Why Now Is the Time to Buy Apartments with Steven Pesavento, Ep. 712

Steven Pesavento is a real estate entrepreneur and managing partner of VonFinch Capital. Since 2016, he has completed over 220 real estate transactions, renovated nearly 100 properties, and personally transacted over $200 million in real estate. With a background in consulting and startups, Steven transitioned into multifamily investing to build long-term wealth, scale strategically, and help investors achieve financial freedom through high-performance investments.

 

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Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.

Key Takeaways

• Steven flipped over 200 houses before pivoting to multifamily for greater scalability and repeatability.

• The VonFinch model focuses on building trust at scale, creating long-term investor relationships across asset classes.

• Talent retention is core to their strategy, offering team members aligned incentives and upside in each project.

• The best multifamily buying opportunities are in the middle market ($5–$25M) where institutional competition is minimal.

• Successful investing starts with mindset—embracing both wins and losses as part of a long-term game.

 

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Topics

From Flipping to Multifamily

• Built a high-volume flipping business but struggled with lack of repeat clients and team turnover.

• Realized multifamily investing offered better scale, cash flow, and lasting investor relationships.

• Transitioned to commercial deals where trust and strategic partnerships drive long-term success.

Building a Wealth Machine Through Relationships

• VonFinch Capital focuses on relationship-based investing with aligned goals across team, operators, and investors.

• Employees are offered base salaries with profit-sharing incentives to encourage ownership and retention.

• Long-term success is about creating win-win environments that scale with aligned interests.

Navigating the Current Multifamily Market

• Market dislocation has created buying opportunities 30–40% below peak prices in the non-institutional middle market.

• VonFinch targets $5–$15M deals overlooked by large institutions but too big for most small investors.

• Patience and persistence matter—some of their best deals took 6–12 months to close or required years of relationship-building.

Why Now Is Still the Time to Buy

• Even with personal portfolio challenges, Steven remains bullish on buying during market dips.

• Dollar-cost averaging into real estate is critical—especially for those who bought at the top in 2021–22.

• The greatest returns are made in volatile periods when others are fearful.

Investor Mindset and Long-Term Thinking

• Investing is a game—understand the rules, play strategically, and adapt to change.

• Fear of loss often outweighs potential gains, but playing scared leads to missed opportunities.

• Steven encourages investors to view losses as feedback and avoid overexposure in any one deal or asset.

 

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📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.

Round of Insights

Failure that set Steven up for success: Getting fired from a dream startup job taught him what kind of culture and leadership he wanted to create—VonFinch was born soon after.

Digital or mobile resource: The Michel Thomas Method (for learning Spanish) + Duolingo — a powerful combination for language learning and cognitive growth.

Book recommendation: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill — timeless principles for personal development and wealth creation.

Daily habit: Sauna and cold plunge therapy — helps reset the body and clears mental fog for high performance and focus.

#1 insight for scaling your team: It’s all about people. Serve them, incentivize them, and create a mission they’re proud to be part of.

Favorite restaurant in Denver, CO: Izakaya Den 

 

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Next Steps

• Learn more at VonFinch.com

• Tune into the Investor Mindset podcast for mindset strategies and investment insights

• Check out the previous Multifamily Insights episode with Steven

• Reflect on your investing psychology: are you playing the long game or letting fear win?

 

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