Finding the Right Contractors & Building Lasting Relationships
Release Date: 08/12/2025
Creating an Exit Plan to Maximize Your ROI
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Suzanne and I break down one of the most important and most overlooked parts of being a real estate investor: creating an exit plan that maximizes your return on investment. We walk through the major exit strategies investors actually use in today’s market like fix and flip, buy and hold, BRRRR, seller financing, lease options, 1031 exchanges, and portfolio sales, and show you how to match the right strategy to your timeline, risk tolerance, capital needs, and market conditions. We also talk about building your exit plan on day one, why you...
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Setting up Systems and Automations to Scale Efficiently
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we dig into one of the biggest levers for scaling your real estate business: systems and automations. We break down how to move from being the self-employed investor who answers 2 a.m. toilet calls to becoming a true business owner with structure, processes, and the right people in place. We walk through systemizing lead generation, deal analysis, acquisitions, property management, maintenance, rent collection, investor relations, and team communication, and we share practical ways to integrate tools like CRMs, project management...
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Creating Passive Income Streams to Fund More Deals
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we break down how to create passive income streams that don’t just pay the bills, but actually fund more real estate deals. We walk through long-term rentals, short-term/vacation rentals, notes, private lending, REITs and funds, affiliate income, education products, and real-estate-adjacent businesses, and show you how each one can create steady cash flow, better financing terms, and more buying power as you scale your portfolio. We also dig into the tactical side: using IRAs and tax strategy, working with specialized CPAs, leveraging passive...
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Developing A Repeatable Process for Consistent Growth in Your Business
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Suzanne and I break down one of the biggest unlocks for scaling your real estate portfolio: building a repeatable process that drives consistent growth. We walk through the full lifecycle of a deal, from deal sourcing, underwriting, financing, operations, property management, to exit strategy and show you how to turn each step into a system you can run again and again, in any market.  We talk about practical tools like CRMs, project management platforms, cost-estimation software, virtual assistants, and outbound call partners, plus the...
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Reflecting on Lessons Learned & Planning for the New Year
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we hit pause on deals and dive into something every real estate investor needs to do at least once a year: reflect, reassess, and reset your plan for the new year. We talk through how to review your wins, losses, systems, market strategy, portfolio performance, team, and mindset so you’re not just repeating the same year over and over.  We cover how to celebrate business highlights, identify what actually moved the needle, and cut the processes, platforms, and partnerships that didn’t. We also dig into market insights, changing...
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Why Empty Houses Make No Money & Other Scaling Lessons Investors Miss with Bruce McNeilage
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we sit down with Bruce McNeilage, co-founder of Kinlock Partners, to break down what it really takes to scale a real estate portfolio across multiple markets and asset classes. With nearly two decades of experience building and operating thousands of units, Bruce shares hard-earned lessons from single-family rentals and build-to-rent communities to large multifamily developments and self-storage projects. We explore how Bruce identifies high-growth real estate markets like Nashville, Atlanta, and Columbia, why job drivers and industry...
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Structuring Your Portfolio: LLCs, Partnerships, and Trusts
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we keep our tax and legal strategy series rolling with a topic every real estate investor needs to get right: how to structure your portfolio with LLCs, partnerships, and trusts. We break down how the right entity structure protects your personal assets, improves tax efficiency, and sets up clean estate and succession planning as you scale from one rental to a full portfolio.  We walk through when to form an LLC, how to use partnerships to access capital and expertise, and where revocable and irrevocable trusts fit into long-term legacy...
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Cost Segregation Studies for Depreciation Benefits
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we are wrapping up our tax and legal strategy series with a deep dive into cost segregation studies and how they can supercharge your depreciation, tax savings, and cash flow. Most investors focus on appreciation – but if you’re not using depreciation the right way, especially on larger commercial and multifamily assets, you’re probably leaving money on the table.  We break down what a cost segregation study actually is, which property types it makes sense for, and how engineers and specialized firms reclassify parts of your...
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The 1031 Exchange Playbook: How Investors Scale Faster While Deferring Taxes
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we stay on our tax and legal strategies theme and break down one of the most powerful tools in real estate investing: the 1031 exchange. We walk through what a 1031 actually is, how it lets you defer capital gains taxes when you swap one investment property for another, and why it’s such a big lever for portfolio growth, net worth, and long-term scaling.  We talk about the 45-day identification and 180-day closing rules, the role of a qualified intermediary, and how to move from a duplex into a four-family, commercial building, or...
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How Opportunity Zones Could Be Your Next Opportunity with Tax Benefits
Uncontested Investing
In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we break down one of the most misunderstood tools in real estate tax strategy: Opportunity Zones. We unpack what a Qualified Opportunity Zone actually is, how the program was created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and why it matters for investors looking to defer capital gains, reduce tax liability, and potentially eliminate gains entirely on long-term projects. We walk through a real-world example from the Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine, talk about converting old mills and strip malls into housing, and outline the three big tax...
info_outlineIn this episode of Uncontested Investing, we dive into one of the most important aspects of real estate success: finding the right contractors and building strong, lasting relationships with them. Nate Linsky and Suzanne Andreasen break down practical strategies for networking, vetting, and partnering with reliable contractors, plus how to set expectations, communicate effectively, and use technology to stay on track.
Whether you’re new to investing or managing multiple projects, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes, strengthen your contractor relationships, and create a trusted network that grows with your business.
Key Talking Points of the Episode:
00:00 Introduction
00:52 Why contractors are the foundation of your real estate business
02:46 Finding referrals through REI groups, trade shows, and local networks
05:35 Vetting contractor specialties and avoiding “one-size-fits-all” promises
06:56 Setting clear expectations on budget, timelines, and availability
11:20 Building goodwill: coffee, bagels, and small gestures that matter
12:57 Giving constructive feedback without damaging the relationship
15:30 The role of technology and tools in contractor accountability
17:45 How to track progress with digital communication and geocoded inspections
19:55 Starting small to test contractor reliability before bigger projects
21:31 Trusting instincts vs. making emotional decisions in disputes
22:48 Final takeaways and keeping professionalism at the forefront
Quotables
“Cheapest is not always best—referrals are the gold standard.”
“Be wary of the contractor who says they can do everything. Find people who do one thing extremely well.”
“Trust your instincts, but always act professionally. You never know when you’ll need them again.”
Links
RCN Capital
https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast
https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/
REI INK