The Real Estate Espresso Podcast

REGISTER HERE for the December 16 live demonstration of VictorAI. ------------ On today’s show we are talking about the myth of the housing crisis. But first, I’d like to invite you to a webinar next week on December 16 where I will be demonstrating the use of our new AI tool which we affectionately call VictorAI. This is our own custom language model which is built on top of ChatGPT. We trained VictorAI with the contents of the Real Estate Espresso podcast and my book Magnetic Capital. It’s the difference between going to a family doctor versus going to a specialist. The specialist is always going to give you a more precise answer. Click on the link in the show notes and we will talk to you on December 16 at 2PM. -------------- Yes, there is a problem with affordability in the US. But affordability is not limited to housing. It is broadly based. Inflation has impacted virtually all aspects of daily life. The problem is that the US dollar has been devalued and that incomes have not kept pace with the devaluation of the currency. The problem is not a result of greedy landlords jacking up the rent above what ordinary people can afford. When landlords price their properties above market, they experience extended vacancy. A vacant property is losing money and will ultimately result in bankruptcy for the landlord. The crisis of affordability is the result of inflation which has eroded the purchasing power of ordinary citizens across the board. It’s reflected in record levels of student debt, crushing levels of consumer debt, falling levels of home ownership, rising levels of automotive debt, and it’s affected the ability to afford basic groceries. The solution is not rent control, any more than price controls at the grocery store will improve the affordability of groceries. We have had a succession of governments on both sides of the political spectrum who have been using devaluation of the currency as a way to fund excess government spending.

On today's show I'm speaking with George Ross about negotiating when there is a power imbalance and when a completed negotiation gets re-opened. ---------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Brandon Cobb is based in Nashville, Tennessee where he specializes in land development. On today's show we are talking about navigating the curveballs that municipalities throw our way. To connect with Brandon and to learn more visit https://www.hbgcapital.net/, or if you want to learn more about land development, visit https://learnlanddevelopment.com/ --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

REGISTER HERE for the live VictorAI demonstration. On today’s show we are talking about something that has happened in the macro economy that is not getting much attention. But first, I’d like to invite you to a live demonstration of our new custom language model which we are affectionately calling VictorAI. This is our own custom language model which is built on top of ChatGPT. We trained VictorAI with the contents of the Real Estate Espresso podcast and my book Magnetic Capital. It’s the difference between going to a family doctor versus going to a specialist. The specialist is always going to give you a more precise answer. Click on the link in the show notes and we will talk to you on December 16. On today’s show we are talking about something that has happened in the macro economy that is not getting much attention. You have probably noticed that prices at the gasoline pump have been falling. That is usually welcome news for consumers. Politicians will probably be quick to take credit for this. Prices in the oil futures market are set by a combination of supply and demand. The futures price for crude oil is what gets the most attention. Today the WTI intermediate price for January delivery is $57.44 per barrel compared with $72 at the start of this year. Whenever something happens you have ask yourself whether you are looking at the cause or the effect. Falling prices at the pump are effect and not cause. The cause is further upstream in the economy. Falling gasoline consumption reflects falling demand which reflects economic weakness. You’re not going to get any politician to come out an use the word recession. That’s going to guarantee a loss during the midterm elections which are now only a year away. Instead, they will trumpet a victory of lower gasoline prices at the pump which are helping ordinary households. The American consumer has suffered very real loss of purchasing power since the pandemic. Most of this has been the result of the handling of the pandemic and the government response to the pandemic. Labor shortages in the wake of the pandemic did not translate into greater purchasing power for the average consumer. ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

