221: Creating Wealth and Leveling The Playing Field in Self-Storage with Mark Helm
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
Release Date: 03/03/2025
248: Beating the Drum to the REIT Beat with David Auerbach
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes REIT industry veteran David Auerbach, Chief Investment Officer at Hoya Capital and publisher of The Daily REITBeat Newsletter. David shares his 25-year journey in the world of real estate investment trusts (REITs), helping listeners understand how REITs work, how they fit into a balanced portfolio, and why they’re a powerful option for long-term, income-focused investing. They break down the differences between public and private REITs, explain why REITs can be a great entry point for investors seeking exposure to...
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247: Going From Investor To Investor-Friendly Agent with Niyi Adewole
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Niyi Adewole—real estate investor, short-term rental operator, and investor-friendly agent—to discuss the journey from first house hack to a thriving real estate business. Niyi shares how he transitioned from medical device sales to building a 30-unit portfolio in Louisville, Kentucky, before shifting into short-term rental management, new development, and becoming a trusted guide for other investors through his real estate team and podcast. Jonathan and Niyi explore the realities of house hacking, the...
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246: Multifamily Success Through Transparency and Rigorous Due Diligence with Gary Lipsky
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan is joined by Gary Lipsky, founder of Break of Day Capital, to explore what it takes to succeed in multifamily real estate syndication. Gary shares how he went from buying his first fixer-upper in Los Angeles to managing over 3,200 apartment units across Arizona. With an emphasis on transparency, due diligence, and investor education, Gary discusses how his firm evaluates markets, selects value-add properties, and builds long-term relationships with investors. They dive deep into the differences between Class A and B assets,...
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245: How Alternative Assets Can Create Passive Investing Mastery with Patrick Grimes
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Patrick Grimes, founder of Passive Investing Mastery and Invest on Main Street. Patrick shares how a painful first deal during the 2008 crash reshaped his investing mindset, leading him to focus on long-term wealth accumulation, cash flow, and true portfolio diversification. What began with single-family rentals eventually expanded into large multifamily syndications, recession-resilient markets, and alternative assets, including litigation finance and debt funds. Patrick walks listeners through how he helps...
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244: Unlocking the Strategy of Rentals Made Easy with Jessie Lang
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Jessie Lang, founder of Unlocked Rentals and author of “Rentals Made Easy,” to explore her journey from a $92,000 condo to a self-managed 70+ unit portfolio. Jessie shares how she unknowingly began house hacking out of necessity, transitioned into full-time investing, and eventually found her stride using the BRRRR method and private money. From Craigslist roommates and DIY renovations to managing properties remotely and building a team, Jessie reveals how she scaled her business without skipping the hard...
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243: Transforming Underutilized Properties Into High-Performing Assets with Jonah Bamberger
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Jonah Bamberger, managing partner and executive chairman of Aulder Capital. Jonah shares the full arc of his real estate journey—from early value-add deals in Brooklyn to large-scale multifamily, hospitality, and international development in Portugal. What began as a side project with a friend quickly became a full-time business as the duo capitalized on post-2008 opportunities. Jonah dives into how Aulder Capital adapts to shifting markets, navigates regulatory hurdles, and chooses when to pivot between...
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242: Finding Solutions For Your 1031 Exchange Without the Hassle of Management with Ben Carmona
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Ben Carmona, Managing Partner at Perch Wealth, to break down the mechanics and opportunities of the 1031 exchange. With over two decades of experience, Ben clarifies a complex process that can intimidate even seasoned investors. He shares how real estate owners, especially those nearing retirement, can defer taxes, move into passive income streams, and preserve wealth through tools like the Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). Jonathan and Ben cover everything from early planning to misconceptions about like-kind...
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241: Creating Life On Your Terms Through Real Estate Investing with Laura Navaquin
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Laura Navaquin—a mother, entrepreneur, and real estate investor who built her portfolio from the ground up alongside her husband. Starting with a credit card-funded mentorship and no prior experience, Laura began wholesaling in New Jersey and eventually scaled their portfolio to over 20 doors across six states. Laura shares her evolution from side hustler to full-time investor, revealing how consistency, networking, and creative financing became the pillars of their growth. She breaks down the realities of...
