving and issues that may arise throughout the development process. They then jump into a quick update on the current state of the market and finally touch on accessory dwelling units.

#100 - Project Management

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 21 May 2025 06:30:00 -0400

We finally made it to our 100th episode! In this episode, we chat about managing a project, what it takes to successfully manage and project, things to avoid and things that we have learned along the way.

We want to thank everyone who has listened to this podcast over the last few years. We really enjoy making this content and hopefully it has provided a little value in whatever business you are in.

#99 - Current State of the Market

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 08 May 2025 06:45:00 -0400

It's been tough out there. The guys try to unpack what's been going on with the real estate market and what they have heard and experienced over the last 6-12 months.

#98 - Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Real Estate

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, the guys talk technology. How it's affecting the real estate industry, what new products are being installed in projects and how the guys are using technology in their day to day business. Plus, Marc talks about what cool products he saw during his trip to the international builders show in Vegas.

#97 - Relationships

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:30:00 -0400

The guys open up on this episode and talk about juggling their own personal relationships with running a business. How owning your own business affects your personal life and what they are doing to try and juggle a good work/life balance.

#96 - Project Scheduling

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:11:02 -0400

In this episode, the guys talk all about scheduling. When to buy things out, how to keep a project on track, and what has and hasn't worked for them in the past. If you are looking to work on improving your jobsite scheduling then this is an episode you don't want to miss.

#95 - Change Orders - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Change orders are always an uncomfortable conversation when they happen. In this episode, the guys give examples of change orders that have come up during their projects, how to handle them, the give and take between owner, GC and subcontractor and how to ultimately try and avoid them altogether.

#94 - We're Baaaaaackkk

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

After an almost a year long hiatus Dan, Ray and Marc are back chatting about what they have been up to and taking a deeper dive on what it takes to build a larger development.

#93 - Tom Colleran and JD Wild from Elevated Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Join us as we talk shop with our friends Tom and JD and how they have built a super successful real estate development and construction companies. We also talk about how JD has transitioned into the commercial real estate market recently and how Tom has started Build Boston, a group for real estate professionals that strives to help educate folks to build better in the Boston area.

This is an awesome episode that can't be missed.

#92 - Eric and Nitzan from Zanzibar Capital

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:41:33 -0400

Join us in the studio as we host Eric Doroski and Nitzan Mokady from Zanzibar Capital as we discuss how they got into real estate at such a young age, what they have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time and what they have planned for the future. This is a great episode for anyone looking to jump into development out of school.

#91 - Final Offer w/ Kevin Caulfield and Tim Quirk

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 13:17:20 -0400

Final Offer is looking to change the way we buy and sell residential real estate. Join us as we sit down with Kevin Caulfield and Tim Quirk who explain how Final Offer works and what makes it better than going through the traditional buying and selling process.

If you are interested in seeing Final Offer in action, check out the website: https://www.finaloffer.com

#90 - Shant Banosian from Guaranteed Rate

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 24 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Ever wonder who does the most residential loan volume in the entire country? Well, in this episode we are joined by Shant Banosian from Guaranteed Rate who talks to us about the current state of the mortgage industry, where he thinks rates are headed, how he got started in the mortgage business and how he scaled his team to the powerhouse it is today. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

#89 - Oleg Uritsky from Helge Capital

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 23 May 2023 12:39:35 -0400

Oleg joined us in the studio to talk about his real estate investing business and how he transitioned from owning taxi cab medallions to investing in real estate.

#88 - David and Jake Grossman (The Grossman Companies)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:41:35 -0400

The Grossmans are back in the studio to talk about their investment side of the business, their take on the market and a little bit of history. It was a great conversation so listen in and let us know what you think!

#87 - Axel Ragnarsson (Aligned Real Estate Partners)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Axel purchased his first multifamily as a sophomore in college and since then has built a portfolio of over $25M in multifamily real estate. What makes Axel unique, is that he focuses on direct to seller marketing to source the majority of his deals. This strategy isn't new, but it isn't typically used in larger multifamily acquisitions. Join us as we discuss how Axel got started, how he got to where he is today and some of the pain points along the way.

If you are interested in learning more about marketing for off market multifamily deals, Axel has created his own course:
https://www.multifamilywealtheducation.com/offmarket

You can also follow Axel on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/multifamilywealth?igshid=MDM4ZDc5MmU=

#86 - Tom and Mike Greeley from Newmark

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 11:22:22 -0500

Brothers Tom and Mike Greeley started their real estate careers renting apartments to classmates at Boston College and have worked to become a powerhouse team in the Capital Markets group at Newmark. We get their perspective on the market, how things have changed since Covid and where they think things are headed. If you are interested in learning more about the Corey Griffin foundation, please visit: https://www.coreycgriffinfoundation.org Check out Mike and Tom's podcast: https://good-dirt.captivate.fm

#85 - Real Estate Agent Jeffrey Bowen and Mikael Vienneau from Broadway Capital

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:11:36 -0500

Buckle up, because today we are joined by the one and only Jeff Bowen and Mikael Vienneau from Broadway Capital. Jeff talks about his early days in real estate and how he has transitioned to selling larger multi family developments. Mikael talks about his transition from buying triple deckers in and around Chelsea to large adaptive re-use projects. Also, if Joe Rogan or Ryan Serhant listens to this unbelievably popular podcast, we would love to have you both on.

#84 - Whiteacre Properties

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:06:15 -0400

From flipping small single families, developing large multifamily housing, having an in house brokerage and sending thousands of letters to potential sellers a month the guys at Whiteacre Properties are doing it all. Come learn how Enis and Joni have built an amazing business, how they have started, how they have scaled and much much more.

#83 - Brian Vizarreta- Construction Tech

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:29:05 -0400

Brian Vizaretta educates the guys on the latest and greatest construction tech and talks about how he has leveraged technology in his previous role at Consigli Construction and how he is currently deploying it with StructionSite. We also talk about how Brian and Marc met during Covid.

Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners
www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/
Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#82 - Ricky Beliveau, Volnay Capital + V10 Dev

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:47:42 -0400

It’s been about 3 years since we checked in with our good friend Ricky Beliveau and a lot has changed at Volnay Capital. We discuss the transition from smaller scale multi-family residential to developing much larger 100+ unit buildings and where we see the real estate market going. Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#81 - Jesse Kanson-Benanav + Jonathan Berk - Abundant Housing Massachusetts

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:13:09 -0400

In this episode we are joined by Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Executive Director of & Jonathan Berk, Board member of Abundant Housing Massachusetts. Massachusetts has a severe housing shortage. We aren’t building enough homes to keep pace with demand, especially near jobs and transit. In this episode we discus how Abundant Housing MA is working to foster policies and take local action to: Create More housing near transit and jobs Reform of exclusionary zoning rules Institute Sustainable development practices and communities Check out Abundant Housing Massachusetts website to learn more: https://abundanthousingma.org/ Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#80 - Dave & Dave - Cedarwood Development

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 05:39:26 -0400

In this episode we are joined by our friends Dave Matteo & Dave Winick who founded Cedarwood Development, a private real estate development and investment company specializing in condominium and apartment buildings back in 2005. The guys share the story of how they’ve grown their business from building decks over the summer in college to a large, successful full-service real estate development business with an extensive portfolio all over greater Boston. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY. Co-hosted by Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin (Instagram @hrvhomes) and Marc Savatsky (Instagram @choose_boston) Follow Real Estate Addicts Podcast on Instagram @Real_Estate_Addicts

#79 - Matthew Martin, Snr. Urban Designer at Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 01:19:34 -0400

This week are extremely excited to be joined by Matthew Martin, Snr. Urban Designer at the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA). In this episode Matthew provides incredibly helpful insights that he’s gained over his 20+ years in urban design at the BPDA. The conversation is wide ranging and interesting throughout. Some of the topics discussed are highlighted below: Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY. 0:45 What is the BPDA? 2:00 On a scale from Texas to Paris in terms of rigidity in planning and land use, where does Boston rank? 8:15 – What are the key components that you might look for when reviewing a new project and how have those components evolved? 10:40 – What happens if an applicant deviates from approved plans during construction?! 12:10 – What is a mockup? How are they used? 14:00 – Does the BPDA prefer traditional or contemporary architecture? If a developer wanted to propose a more modern design how is that perceived and what tips can you offer? 18:00 – The natural evolution of architecture and change of design within a city 19:30 – Discussion of the “neighborhood process” and concerns related to “othering” that is sometimes inherent in this process 21:30 – Parking! 26:30 – Tension between controlling initial investments in preliminary/unapproved projects and later concerns related to buildability and technical aspects 31:00 – Advice for architects and developers on how to submit a thorough set of design documents that will lead to fewer rounds of revisions during the design review process? 36:00 Under-rated / over-rated / appropriately rated!