On today’s show we are taking a look at the latest market report from data analytics firm ALN. This report is hot off the press this week and shows an continuation of an over-heated apartment market across much of the US. Here are the individual market stats across the US. http://public.alndata.com/newsletters/2025/December/aln/marketstats.pdf When you look at the individual market numbers, I’m left with a pit in the bottom of my stomach. ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Register for the VictorAI Demonstration Webinar I’d like to invite you to a webinar next week on December 16 where I will be demonstrating the use of our new AI tool which we affectionately call VictorAI. This is our own custom language model which is built on top of ChatGPT. We trained VictorAI with the contents of the Real Estate Espresso podcast and my book Magnetic Capital. It’s the difference between going to a family doctor versus going to a specialist. The specialist is always going to give you a more precise answer. Click on the link in the show notes and we will talk to you on December 16. at 2PM EST. On today’s show we are talking about what is happening at the Federal Reserve and I’m going to share some perspectives that are different from what you might be hearing in the mainstream media. --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Register for the Victor AI Demonstration Webinar December 16 ------------- On today’s show we are talking about real life network security and the importance of cyber security in today’s connected world. But first, I’d like to invite you to a webinar next week on December 16 where I will be demonstrating the use of our new AI tool which we affectionately call VictorAI. This is our own custom language model which is built on top of ChatGPT. We trained VictorAI with the contents of the Real Estate Espresso podcast and my book Magnetic Capital. It’s the difference between going to a family doctor versus going to a specialist. The specialist is always going to give you a more precise answer. Click on the link in the show notes and we will talk to you on December 16. This past week we commissioned a brand new network for a new apartment complex. The devices on the network were all installed in the early morning of Friday December 5. At that time, security protocols were implemented that were designed to keep hackers at bay. As part of that configuration we disallowed certain types of network traffic that represent risk to the integrity of the network and the devices on the network. No sooner than the new network had been commissioned when our network filters detected attempts at the banned network traffic. The destination of these packets was on a network based in China. ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

In recent weeks, a number of macro indicators and market signals have begun flashing warning signs for the U.S. economy. While nothing yet screams “crash,” the collective pattern suggests slowing momentum — enough that many investors and central-bank watchers expect a forthcoming policy shift. --------------

Eric Bramlett runs one of the largest brokerages in central Texas. On today's show we are talking about the current market conditions in Austin Texas. Austin is facing a significant slowdown in both the residential market and in the rental market. To connect with Eric visit https://bramlettpartners.com/ ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Chayce Lucca is base in Boston where he specializes in using AI in digital marketing. On today's show we are talking about the use of AI in marketing outreach. To connect with Chayce, you can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaycelucca/ or at his marketing agency at https://synapseautomate.com/ ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

On today's show I'm coming to you live from Mont Tremblant where they are hosting a major ski event this weekend. We are also launching two brand new buildings and moving in 50 residents all at once. We're discussing the processes for launching a new building in a short time period and ensuring the resident experience is outstanding. ---------------

On today's show we are talking about bonus depreciation. This is a powerful tool to save on your taxes if you are properly structured. To learn more about the projects at Y Street Capital visit https://ystreetcapital.invportal.com/login ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Bonus Depreciation Webinar On today’s show we are talking about how to spot when you are on the receiving end of content that has been created by artificial intelligence. But first, I’d like to remind you that we only have a few weeks remaining in the calendar year. If you sold an asset this year, or if you earned a lot this year, you might have a bunch of tax owning next year. Buying an asset might be the solution. Bonus depreciation is a powerful tool. It doesn’t apply equally to everyone. We are hosting a webinar tomorrow on December 4 at 11AM EST. We will keep it to under 30 minutes. The purpose is not to provide you tax advice. We are not accountants. The goal is to share enough information to stimulate a conversation with your own tax advisors. If. You can’t make the 11AM timeslot, Click on the registration link anyway and we will send you the recording. The link is in the show notes and we will see you on Thursday morning. On today’s show we are talking about how to spot when you are on the receiving end of content that has been created by artificial intelligence. ---------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

On today’s show we are doing a comparison of our newly launched AI tool. This tool, lovingly called VictorAI is a knowledge base constructed from the Real Estate Espresso Podcast and my book Magnetic Capital. When it comes to AI there are two aspects, there is the training and then what is called inference or what would be the result of a query. If you are searching in a generic search engine like ChatGPT or Gemini or Perplexity you are going to get a more generic answer. This is a little like going to a general family medicine doctor versus going to a specialist. The specialist is almost always going to give you a more specific and more insightful answer than the generalist. The same can be said for AI tools. There are generalists and there are specialists. When we created our own knowledge base, we trained our own specialist. So on today’s show we are going to put VictorAI to the test and compare it against three generic AI tools. The question is a simple one. Last week I published a show on the impact of condo reserve rules in Florida on the market. So on today’s show I’m asking the same question to all of the AI tools. "How did the Florida condo reserve study rules impact the market?" I deliberately worded the question in a slightly awkward way to see if it could figure out what I was asking. --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

