Investing: Learning From The Best

REAL ESTATE & YOUR HOME REAL ESTATE INVESTING LEARNING FROM THE BEST

By Esther Reizes-Lowenbein am always amazed at the successful commercial real estate investors I come across. All of them present with similar philosophies, goals, objectives, and a positive, fun outlook on life. Those attributes are consistent even though the individuals and their businesses differ. Ellie Perlman is a female in the industry, and an attorney turned investor; John, a successful self-storage investor, and JC found his niche in a specific market.

ELLIE PERLMAN JOHN MANES John Manes Born in Israel, Ellie became a real estate attorney. John lives right outside Houston and is the She envied the fun on the investor side of the table CEO of Pinnacle Storage Properties and and wanted to join the action, so she attended MIT Pinnacle Storage Managers. He started in and earned an MBA degree to learn about finances retail, worked for Uncle Bob’s Self Storage, and marketing. As a proponent of education, Ellie and made his way up to vice president only attended many conferences and classes and found to get fired. He was curious and wanted much information about the multi-family CRE more. He describes the experience of being asset. Starting as a property manager to eventually fired as the best part of his journey. Wanting founding Blue Lake Capital, together with her team, to know more, John bought himself a book she has 500+ units under her belt. She fine-tuned about investing and financing and read her hiring skills and learned to delegate well. The it on vacation one day in 1991. The ten investors that join her syndications need to have dollars he splurged on a book, explaining experience and tolerance for risk. When asked how to buy, fix up, and manage properties, about being a minority in the business, Ellie says still pays off till this very day. He has a great that she does not see a difference between her work ethic and dramatically admires his skin color, gender, or intelligence. According to team that oversees 16 properties with 130 her, people sabotage their success because of their investors. John implements tasks he learns background, not their hard work. She believes that from watching others. Interviewing John there are more successful women in the industry; was super fun as he has an infectious laugh they are not as vocal about their success. Although and a positive outlook on life. John likes to the job is difficult, it is her most satisfying job, and give back whenever he can. He is “hooked” Ellie enjoys it. She also enjoys riding sports cars and on fishing, enjoys traveling, and spending winter skiing. time with good friends. Ellie Perlman JC CASTILLO JC was raised in Northern California and is a mechanical engineer. He began his real estate journey gaining SFHs, and then moved up to apartment investing. JC developed a love for real estate after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He read many other books and shadowed individuals to learn the business well. He sees real estate investing as a security, with his low risk, conservative factors. DallasFort Worth is the location he zoned into as it is the leading geographical area for Fortune 500 companies, jobs, and population. He has a 30-person team and in-house management. Building good relationships and providing fantastic customer service are of most importance to him. JC hosts the Apartment Investor Show podcast. • JC Castillo