#78 - Construction Attorney, Bradley Croft of Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:26:50 -0400

This week are joined by construction attorney, Bradley Croft, President and Chair of Litigation Department at Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C. Attny. Croft has built a successful practice representing architects, contractors, sub-contractors and developers. The conversation was wide ranging and full of important concepts and insights that every contractor and developer should understand. Some of the topics we touched on include, the fundamentals of construction contracts as well as specific terms and conditions that you should always look out for, mediation vs arbitration, issues related to construction delays including consequential damages and liquidated damages, Duty to Defend which is an insurer’s obligation to provide an insured with defense to claims, the concept of standard of care, how to manage change orders equitably, the prompt payment act, retainage, warranty work, mechanics liens and finally the nuances and implications of the statute of limitations vs statute of repose. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Disclaimer: this discussion was intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as legal advice Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#77 Mark Erlich - The Story on Union Labor

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 07:19:22 -0500

This week we are thrilled to be joined by Mark Erlich. Mark retired as Executive Secretary-Treasurer (EST) of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters (NERCC) in 2017 and is now a fellow at the Harvard Labor and Worklife Program. As a member of Carpenters Local 40 since 1975, he worked at his craft as an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, and superintendent. He continues to serve as a member on the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals, MassINC board, and the Federal Reserve Advisory Council. The conversation was interesting throughout and covered a lot of topics including, the great recession (depression?) of 2008, the current perceived labor shortage, how labor unions function as a key to climbing out of poverty and into the middle class, the seeming rise of labor strikes (“striketober”), the surprising trend in NYC towards open shop labor on large projects, thresholds or tipping points that may trigger union involvement in a project, advantages of using union labor (skilled tradesman, safety, quality, schedule), the growth of misclassifying people who are employees as independent contractors. Finally, we get Marks take on modular construction and his skepticism of tech evangelists who avow to ‘disrupt’ the industry (i.e. Katerra) and Mark’s impression of the positive changing dynamics of the Union Workforce. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#76 - Bldg A Bldg Part III - Interior Finishes w/Dan, Marc, Ray

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 07:18:48 -0500

In this episode the guys take a deep dive into detail on interior finishes. We hit on product selection, approach, schedule, cost and potential pitfalls of taking your building from completion of rough MEP's & insulation all the way through Certificate of Occupancy. Blueboard plaster vs. Tape & Mudd? Building showers - how best to waterproof, drain options, curb vs. curbless? Finish carpentry - baseboards, kitchens? Wood floors - nail vs glue? Pre-finished engineered vs traditional? Finish electrical & finish plumbing. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#75 Scott Chopin - Founder Urban Pacific on Workforce Housing Dev

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 06:28:20 -0500

Scott Choppin, founder of Urban Pacific joins the guys to discuss multifamily development on the west coast. They talk about the differences in building code requirements, costs and how Scott typically funds his projects. In addition, Scott also discusses his "Urban Town House" model and how he is targeting tertiary markets providing work force housing in and around Los Angeles building middle income, multi-generational rental housing using all private capital.

#74 Jeff Fullerton, Sound Advice on Multifamily Construction

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 05:47:18 -0500

This week we are joined by Jeff Fullerton, a veteran acoustics expert and Department Manager at Intertek in Boston. Jeff shares his secrets on ensuring your next multifamily project achieves acoustic privacy, a major topic of growing importance in our industry. Jeff shares how your project team can improve acoustics at the design stage, how the building code addresses acoustical performance, the difference between STC and IIC and how they are measured, the paradox of background noise, floor/ceiling and wall design acoustic principles. As a developer, you can spend almost unlimited money on achieving sound separation, so we spend the back half of the episode talking through the various sound control solutions currently on the market from resilient channel to HushFrame, gypsum floor underlayment’s, damping compounds, laminated drywall and evaluate the pros and cons of each. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#73 Nick Schiffer of NS Builders

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:59:18 -0400

In this episode we are joined by our good friend Nick Schiffer, owner of NS Builders, co-host of the Modern Craftsman Podcast and overall great guy! Nick has built a highly admired construction company focused on providing top quality craftsmanship to the high-end residential market. In this episode we discus the pressures of managing a job from clients to sub-contractors to schedule. Nick shares his views on making construction a more collaborative experience, his (strong) views on ensuring that design is deliberate and thoughtful, the challenges of running your own company, managing employees, as well as aligning team member incentives and expectations. Finally, we foray into Nick’s vision for his company and get his take on real estate development and how he envisions taking his skills, experience, and team he’s built and apply them to developing his own unique projects. Where to find our Guest: Nick Schiffer https://www.instagram.com/nsbuilders/ https://bit.ly/nsbuildersyoutube Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#72 Josu’e Velney - Uncommon Valor & an Uncommon Entrepreneur

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 06:53:06 -0400

Josu’e Velney served five years in the Marines and twelve years in the Somerville Fire department. He’s been deployed three times. He’s held titles including lead scout machine gunner and team leader & Lieutenant and now he’s a broker, licensed builder, business owner & entrepreneur. Josu’e started buying and renovating homes in 2010 and after a bad experience with a dishonest general contractor he decided he needed to deepen his understanding of the build process and enrolled in Wentworth where he earned his bachelors degree in Construction Management at night. He’s done rehab work, ground-up development and has his eyes set on continuing to grow into much larger multi-family projects. We have a ton of respect and admiration for Josu’e & had a great time hearing his stories of fighting fires (both proverbial and real ones) and solving problems as he builds his business. This episode is a can’t miss. Thank you as always for rating and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners www.grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#71 William Senné - President & CEO @ Senné

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 07:45:16 -0400

The Addicts are joined this week by William (Billy)Senné. Billy takes us through his career in real estate from renting college apartments as a BC undergrad all the way through building out a broad and successful real estate development business focused on brokerage, real estate development, property management & real estate consulting. Billy shares his growth strategy, vision for the company, hiring & team building strategy, Thank you for rating, reviewing & sharing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast! Podcast Sponsor: First Boston Capital Partners https://grossmanco.com/private-lending/ Trusted partner & private lender providing loans to builders, developers and real estate investors in MA, CT, RI, NH & NY.

#70 RODE Architects

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:48:18 -0400

This week the Addicts are thrilled to be joined by Principals Kevin Deabler and Eric Robinson who founded RODE architects in 2006 and have grown the firm to a team of 30 talented architects who are continuing to enhance the vibrancy of the City with smart and exciting design. We discuss RODE’s design process which begins with studying the massing and the bigger, more sculptural moves of the design to ensure the building is compelling and interesting while also fitting into the surrounding context. We discuss the state of architectural design and debate whether technology that makes the process of drawing buildings quicker and easier is always necessarily a good thing. We spend some time talking about how RODE strives to always find interesting moments within the design and how they pick those moments. Finally, we take on the major topics of affordability and sustainability and how those two topics are inherent to how RODE approaches their work.