This book names people who I knew or knew of in Silicon Valley. It is a reaction to the author's time at Kleiner Perkins Caulfield and Byers. He was part of the team that financed Google and co-founded Drugstore.com during the dot-com frenzy. He was actively involved with Jeff Bezos at Amazon. The prevailing wisdom was simple: raise as much capital as possible, scale at breakneck speed, and worry about profitability later. At the heart of the book is the Evergreen model, a philosophy of building companies that last “and last and last.” Whorton outlines the Evergreen 7Ps® framework, which includes: • Purpose: A mission beyond personal wealth creation. • Perseverance: Commitment to long-term endurance. • People First: Prioritizing employees, customers, and communities. • Profitability: Growth funded through cash flow, not endless rounds of dilution. • Private: Freedom from public market pressures. • Pacience: A deliberate pace, resisting the frenzy of blitzscaling. • Philosophy: A values-driven approach to leadership Reject the false binary. You don’t have to choose between hypergrowth or irrelevance. Many founders feel pressured to pursue VC funding even when their business fundamentals don’t align. Evergreen offers a viable third path. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Rod Khleif is a repeat guest on the show. He's based in Sarasota Florida. On today's show we are talking about his first Assisted Living investment in Pittsburgh. Rod is also the host of the Lifetime Cashflow through Real Estate Investing podcast. To connect with Rod, the best way is https://rodkhleif.com/links/ which will give you access to numerous assets in his world. ---------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

Eugene Gershman is based in Bellevue Washington where he specializes in development. His projects are not constrained to the Pacific Northwest. On today's show we are talking about how to choose sites that are candidates for development. To connect with Eugene, you can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenegershman/ or at giscompanies.co ----------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

BONUS DEPRECIATION WEBINAR REGISTRATION I’m coming to you live from one of our construction sites. On today’s show we are talking about acceptance criteria for new construction. But first, I’d like to invite you to a special webinar scheduled for December 4 on how Bonus Depreciation could benefit your investment strategy. There are only a few weeks remaining in the year and now is the time for some last minute tax planning. If you sold an asset this year and might be facing a big tax bill, buying another asset might be the ticket to deferring or reducing that tax bill. Click on the link in the show notes and we will talk to you on December 4th. ---------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

The DOJ accused RealPage in August of 2024 of facilitating unlawful price-fixing and rent inflation by using competitively sensitive, nonpublic data from multiple landlords to generate rent recommendations, effectively aligning pricing across competing properties. Anti-trust behavior, also known as anti-competitive conduct, refers to business practices that substantially lessen competition in the marketplace, restrict free trade, or lead to the unfair formation or abuse of a monopoly. These actions ultimately harm consumers by resulting in higher prices, lower quality, reduced innovation, and less choice. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement this week to resolve the United States’ claims against RealPage Inc. The information provided by RealPage is frankly no different than the information that is routinely available from a multitude of sources including Yardi Matrix, Costar, and ALN to name just a few. This information is publicly available in close to real time. What perhaps is not publicly available is the extent to which landlords have been negotiating leasing incentives into leases with specific tenants. That information might not be publicly available. If RealPage was making pricing recommendations to landlords using this information, then I can see where a line was crossed and could be considered anti-competitive. The truth is, landlords have ready access to this kind of market information on a regular basis. Any appraisal or third party market study will make rental pricing recommendations based on the market data. These have been standard practice for decades when it comes to any financing due diligence. Any property owner with a brain can integrate the market data into a series of pricing strategies. While RealPage is having one hand tied behind their back with this settlement, there are very few secrets when it comes to pricing. We live in a fully interconnected world where tenants can increasingly use artificial intelligence to get up to date pricing information and frankly have the upper hand when it comes to finding the lowest price. ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

The Surfside condo collapse in 2021 precipated a number of changes to Florida's condo laws. The result has been a massive negative impact on condos across the entire state. The latest change to the regulations improves the outlook by allowing home owner associations to fund part of their reserve funds using loans and lines of credit. Previously these reserves had to be funded in cash by the unit owners, often resulting in special assessements of hundreds of thousands for each owner. ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)