Top 10 Business books that Christian Recomends Some are Tactical some are Motivational 1. The 10X Rule — Grant Cardone : https://amzn.to/3Jcpo5t Summary: Grant Cardone’s The 10X Rule teaches that most people underestimate both their goals and the amount of effort required to achieve them. His “10X” concept pushes you to set goals ten times higher than you think you can achieve and take actions ten times greater than what you believe is necessary. For multifamily investors, this mindset is critical for scaling portfolios, recruiting teams, and breaking mental barriers that limit deal size or ambition. 2. Never Split the Difference — Chris Voss : https://amzn.to/3Lq4ekR Summary: Written by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, this book breaks down tactical empathy — the art of understanding and influencing people’s emotions to win negotiations. Techniques like “mirroring,” “labeling,” and “calibrated questions” help you get better terms, win seller-financed deals, and handle investor conversations more effectively. It’s a must-read for anyone negotiating real estate transactions or partnerships. 3. Way of the Wolf — Jordan Belfort : https://amzn.to/3X3Vfs7 Summary: Jordan Belfort outlines his “Straight Line System” — a sales method that focuses on controlling conversations, building instant rapport, and closing deals efficiently. While his past is controversial, the techniques for persuasive communication and tonality are gold for real estate investors raising capital or selling their vision to sellers, lenders, or partners. 4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey : https://amzn.to/47k50Zp Summary: A timeless framework for personal and professional effectiveness, Covey’s seven habits teach proactive behavior, goal alignment, prioritization, empathy, and continuous improvement. For multifamily leaders, it’s about building habits that make your organization — and your mindset — scalable and sustainable.

Where do I start… I want to share a stupid tax — and a lesson on partners and structure. When we first started, it was simple. Two guys excited about building something. We didn’t overthink it. We didn’t get deep into structure. It was just, “Let’s be 50/50 partners and start sourcing deals.” Then we found our first apartment complex. He made the initial contact. From there, I underwrote the deal, negotiated it, structured it, financed it, and signed on the loan. I told him clearly, “I’ll front the cash to get us started. I’ll carry the financing for now. You operate it. Once we refinance, I’ll bring you in on the loan.” That was the understanding. At first, he made a few phone calls and sat in on some conversations with property management. It felt like progress. But when it came time to actually show up — to go to the property, inspect units, oversee contractors, walk the site, and handle real operations — it faded fast. Within three months of closing, I was managing the entire apartment complex myself. And instead of slowing down and fixing the structure, I compounded the mistake. Two months after buying the apartments — right before I fully stepped in to take over operations — another opportunity came up. A construction company was for sale. I saw the upside. I believed in the growth. And part of my stupid tax? I brought him into that deal too. Same pattern. Minimal operational involvement. Friction with the existing operator. Headaches that I had to step in and resolve. Before long, I was running an apartment complex and a construction company. Fast forward. We put over $100,000 into the apartment complex and stabilized it. It was time to refinance. That’s when reality hit. His credit score was below 600. We literally could not refinance with him on the loan. The structure had to change. He moved to 20%, and I became the majority owner and sole guarantor. Now I was responsible for everything — the acquisition, the underwriting, the financing, the guarantees, the capital improvements, the debt paydown, the operations, the refinance.

Starting March 1, 2026, real estate closings are changing in a way most investors are not paying attention to...yet. FinCEN is implementing new reporting requirements, and if you buy or sell through an LLC, trust, or corporation, this will matter to you. This falls under AML, which stands for anti money laundering. If you have ever gotten a conventional, FHA, or VA loan, you have already experienced AML, whether you knew it or not. That is why lenders dig through your financial life, verify income, question deposits, and document where funds came from. Government backed loans already operate under those rules. The gap has always been cash and private money transactions. Hard money lenders. Commercial lenders that keep loans in-house. Private individuals lending funds. Historically, many of those transactions have not required the same federal reporting. That is what this new rule is addressing. Here is the trigger. If the Buyer is an entity and the lender has not already completed AML compliance, the closing attorney will now be required to file a FinCEN report with the federal government. That report includes detailed ownership information and financial data tied to the transaction. Tax identification numbers. Information about who controls the entity. Details about how the deal was funded. This is not a quick add-on form. It is a significant reporting package, and law firms are required to submit it within 30 days of closing. Most firms I am hearing from expect to charge an additional fee to handle it. And yes, this will apply to Subject To deals as well...even though in most cases, no new funding is needed. Go figure... Most title companies and closing attorneys are taking the position that Sub2 transactions fall squarely inside this rule when an entity is involved and no lender has already performed AML. Just because there is no new institutional loan does not mean it is exempt from reporting. If an LLC is buying and there has been no prior AML process for the transaction, they will require the FinCEN filing.

Need help closing more deals? I will help you close more deals by providing EMD, Double Close, Seller Carryback. Stuck on funding or creative finance? DM me.

Here's the U-Haul report for Growth areas https://www.uhaul.com/Articles/About/U-Haul-Growth-Index-Top-US-Growth-Metros-And-Cities-Of-2025-Announced-36558/