#69 Trevor Mauch, CEO of Carrot

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 06:49:06 -0400

Trevor is the founder and CEO of Carrot, a lead Generation Hub used by 7,000+ real estate investors & agents to attract and convert more motivated seller leads. Using Carrot investors transform their typical boring website into one that allows you to build a true online presence and stand out in today’s crowded market. Carrot is designed to increase credibility and authority, amplify your marketing efforts, optimize SEO and lead conversion. Intrigued? Check out this episode and learn more about Trevor and his vision for the business and how it can help developers meet sellers directly and uncover valuable off-market opportunities.

#68 David Grossman, Private Lending W/Grossman Companies

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:33:44 -0400

This week we are excited to be joined by longtime friend of the Pod, David Grossman of The Grossman Companies. The Grossman Companies is a family-owned real estate firm with local roots dating back over 120 years. David leads the firms private lending group, First Boston Capital Partners. We discuss the criteria David looks for when extending loans to builders, developers, and real estate investors, what a typical loan structure might look like as well as other creative financing options David offers such as short-term bridge capital for acquisitions, ground-up construction or renovations. We talk about the current inflationary (?) trends in the market, the Grossman’s 2.5 million SF portfolio of real estate. David also shares the story of how the Grossman Companies partnered with a local investor and was able to execute a very successful strategy aimed at capturing growth of the emerging market in East Boston between 2013 – 2015. If you’d like to connect with David and The Grossman Companies or have any lending inquires check out their website: https://grossmanco.com/ or DM the Real Estate Addicts on IG (@the_real_estate_addicts) and we’ll be glad to make an introduction!

#67 Mike Procopio - The Sequel!

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 06:14:16 -0400

Most sequels usually pare in comparison to the original but, like the Godfather Part II this episode is the exception that proves the rule. We start by discussing recent escalating construction costs and supply chain issues. Is the lumber market like the market for toilet paper at the start of Covid or is this inflation and is it here to stay? Mike gives us a status update on their successful lease-up efforts at The Caldwell and the strategies they are employing to fill the building quickly (12:00). We talk about the growth and vision for Procopio Companies (17:40), Mike’s hiring philosophy and even current open positions. Marc and Mike trade thoughts on the trajectory from small scale residential to building highrise and comment on the various inflection points one hits as they grow on that continuum (23:00). Mike offers his take on where the sweet spot is along that line. Dan somehow gets Mike talking about digital currency and NFT’s (28:01), we talk automated parking (30:00), technology Procopio is employing in their builds (38:00). Finally, Mike and Marc take a deep dive on Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contracts versus lump sum contracts (45:00). Mike expounds on his strong beliefs around shared savings, contingency, liquidated damages and a few of the things he looks for when hiring a Contractor. We conclude with a game of over-rated, under rated or appropriately rated that you won’t want to miss. If you enjoy this episode we’d greatly appreciate if you would leave a review and share it with a friend!

#66 Adam Burns of Burns Realty & Investments

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 25 May 2021 07:32:58 -0400

This week we're excited to be joined by our friend Adam Burns of Burns Realty & Investments. Adam is true entrepreneur who has built a successful and vertically integrated real estate business which aside from developing a large portfolio of apartments and condominiums also offers brokerage, property management and construction management (and Cannabis Distribution?). What does it take to make the leap from 3,6,9 units projects to 30, 60, 90 unit projects? Are reports of the death of real estate in the City greatly exaggerated? Adam's preferred mix of condos vs. apartments? How Adam raises capital for his projects. What it takes to find and attract family offices to participate in your deals. Give a listen & let us know what you think by rating/reviewing and sharing the episode! Also, check out Adam's new YouTube Series, "Bring It here: It"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW51aMgQswU

#65 - Doug Landry + Brian Rooney - Finance Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 06:17:09 -0400

SHOW ME THE MONEY!! In this episode we talk about the most important ingredient in a development deal, cash. Brian & Doug from Finance Boston are "Capital Markets Advisors" (don't call them "debt brokers!"). We start with the basics like defining the capital stack, debt vs. equity and get down to the nitty gritty deal terms and concepts. It's easy to shop for the lowest possible interest rate but, we explore all the various other less obvious factors that you should be aware of when shopping for debt and equity. We cover some key metrics that lenders look for and discus why you might be missing opportunities and the best deals by going it alone without a "Capital Markets Advisor." Thanks as always for listening, rating, reviewing & sharing Real Estate Addicts with a Friend!

#63 Michael D'Angelo on Landscape Architecture

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 05:45:15 -0400

It might not be obvious but, landscape architecture (LA) plays a significant role in real estate development, especially during public process and project entitlement. Michael D'Angelo of MDLA is one of the best landscape architects in Boston and we are thrilled he could join us on the Pod. Topics covered include: LA's role on the development team and process, Trends in outdoor space for multifamily developers/office developers, overlap between civil design and landscape arch, value engineering considerations with landscape design and much more! We hope you get a chance to listen. Thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing!

#63 - This or That (Part Deux!)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:26:25 -0500

In this episode Ray maintains his contrarian streak as we take a deep dive on interior finishes. Floating vanity or typical floor mounted vanity? Floors and then baseboard or baseboards and then floors? Conduction cooking vs gas cooking? Curbless showers? Countertop options? Window options? Casement vs Double Hung? Vinyl vs Fiberglass? Fiberglass vs Wood? Thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing the podcast!

#62 - This or That (YO!)

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 05:47:54 -0500

This week the Real Estate Addicts introduce a new episode format called, "THIS OR THAT". Being a real estate developer is largely about evaluating tradeoffs and alternatives and making the best decision possible which is why this type of discussion is relevant to what we do everyday. Housewrap or Zip Wall? Engineered I-Joists or open web truss? Fiberglass vs. wood vs. vinyl windows. MDF cabinets vs plywood cabinets? New construction vs renovation? THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE PODCAST WITH A FRIEND AND FOR RATING & REVIEWING!

#61 Alex + Harrison of Wollaston Real Estate Investments

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 06:53:00 -0500

In this episode we are joined by our good friends Alex and Harrison of of Wollaston Real Estate of “Wolly Wednesday” YouTube fame. The conversation was fun, funny and interesting but, very candid and very real throughout. We talk about how Alex and Harrison became partners and got into the business, their model of buying and renovating buildings in emerging or gateway cities like Holyoke, how Alex and Harrison raise money. Alex shares how a few difficult deals early in their partnership set them back on their heels, what that was like, and how they’ve honored their word and climbed out ensuring all their investors capital was returned and how they’ve restored a strong footing towards success. Please give this one a listen and as always thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing!

#60 Christopher Quinn - Award winning Custom Home Builder

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 07:55:10 -0500

Christopher Quinn, Partner at Apex Projects LLC, a high-end luxury residential custom home building company based out of New Canaan, CT joins us to talk construction. Chris shares his experience building some of the most bespoke homes in some of the nations wealthiest zip codes like Greenwich CT, Westchester NY & the Hamptons. Some of the topics we covered include typical build costs, building for fee versus spec development, typical fee structure for GC work in Chris’ market, managing the client/architect/contractor relationship, how to building a bowling alley & what is a pajama room?

#59 Tyson Reynoso on RE Dev. in the Life Science Sector

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 06:10:52 -0500

Tyson Reynoso, Senior Director at King Street Properties joins the Pod to break down a complicated and seemingly recession proof sector within the real estate development space, Life Sciences. The news is flush with stories of the “Life Sciences Land Rush” and we dissect what that really means and cover such topics as, what are typical build costs to construct or renovate a life science facility? Once completed, what are the ranges of expected rents for these facilities? What are the key attributes that make for a successful retrofit of an existing building and why typical tall office towers are not ideal candidates? What is the range of project sizes within Life Sciences? What is the smallest viable lab development & could a small entrepreneur break into the space? If you enjoy this episode we’d be grateful if you could share it with a friend & leave us review on iTunes.