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240: Investing In Historically Recession Resistant Real Estate Assets with Paul Moore
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Paul Moore, Founder and Managing Partner of Wellings Capital, a private equity firm specializing in recession-resistant real estate investments. With a rich background in entrepreneurship and investing, Paul shares his evolution from speculative investor to a disciplined advocate of Warren Buffett's principles, emphasizing the power of saying “no” and prioritizing long-term, stable investments. The conversation explores the importance of rigorous due diligence, operator selection, and maintaining a...
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239: Why Mobile Home Parks Are America's Most Stable Real Estate with Jack Martin
Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing
In the real estate world, mobile home parks aren’t viewed as a glamorous asset class, but today’s guest explains why you should give this asset class a second look. On today’s episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan interviews Jack Martin, co-founder of 52TEN. Jack began his real estate career in Arizona, where he sourced off-market properties and acquired and sold over 2,000 single-family homes, as well as more than 900 apartment units. In 2016, Jack entered the mobile home park business. Since then, he’s acquired 1,500 mobile home park lots. Jonathan and Jack...
info_outlineSelf-storage is an under-the-radar asset class that can be a real game-changer for creating wealth. Today’s guest has incredible knowledge about it and is on a mission to teach others about its benefits.
On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Mark Helm, a self-storage and real estate veteran. Mark is the author of “Creating Wealth Through Self-Storage” and co-owner and principal broker of Nexus Commercial Advisors. He also developed the self-storage financial analysis software Storage World Analyzer. Mark owns several self-storage facilities, is a self-storage developer, investor, speaker, consultant, and trainer, and is the co-owner and partner of Resolve.
Jonathan and Mark begin their conversation by exploring Mark’s early career in real estate as a way to create supplemental income for his day job. Mark quickly discovered he loved real estate, attaining his CCIM designation and working as a commercial broker before moving into investing in self-storage. You’ll hear the challenges he initially faced, why no other asset is more localized, and what makes self-storage recession-resistant. Mark shares his strategy for self-storage, how he evaluates occupancy levels, and his opinion on dynamic pricing. Finally, he explains what he likes about conversions and expansions, the five KPIs Mark uses for every facility and manager, and technology’s impact on the self-storage industry.
Mark Helm is a veteran real estate professional and self-storage guru. This episode is a must-listen for a deep dive into the self-storage world.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Mark Helm’s interest in real estate as a way to supplement his income and how that led to a full-time career in real estate
- His attraction to commercial real estate, getting his CCIM designation, and then moving into investing in self-storage
- The challenges Mark faced when he started in self-storage and the benefits that outweighed them
- The importance of visibility in self-storage and why no other asset is more localized
- How this asset class can fail, and what makes it recession-resistant
- Mark’s strategy for self-storage and determining which deals are a yes or no
- Where he believes the deals are today
- Evaluating occupancy levels in a self-storage space
- Mark’s take on dynamic pricing
- Why the income increase should be higher than operational costs
- What Mark likes about conversions and expansions
- The five KPIs Mark uses for every facility and manager and how technology has changed the business
- Constructing self-storage units and some of the issues that can arise
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If you enjoyed this episode, we've created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at https://zenandtheartofrealestateinvesting.com/podcast/221/ to download it.
Supporting Resources:
Creating Wealth Through Self-Storage - creatingwealththroughselfstorage.com
Mark Helm on YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCFwEQnGiNYB46SSs2_HoTsA
Find Mark on Facebook - www.facebook.com/mark.helm.33
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/markhelmccim
Resolve - resolveself-storage.com
Get the “Creating Wealth Through Self-Storage” book - www.amazon.com/Creating-Wealth-Through-Self-Storage-ebook/dp/B00TP5VWVM
Website - www.streamlined.properties
YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos
Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene
Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties
TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@trustgreene
Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/StreamlinedReal
Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/TrustGreene
Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties
Email - [email protected]
Episode Credits
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.