#58 Josh Zakim + Jenny Schuetz on Solving The Housing Crisis

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 10:19:50 -0500

This week we are excited to be joined by Former Boston city councilor Josh Zakim who recently started a new nonprofit called Housing Forward-MA as well as Jenny Schuetz who is an expert in urban economics and housing policy and a fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. Jenny walks us through a recent report from the Brookings Institute that she helped to author called, “Zoned Out Why Massachusetts Needs to Legalize Apartments Near Transit”. We discuss the current real estate market as well as land use regulation, housing prices, urban amenities, and neighborhood change. This was an interesting and thought-provoking conversation throughout! We’re grateful to Josh and Jenny for joining us and to all our listeners for sharing the Podcast with a friend.

#57 Timothy Roman - Founder and CEO Imperial Kitchen & Bath

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:51:38 -0500

This week we are joined by our good friend, Tim Roman of Imperial Kitchen and Bath. Tim founded the company back in 2012 in Edgewater, NJ and has rapidly grown servicing real estate developers and builders up and down the E Coast. We enjoyed diving into the weeds on the latest trends in cabinetry and kitchen design, typical cost ranges for new kitchen installs, trends towards smart and maintenance free kitchens, common pitfalls of natural finish / wood cabinets and how to save money without compromising quality when designing a kitchen. Finally, Tim helps clear up the age-old question, what exactly is “European Cabinetry” and why does every new listing description like to say they offer it?! It’s always a pleasure catching up with Tim and we know you’ll find his passion for the business obvious and inspiring. Follow Tim's work on IG @Imperialkb

#56 Deborah A. Ryan, Accessibility Specialist

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 18:48:29 -0400

This week we are thrilled to have Deborah Ryan of Deborah A. Ryan & Associates join the Addicts to discuss state and federal accessibility requirements. These sections of code are technical, they can be complicated, but they are incredibly important to understand. We discussed how developers can ensure compliance with accessibility requirements during the planning and design stage to avoid costly mistakes. We cover a number of specific topics including the differences between Group I and Group II units and when each unit type must be provided, the definition of a “Townhouse” and how that is changing, the process for filing variance applications and why you might need a CD burner before you can submit one. We personally learned a ton throughout recording this episode and we know you will too. Thanks for listening & for sharing the Podcast with a friend!

#55 Ted Tye, Co-Founder National Development Returns To The Pod!

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:58:43 -0400

Ted Tye, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at National Development is back for another episode! The world has certainly changed since our first episode we recorded with Ted (in person) about a year ago and we discus what those changes mean in terms of the real estate market. In this episode we discus issues related to local politics and the upcoming mayoral race, we check in on what’s happening with land costs, construction costs as well as rents and sales. We touch on the lending environment, developers decisions to hire union or open shop labor and how that varies by region as well as the advent of “virtual community process” and we conclude with a really fun game of over-rated, under-rated or appropriately rated.

#54 Max & Garrett from OnPoint Capital on Value Add Development

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:53:52 -0400

Our good friends, Garrett Hogan and Max Taylor, Principals of OnPoint Capital join the Pod this week to discuss their real estate development business. We talked through OnPoint's experience with modular construction, how they structure development deals with investors, their experiences with zoning approvals in the City of Boston and we got into detail talking about numbers for ground up, renovation and modular builds. We typically try to storyboard an episode but, this conversation seemed to just go in all kinds of directions and was fun and interesting throughout. Thanks for sharing the Podcast with a friend & we hope you enjoy!

#53 Gaetano Morello of High Street Properties on Luxury Condo Development

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 18:08:22 -0400

This week Gaetano (Guy) Morello joins the RE Addicts to discuss his experience developing high end Condos in some of Boston’s most desirable and expensive neighborhoods like Beacon Hill, Back Bay and South End. Guy started out as a Real Estate Broker marketing luxury condo product in New York City and then transitioned his career back home to Boston where he joined his families business in real estate development. Guys firm, High Street Properties owns and manages about 200 units in and around Boston. We discus Guys approach to acquisitions, trade views on the current market and get into specific about what it takes to convert brownstones to luxury (dope?) condos.

#52 Michael Joanis, PE of National Fire Sprinkler Assoc.

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 14:55:53 -0400

Mike Joanis is a licensed professional fire protection engineer and code consultant. Mike has been a tremendous resource to the Real Estate Addicts as we’ve grown and navigated various design issues and worked with local building and fire officials and so we’re thrilled to have him on the Podcast. We start covering the basic like, When is fire suppression system needed? What are hydraulic calculations and FP narratives? What are the elements of a fire alarm system? A standpipe? When is a standpipe needed? Finally, we delve into the nitty gritty of NFPA 13 vs. NFPA 13R systems. Pros and cons of pump and tank systems & elements of a dry FP system.

#51 - Matthew Karr, Esq. on Estate Planning & Real Estate

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:56:44 -0400

Matthew Karr joins REA to talk all things estate planning and trusts. We cover the basics and then dive into the details like when does it make sense for someone to set up a plan? What’s the difference between revocable/irrevocable trusts? Living trusts vs land trusts vs realty trusts? Tax advantages to setting up an estate plan when including property in the trust? Costs associated with setting up an estate plan. Finally, Matt provides his best legal analysis on the Movie ‘Knives Out’ and what Hollywood gets right (and wrong) about estate planning!

#50 Steve Sheinkopf, CEO Yale Appliance

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 17:10:30 -0400

In this episode Steve Sheinkopf, CEO of Yale Appliances joins the Pod to talk all things related to Appliances! Steve was very candid on his assessment of the industry, how to buy at the best price, when to spend money and when to pull back, what to look for in an appliance, what trends are here to stay and which are doomed to die. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! As always, thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing.

#49 - John G. Balboni,Esq. on Dev. in Opportunity Zones

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 17:34:23 -0400

John Balboni is a Principle at Sullivan & Worcester LLP and an expert on all things related to developing in Opportunity Zones. We dive into the weeds on the benefits this policy provides and the process which must be meticulously followed. An opportunity zone investment makes a good deal better but, can't make a bad deal good! Listen to this episode and find out why. Thanks as always for listening, reviewing and sharing The Real Estate Addicts Podcast!

#48 Creighton Jones of Rev-A-Shelf Cabinet Organizers

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 14:54:56 -0400

This week we are pleased to be joined by our good friend Creighton Jones from Rev-A-Shelf, who specialize in Whole Home Organization, with a heavy focus on Kitchen Cabinet Organizers! Rev-A-Shelf is produced by Jones Plastic and Engineering, an American manufacturing company employing over 2,400 workers with over 1,000,0000 sf of plants in the U.S. In this episode we discus the history of Jones Plastic/Rev-A-Shelf, the keys to designing an organized kitchen, which products have been Rev-A-Shelfs best sellers and even which have flopped. We hope you enjoy the episode and we appreciate your sharing and reviewing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast!

#47 New Construction Development Series Pt 2: Framing & Structure

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 27 May 2020 09:08:20 -0400

In this episode, Marc, Dan & Ray continue the discuss about taking the leap from gut renovations to new construction. The guys share experience (& mistakes) taking a deep dive into framing and considerations which drive structural costs and how to avoid them. We appreciate your reviews and shares and welcome feedback (therealestateaddicts@gmail.com) to keep the podcast interesting and entertaining!

#46 - Matt Picheny (PT 2) on Mechanics of Syndicating Deals

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 20 May 2020 09:18:12 -0400

The Real Estate Addicts are thrilled to welcome back Matt Picheny of MJP Property Group, LLC to continue our conversation and dive into the fine points of deal syndication. In this episode we cover: • Mechanics of a syndication 1. Legal Aspects 2. SEC Compliance 3. Investment Structure 4. Financing Structure • Attracting Investors • Tax Treatment Thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast. E-mail us at TheRealEstateAddicts@gmail.com; we'd love to hear from you.

#45 Rob Barresi on Insurance & Risk Management For Developers

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 05 May 2020 14:10:31 -0400

Rob Barresi, Senior Vice President at Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage joins the Pod to share best practices around insurance for development and construction. We begin with a high level discussion around the different types of policies and then dive into the details of proper risk transfer in owner/developer/GC/subcontractor relationships, indemnification and hold harmless agreements, waivers of subrogation, additionally insured endorsements, what to look for when reviewing a certificate of insurance and completed operations coverage which is extremely critical. This topic isn’t always glamorous but, it’s certainly critical to understand and get right.

#44 Joe Kriesberg - President at MACDC

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 18:23:10 -0400

In this episode we are joined by Joe Kriesberg, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Community Development Corporation (MACDC). We discuss community development issues and trends in Massachusetts and around the country. We cover the fundamentals like what a Community Development Corporation does, how an organization can become recognized as a CDC and the benefits which may accrue to an organization that does. Specifically, we touch on Gateway Cities, Chapter 40B laws, low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and Community Investment Tax Credits (CITC). Finally, we discus the benefits of civic participation and perhaps certain limitations of this worthwhile goal. We hope you enjoy this episode as Joe explains these topics in a way which is easy to understand and appreciate.

#43 Matt Picheny of MJP on Syndicating Deals

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:51:49 -0400

The Real Estate Addicts are joined by Mat Picheny, Managing Partner at MJP Property Group. With an investment portfolio of over 2,000 units, Matt shares the ins and outs of acquiring and repositioning multifamily communities. Matt has over 14 years of experience in property analysis, financing, acquisition, construction, and operations. The conversation focuses on syndication which is a way for investors to pool their financial resources to invest in properties and projects much bigger than they could afford on their own. We hope you enjoy and thanks for sharing the podcast with a friend and for your reviews!

BONUS EP: How To Manage During Uncertainty W/Juline McMullen of Dale Carnegie

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:09:02 -0400

We hope you and your families are doing well and you are weathering this uncertainty. We are grateful to be joined again by one of our favorite guests, Juline McMullen of Dale Carnegie Training for a special discussion on managing stress during uncertain times. Juline brings us through the “5 C’s” which are tools to help us through these daunting times. Juline holds a master’s in psychology and is certainly an expert on this subject. We took a lot out of our conversation and we hope you will too!

#42 Ben Uyeda of HomeMade Modern

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 12:09:51 -0400

Ben is native Bostonian and co-founder of ZeroEnergy Design Architects who now spends his time focused on his own developments and on design within the maker space at his business HomeMade Modern. Ben is a BIG thinker and shares his portfolio and work on his YouTube channel which has 1.2 million subscribers! In this episode, Ben explains why the HGTV model for television focused on flashy before & afters & peppy personalities is not viewers actually want (7:30). We continue talking about how Ben has looked to the food industry to draw design inspiration (11:30). We admire Ben’s remarkable talent in creating memorable design moments which tactically employ labor thereby reducing costs. Ben explains how he deliberately designs his development budgets such that costs are asymmetrical (18:35). Lastly, should we cater our developments to the broadest possible segment of the population or focus on a niche segment of buyers where there may be far less supply of product (24:00).

#41 New Construction Development Series Pt 1: Sitework & Foundations

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 10:02:48 -0400

In this episode, Marc, Dan & Ray discuss taking the leap from gut renovations to new construction. The guys share experience (& mistakes), covering a lot of ground (pun intended), discussing soil and site classification, foundation options, demolition, engineering & civil engineering concerns, surveying as well as many of the “trip wires” or “landmines” to look out for along the way. We appreciate your reviews and shares and welcome feedback (therealestateaddicts@gmail.com) to keep the podcast interesting and entertaining!

#40 Ann Ehrhart, Boston Urban Partners on Doing Retail and Restaurant Right

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:50:49 -0400

Real Estate Addicts is excited to share this conversation with Ann Ehrhart, owner of the retail real estate firm Boston Urban Partners, and its newly formed sister company Boston Urban Places. Together, the firms help their clients substantially increase the value of their buildings by creating vibrant and sustainable retail, while fostering a sense of community for tenants living there. Listen in as Ann discusses what’s really going on with brick & mortar retail and the threats she sees, both real and exaggerated. She shares her insight on what landlords and developers can do to avoid the dreaded “dark, empty storefront,” and thoughts on where the industry is heading. Don’t miss this candid overview about real estate’s most rapidly changing sector.

#39 – Juline McMullen (PT 2) of Dale Carnegie on Leadership

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 15:19:33 -0500

In this 2nd part of our 2-part episode with Juline McMullen, Director of Client Strategy at Dale Carnegie Training we take on a wide-ranging discussion on Leadership. Juline explains how effective leaders recognize the potential in others and enable them to perform at their best. We discus the importance of responding instead of reacting, how to be assertive without appearing aggressive and the difference between feedback and criticism. We hope you enjoy the episode and thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast!

#38 Juline McMullen of Dale Carnegie on Mastering Public Speaking & + High Impact Presentations

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 11:14:22 -0500

The power of presentation and public speaking makes a huge difference in our success or failure in many professions but, especially as real estate developers. In this episode Juline McMullen, Director of Client Strategy at Dale Carnegie Training joins us to offer her best advice on mastering public speaking and making effective presentations. We start with the basics like getting to know your audience and planning your speeches; then we dive into using your voice, gestures, and ideas to create impact presentations. Other topics covered include, communicating with clarity and conviction, engaging audience participation and using storytelling to improve effective communication. We hope you enjoy the episode and thank you for rating, reviewing and sharing the Real Estate Addicts Podcast!

#37 Michael LeBlanc of Utile Inc. on Architecture & Planning

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:41:07 -0500

The Real Estate Addicts are joined this week by Michael LeBlanc, principal at Utile, a Boston based“design firm built like a think tank”. Utile has grown from their founding in 2002 to a 64-member team that consistently produces some of the smartest and most innovative approaches to design and urban planning in the City. In this episode Michael shares his perspective on design, why Utile has no one “signature style” and how Utile’s urban planning work influences and improves their design work. Michael walks our listeners through Utile’s very involved client-driven design process and explains how this process yields the right design at the right budget. Finally, Michael shares a “case study” on the Gerard, a 160-unit apartment building which presented a number of challenges during design which Utile did a masterful job of resolving. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it. We appreciate your feedback (therealestateaddicts@gmail.com) and your reviews and thank you for sharing!

#36 Edward Glaeser - The Case for Cities and for the YIMBYs

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:54:09 -0500

The Real Estate Addicts are thrilled to be joined by Ed Glaeser, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and author of the compelling and provocative book Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier. In this episode we explore why change is unlikely to be as terrifying as people have convinced themselves it’s likely to be, why unleashing private developers and allowing real growth promotes affordability (hint: “There is no repealing the laws of supply and demand!”). We touch on the notion of “landmarks” and Ed explains why “History shouldn’t be a straight jacket”. Other topics we touch on include, public transit, regulatory creep, we compare Detroit to Silicon Valley, Congestion pricing and finally we answer the question, how are good cities like good libraries? Thank you for sharing, rating & reviewing & we look forward to your feedback!

#35 - Carrie Tennant, Esq. on Development of Affordable Housing

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 11:38:00 -0500

Carrie Tennant of the Community Builders (TCB) joins the Pod to discus how Affordable Housing is financed and developed. We closely examine low income housing tax credits (LITC) and provide a guide for developers interested in this sector of development. How are LITC's awarded and under what criteria? What is an ideal size project for LITC's? What is a 4% or 9% tax credit? How much of the project will those credits finance? How long do affordable deed restrictions last and what happens when they expire? We hope you enjoy the Podcast and please e-mail us at The RealEstateAddicts with your feedback!

#34 Josh Brandt of Stack + Co. on Building a Better Design Build Firm

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:53:58 -0500

In this episode we are joined by Josh Brandt, co-found of Stack + Co. and discus how Stack + Co has grown to becoming a best in class Design Build Firm in New England. Josh walks us through the founding of the company through growing the business to the $20mm per year mark. We also discus Josh's first foray leveraging his design/construction background into real estate development. The conversation was interesting and engaging throughout. We hope you get a chance to listen and please e-mail us with your feedback to TheRealEstateAddicts@gmail.com

#33 Michael Costello - Interviewing 101 – Conducting an Effective Interview

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 11:36:44 -0500

Mike Costello has served as Director of Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for major companies like Suffolk Construction and American Tower where he currently leads corporate recruiting efforts and is responsible for overseeing 300-400 new hires per year! We discuss tips and tricks for recruiters and job candidates alike so they can make the best hires and career decisions. Some of the highlights of our conversation include; how to formally structure an interview, how to ask behavior and situational based questions as well as the best strategies to answer them. We hope you enjoy the Podcast and please e-mail us with your feedback or questions to TheRealEstateAddicts@gmail.com

#32 - Boston vs. Providence ft. The Cash Flow Kings

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 12:43:14 -0500

Had a lot of fun recording this episode with the hosts of the Cash Flow Kings out of Providence, RI. In this episode we compare the Providence, RI and Boston, MA markets. We compare and contrast buying strategies and compare notes on the challenges and opportunities inherent in each.

#31 Patrick Mahoney, Boston Zoning Attorney

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:26:34 -0500

Patrick Mahoney of Boston Zoning Strategies offers REA listeners a diversity of experience as a zoning attorney, local developer and former building official. We begin by clarifying and explaining the nuances of some commonly misunderstood zoning terms such as building height, number of stories & FAR. We discus the difference between a story and a “mezzanine”, how to measure grade if the property is built on a hill & when a basement contributes as a “story” on a building? We also dive into the notion of “grandfather status” and when a non-conforming feature can actually be considered “exiting to remain” (hint: statue of limitations).

#30 Bruce Percelay, Founder of The Mount Vernon Company

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 16:15:56 -0500

In this episode we are delighted to be joined by Bruce Percelay, founder and Chairman of the The Mount Vernon Company. Bruce brings us through his career starting in the mailroom of an advertising company to founding a real estate investment firm considered among the leading apartment landlords in Massachusetts. The company has grown over the past 30 years to include approximately 1,600 apartments, 5 hotels, as well as select commercial and vacation properties. This was one of our favorite episodes and truly one you don’t want to miss! We’d love to hear your feedback! Please e-mail us at therealestateaddicts@gmail.com!

#29 Michael DiMella & P.T. Vineburgh of Charlsegate Realty Group

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 11:31:55 -0500

REA is joined by Michael DiMella & P.T. Vineburgh, co-founders of Charlesgate Realty Group to discuss how they’ve organically built an incredibly successful boutique real estate brokerage firm which specializes in the marketing of new construction for multi-unit residential. The guys share how they’ve persevered in an industry where large national brands seem to be eating up more and more market share. We candidly discus topics like off market “pocket” listings, Realtors who pay to be featured in “Who’s Who” publications and whether print ads really work or if they just make sellers feel special? What does it mean to be a “closer” and should they be remanded to used car dealerships? Finally, we discus the innovative strategies Charlesgate has pioneered in selling new construction. Enjoy the episode and thanks for your reviews on iTunes and for sharing!

#28 Anne Amagrande,on Flipping Affordable Single Family Homes w/Lease Options

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 14:23:29 -0500

Anne Amagrande, founder of Grande AMA & Associates LLC has created a system of acquiring single family homes in blue-collar neighborhoods in AZ & TX by re-positioning them and executing a planned exit using a “lease option” often targeted to buyers who may have more difficult time qualifying for a conventional purchase. Anne’s system and her private equity firm provides investors with cash flow, equity growth and preferable tax treatments. We discuss the nuances of “lease to own” and some of the regulatory pitfalls, how Anne has successfully scaled this business, what improvements Anne prioritizes in a “Rentovation” as well as Anne’s preferred investment structure for investors. E-mail us your feedback at TheRealEstateAddicts@gmail.com

#27 Jonathan Keefe, Director BU Program For RE Studies & Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:07:47 -0400

In this episode, The Real Estate Addicts throw it back to their roots as they are joined by Professor Jonathan Keefe of the BU Program for Real Estate Studies. REA co-host, Marc Savatsky met Jonathan in 2011 when he began exploring a career transition from construction to real estate development and enrolled in Jonathan’s evening course, Fundamentals of Investment Analysis. Aside from helping to run the BU program, Jonathan is also the Managing Director of Strategic Services at Cushman and Wakefield where he provides a unique blend of executive and consulting experience to help clients optimize their real estate organization, strategies, portfolios, transactions, projects, and operations. In our conversation, we revisit some of the same the same analytical techniques covered in Jonathan’s course which each aim to help developers make effective decisions about the acquisition, development, financing, and disposition of investment properties. Topics discussed include: Time value of money; aftertax discounted cash flow analysis; net present value; internal rate of return (IRR); investment decision rules; income capitalization and debt coverage ratios.

#26 Aaron Galvin Founder of Luxury Living Chicago Realty on Lease Up Strategy for Luxury Apartments

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 10:04:23 -0400

Aaron Galvin, Founder & CEO of Luxury Living Chicago Realty (LLCR) joins the Pod to discuss how LLCR is transforming the way luxury apartments are being leased. Aaron works closely with the nation’s top development firms consulting on everything from apartment pricing to finishes to amenity programming. Galvin oversees a pipeline of exclusively listed multifamily developments including new Class-A lease-ups, ongoing leasing, and condo deconversions. He manages a team of Realtors responsible for over $500 million in rental volume and over $100 million in sales volume in downtown Chicago. Our conversation was wide ranging and interesting throughout touching on topics including: Macro trends favoring renting and why a once perceived stigma is quickly disappearing Implementing an ideal marketing program consisting of an awareness phase, nurturing campaigns, & pre-launch phase What is a VIP launch strategy and how has LLCR has used this in part to pre-lease at least 25% of a building before it opens Pricing strategies including tips on how to effectively and surgically employ lease-up concessions LLCR’s typical lease up durations and strategies to accelerate those timelines Which capital improvements should a developer prioritize to ensure their buildings are competing with class-A apartment buildings? How Aaron has built a specific expertise in the marketing and leasing of condo deconversions – a trend of investors buying condo buildings and converting them into a apartments which is surging in Chicago. How smart developers are using amenities to effectively bring people together and build shared experiences The way which technological amenities like building wide apps are gaining quick adaption and why they are here to stay Why using amenities which simply “check the box” are inadequate and not even worth doing How to make best use of model units We discus landlord tenant law and compare Boston to Chicago Multi-year leases and two major and often overlooked ways they make a positive impact on buildings

#25 Bryan Lee of Transom Real Estate on Developing Dynamic Real Estate in Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 14:54:07 -0400

We had the pleasure to chat with Bryan Lee, one of the three founding principles at Transom Real Estate on his career in real estate development. Bryan and his partners each hail from Related Beal where they gained experience working on a variety of large-scale projects in various sectors of development. The very first project Transom took on was 212 Stuart St., a major undertaking consisting of 126 residential, 19 stories and 146,0000-square-foot ground-out development in Bay Village, one of Boston’s most desirable neighborhoods. We discus construction pricing, compare the pros and cons of developing apartments versus condos, how Transom filters opportunities, the merits of debt brokerage, how Transom uses opportunity funds to finance their deals, what makes for good design and why Bryan and his partners are firm believers in spending on design to distinguish their projects. We had a ton of fun recording this episode and hope you will enjoy it too! Thanks for your reviews on iTunes, your feedback and as always for sharing the podcast!

#24 Anthony Fava – From Civil Design to Development, Sun Property Group

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:44:38 -0400

Anthony Fava of Sun Property Group joins the guys to share his path from practicing Civil Engineer to Developer and co-owner of Sun Property Group. Anthony discusses how he and his business partner, Ryan Hunt have built a diversified real estate business which specializes in real estate sales, property management, construction and development. We talk in particular about how Anthony manages his construction staff and has grown his company in terms of its systems and procedures and where they hope to go next.

#23 Devon Wegman of Devon Grace Interiors

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:55:36 -0400

We had the pleasure of chatting with Devon Wegman, founder of Devon Grace Interiors about how her work as an interior designer interplays with real estate development. We discussed the latest trends in interior design, debated where the best places to spend design dollars are, weather you can find acceptable finishes at big box stores like home depot and how to vet out an interior designer before you hire them. Are subway tiles played out? Should you panel your appliances? Give this episode a listen before you pick finish specifications for you next project!

#22 Willie Mandrell of the Mandrell Companies on Buy & Hold Investing in Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 09:46:08 -0400

In this episode of REA Willie Mandrell of the Mandrell Companies explains how he started investing in real estate with a small loan from a cousin and built a rental portfolio of over 25 properties! In the time since, he’s also built a successful real estate brokerage and has continued to grow into development. Willie touches on rehab costs, property management, and buying section 8 / low-income rental housing. We had a ton of fun recording this episode & we hope you enjoy it too!

#21 – Hosts Marc, Dan & Ray Take Deep Dive Into A Recent Deal

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:43:53 -0400

In this episode Marc, Dan & Ray get some things off their chest and implore “the community” to insist on zoning contingencies. They discus the mechanics of a zoning contingency and then walk listeners step-by-step with #’s through a recent Choose Boston deal that was permitted and flipped

#20 Ted Tye, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, National Development

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 22:49:34 -0400

Ted Tye, Managing Partner & Co-Founder at National Development joins REA for a wide ranging discussion on what it takes to become a successful developer and how he’s helped to build National Development into one of the most respected development firms in New England. Ted brings us back to the firms first deal in 1983 and tells us how he got started in the industry. He shares his outlook on the market, tips on building a resilient business in a cyclical industry and offers his best advice for those looking to get into real estate development. This episode is a must listen!

#19 Michael Procopio, VP Development at the Procopio Companies on Developing in Gateway Cities

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 23:29:39 -0400

#19 Michael Procopio, VP Development at the Procopio Companies on Developing in Gateway Cities by Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin

#18 Attny. Nick Nardone, Partner at Touchstone Closing on Legal Considerations for RE Developers

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:52:56 -0400

The Real Estate Addicts are joined by Attorney Nick Nardone, Partner at Touchstone Closing for an in-depth conversation about the myriad of important legal considerations a developer should be mindful of. We cover topics ranging from: •Title – Do you need title insurance and is there a way to buy it more inexpensively? • Understanding the process for condominium conversion. What is a master deed? • Condominium disputes and what is a Condominium Super-Lien? • Co-Op versus Condos and why does Marc HATE Co-Ops • Advice on buying a building with tenants? • What are notification requirements prior to converting to condos? • Why chasing foreclosure sales is often a waste of time. • What special considerations go into buying a property via an estate sale? Does it have to be advertised on MLS?

#17 Ross Trethewey of TE2 Engineering & This Old House on Mechanical Engrg & Smart Home Tech

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 20:29:18 -0400

Ross Trethewey, founder and lead engineer for TE2 Engineering and Home Technology Expert on “This Old House” joins REA to talk mechanical engineering and smart home tech. We begin with a discussion on sustainability and identify the easiest and most effective ways to make your buildings more cost efficient to run and environmentally friendly to operate. Next, we dive into a discussion on basic options with regard to home heating and cooling systems from gas fired furnaces, to “combi units”, electric heat pumps and VRF units and how they each compare with regard to upfront installation costs and operational costs. From there we jump into a discussion on the best smart home features. Other topics covered include: Why is the temperature on a thermostat alone often a poor indicator of comfort? Why are so few people satisfied with the thermal comfort in their home? What is indoor air-quality? Why is it critical for buildings need to “breath”? How can I measure indoor air quality in my home? What are the most common mistakes Ross sees builders making on the MEP side? What are some strategies to keep HVAC systems quiet? What’s up with solar? Is it worth considering? How has battery technology changed the game in terms of solar? How do driveway snow melt systems work? Are they effective? Is induction cooking worth considering?

#16 Michael Olson, Rhino Capital Advisors LLC on Commercial Development & Office

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 21:39:40 -0400

Michael Olson, Managing Principal at Rhino Capital Advisors LLC joins hosts Dan, Ray & Marc to talk about developing office product and the unique features of that sector. Mike explains how he got started in real estate and how Rhino Capital sources their deals from. Mike tries to avoid heavily marketed deals and tells us that most of his deals start with a simple question, “Would you have any interest in selling?” Mike explains one of Rhinos core principals which is ensuring that the real estate meets the business needs of the users, rather than the other way around. We go over some common commercial real estate acronyms, discus typical lease terms, tenant-fit outs and we compare the metro office market to suburban market. Finally, Mike talks about the pros and cons of starting a fund and what it takes to attract institutional capital.

#15 Brian Gregory Architect and Urban Planner w/Gamble Associates

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 22:59:11 -0400

Brian Gregory is a talented architect who specializes in Urban Planning and practices at Gamble Associates. His firm was recently engaged by the BPDA and the City of Boston to help spearhead the City’s new masterplanning effort, PLAN: East Boston. The conversation was wide ranging and interesting throughout. Topics covered include: Why is Boston’s City Hall so ugly? What does an urban planner do? Why are triple deckers are so prevalent in Boston? What is form based code? What does performing a re-zoning and new master plan entail? Does more parking encourage more cars? What are Maisonettes and how do they support street level activation? What happened to Wall St. when plannners loosens the zoning reigns? Was the development of Bostons Seaport a missed opportunity for urban planners? Is Air BNB good for cities?

#14 Timothy White of J.L. Dunn on 36 Years as a Builder in Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 21:58:14 -0400

We’re excited to have Tim White of J.L. Dunn & Company join us to discus the unique challenges of Being a General Contractor in Boston and the evolution of the construction business. We covered a wide range to topics including: What’s the difference between a GC and CM? Are there any true GC’s left out there? Is the pendulum swinging back? Is it challenging to get multiple bids in a market where everyone is extremely busy? How has the skilled labor shortage affected Tim’s business in Boston? Do you feel that the quality of drawings has diminished over the years? What do you think accounts for that & how does it affect your jobs. Recommendations for a developer on hiring a contractor? What questions should they ask? What’s the difference between GMP and lump sum and are there situations where one is better than the other? Developers are sometimes lured by a low conceptual level budget and then come to find out pricing is much higher. What advice do you have for developers to avoid falling into such a trap?

#13 - The Live Pod @ Boston RE Guild W/Ricky Beliveau, Volnay Capital

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 20:23:23 -0400

The Real Estate Addicts are joined onstage by Ricky Beliveau of Volnay Capital for a live-podcast at Boston Largest Real Estate Networking Event, The Real Estate Guild! We go over basics of finding investors for your first deal and the different ways you can structure that kind of loan. We discus the differences between being a custom homebuilder and a spec developer and the challenges inherent in each. We delve into the stressful side of being a ddeveloper and share a few of the many things that keep us up at night.

#12 H+O Structural Engineering

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 14:54:41 -0400

In this episode the Real Estate Addicts talk with Jeremiah O’Neill & Rens Hayes of H+O Structural Engineering fame about the ways a strong structural team can impact a development. We discus structural considerations developers should keep in mind during their due diligence, the various framing options a building can utilize (i.e. 4 over 1, 5 over 2, etc.) as well as their limitations and cost impacts. Finally, we conclude with a game of “help me avoid looking stupid” where Jeremiah and Rens define some common terms and engineering principals.

#11 Jason Cincotta, Producer of High Design Urban Apts & Boutique Hotels

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 21:46:06 -0400

In 2009 Jason started his own real estate investment and development group that would later become, The Cincotta Companies. He cut his teeth renovating residential apartment buildings in the North End before endeavoring to build out a high design boutique scale apartment portfolio which started with 26 West Broadway a 31 unit ground up steel and concrete building in South Boston. Finally, Jason shares his vision for his hospitality business and shares the experience of building his first marquee project the Sarasota Modern.

#10 Ricardo Rodriguez of Coldwell Banker on RE Marketing

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 27 May 2019 22:03:46 -0400

Ricardo Rodriguez of Coldwell Banker shares his secrets and strategy on how he’s earned the title of Coldwell Banker’s #1 Team in New England and become the NAHREP #1 Latino Agent in the U.S. Ricardo most recently Ricardo has been the exclusive listing agent for well known projects like The Lucas, The Henry, The Marc and Port 45. Ricardo works with developers early to establish an ideal unit mix, unit size and pricing strategy based on a comprehensive and well thought out marketing plan. Ricardo holds no punches as he discuss competition from low-cost brokerages, pressures on commission and the proliferation of tools like Zillow. Finally, we talk about design trends, lifestyle marketing, listening to the market and using strategy to price units effectively.

#9 Kate Earls of Airsafe Contracting On What It Takes To Be A Builder/Developer in Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 13 May 2019 22:25:47 -0400

Developer Kate Earls of Airsafe Contracting joins the guys and explains how she transitioned a lead paint abatement business she ran with her husband almost 20 years ago into a very successful residential development company self-performing their own general contracting on their myriad of projects across Boston. Kate shares how she’s overcome adversity including a story of a local municipality spot-zoning a specific parcel she had already purchased and having to completely rework her original ‘zoning compliant’ project. We talk about escalating construction costs and why her company recently purchased a full size excavator. Kate shares her advice for other women looking to get into development and finally, we conclude with a discussion on the merits of scaling a development business and why Kate has preferred to keep a steady pace and active project count over the years.

#8 Benjamin Moll, Arx Urban Progressive RE Development

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 06 May 2019 22:06:48 -0400

Benjie founded Arx Urban in 2013 after a stint on Wall Street. His most recent development endeavors are socially minded and he shares in detail how he’s been able to attract capital for these projects which aren’t necessarily typical development plays. Benjie was an early adaptor of “crowd-funding” deals and we discuss the evolution of this egalitarian way of finding investors. Finally, Benjie details a new project in Allston which he’s proposing as an innovative “Co-Living Space.” We conclude with over-rated/under-rated and hit on topics ranging from modular construction to micro-apartments and fractious topics like rent control.

#7 Matt Edlen of Gerding Edlen on Developing Large Urban Infill Projects Across the US

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:31:25 -0400

Matt shares his experience as a seasoned real estate developer on what it’s like to do deals across the country in many of America’s gateway cities with a focus on sustainable urban infill projects. Gerding Edlen’s Boston developments have been resoundingly successful and include buildings such as 319A Street, The Troy and most recently the Eddy in E. Boston. Matt explains why Green is not just a color in your Crayola box anymore and why Gerding Edlen is committed to both sustainability and building equitable cities. He shares the details on Gerding Edlen’s story from a merchant developer to a true investment manager who has raised over $1.5 billion in the past ten years building an incredibly successful development business that is known across the country.

#6 REA Hosts Marc, Dan & Ray Talk About RE Development & Respond to Listener Questions

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 09:04:58 -0400

Real Estate Addicts hosts Marc, Dan & Ray respond to a broad range of listener questions and offer our best tips and advice. What are the strategies and approaches you should consider when your approaching the neighborhood during the community process, what are the biggest things a Realtor can do to add value for a developer client, views on coop versus condos, criteria for buying your first multi family investment property, we explore ranges for cost per sf to build, what profit range do you target and how do you calculate that, partnerships and joint ventures, discuss how we track project budgets, how accurate are appraisals, affordable value add improvements for rental properties, and we conclude with a discussion of what we’d like to see more of and see less of in real estate development.

#5 Justin Silverio Founder Open Letter Marketing On Direct Mailing & Finding Deals

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 07:48:58 -0400

Justin Silverio, founder of Open Letter Marketing LLC joins REA to discus how he’s developed an expertise in direct to seller marketing to find his most profitable deals and help others do the same. Justin explains how he’s tested and proven his strategies over the years and offers his secrets on which approaches work best. We drill down into the details like how long does it take to see results? How much does a marketing campaign typically cost? What is the response rate and conversion rate for direct marketing? What is ringless voicemail & are there any other innovative approaches buyers can employ to reach sellers directly? Finally, Justin indulges the hosts with some “role-play” on what a typical first call with a potential seller might sound like and the most important parts of the script to keep nearby.

#4 Dartagnan Brown on Mastering His Craft as a Developers Architect

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 21:38:47 -0400

Architect Dartagnan Brown, founder of Embarc joins REA and discusses how his firm has become one of the preeminent architectural design firms for multi-family private developers in New England. Dartagnan brings us through his incredible personal journey escaping hostile foreign governments, finding his way to the United States and then shares his entrepreneurial story as founder of Embarc. We talk about the tension between traditional and contemporary design and what aesthetic Dartagnan appreciates most. The conversation continues comparing architecture in major cities around the country. Dartagnan explains what a massing study is and how architects provide developers value during the acquisition process by performing massing studies for their clients? What is a 40B project? What are the pros, cons and limitations of a 40B project? What is the difference between gross square footage and net square footage? How does a good architect add value by designing an efficient building? How does an architect who understands fundamentals of construction costs add value to their client? Finally, we have some fun with a new game called “over-rated, under-rated or appropriately rated” where we take Dartagnan temperature on new products, design elements and trends in architecture. We hope you enjoy & as always appreciate your rating, reviewing and sharing!

#3 Attny. Marc LaCasse explains zoning/permitting and unmasks the unique variance process in Boston

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 10:37:41 -0400

Zoning and land use attorney Marc LaCasse joins us to discus his 30+ year career in law and how he’s built an extremely successful boutique practice focused on real estate law and zoning in the City of Boston. We talk about how the permitting and entitlement process generally works around the country and Marc explains why the word “entitlement” isn’t often used in Boston. We debate the pros and cons of a vague and uncertain zoning process and the hosts take different sides on whether a more transparent process would be in developers favor. In addition, we discuss how zoning differs from state to state.

#2 Ricky Beliveau - Volnay Capital Talks Biz Case for Social Media + Development in Emerging Mkts

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 14:41:02 -0400

Our good friend Ricky Beliveau owner of Volnay Capital joins us on REA as we talk bout the business case for social media in real estate, scaling a real estate development business, outlook on the market, developing in less mature and tested markets, and we delve into failures, success and the role of luck and hard work in our careers.

#1 Real Estate Addicts The Story - Hosts Marc, Dan & Ray talk about their careers as RE Developers

Marc Savatsky, Ray Hurteau, Dan Rubin — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 23:00:21 -0400

Hosts Dan Rubin, Ray Hurteau (IG: @HRVHomes) and Marc Savatsky (IG: @Choose_Boston) take you back to how they each started their careers in real estate development, detail their first projects, share advice, warnings, and also their goals for the Real Estate Addicts Podcast.