003. Starting Young in Commercial Real Estate with Andy Zhu

Starting Young in Commercial Real Estate with Andy Zhu

Born and raised in Nashville, Andy Zhu knows Music City like the back of his hand. He graduated Vanderbilt Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 2020 and is currently pursuing his Master's in Construction Management from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

His passions in real estate lie in anything that can help tackle the affordable housing crisis, his passion. Off-site construction, pre-fabrication, unique financing arrangements, tiny homes, and any other unique strategies in the housing space are his specialty. Talk to him about building science and lean construction as methods to build environmentally sustainable and economically affordable places to live.

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301. 26.8% Cap Rate on His First Deal?? | Office Hours
301. 26.8% Cap Rate on His First Deal?? | Office Hours

In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Investor Podcast, I came across a wild Reddit post about a first-time investor claiming a 26.8% cap rate on a commercial real estate deal. Sounds too good to be true, right? As I dug deeper, the red flags started piling up—sky-high rent, unreal financing terms, and questionable ownership.

300. How to Make Deals Pencil with Today’s Interest Rates | Investors Round Table
300. How to Make Deals Pencil with Today’s Interest Rates | Investors Round Table

In this episode of the Investors Round Table, we’ll tackle one of the biggest challenges in today’s market: making commercial real estate deals pencil despite rising interest rates. Logan, Matt, and I will break down the strategies investors can use to structure deals, optimize financing, and find opportunities even in a high-rate environment. We’ll explore creative solutions for mitigating the impact of interest rates on cash flow and returns, ensuring that investors can continue to close profitable deals.

299. Determining Price Per Sq. Ft. for Land | Office Hours
299. Determining Price Per Sq. Ft. for Land | Office Hours

In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Investor Podcast, we're diving into how to determine price per square foot for land and what you should be paying for industrial sites. Plus, I'll be answering your CRE questions live—from flex space development to marketing triple net properties.

298. Don't Invest with Strangers! | Office Hours
298. Don't Invest with Strangers! | Office Hours

In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Investor Podcast, we discuss the risks of investing with real estate syndicators you don’t know personally. Using a recent Reddit thread as a case study, we break down key lessons for investors, including:

  • -The importance of vetting syndicators before committing capital

  • Common mistakes investors make when evaluating deals

  • The impact of overleveraged deals and expiring rate caps

  • Best practices for due diligence in commercial real estate investing

  • How general partners and limited partners should align their interests

297. First Commercial Deal—What Went Wrong? | Investors Round Table
297. First Commercial Deal—What Went Wrong? | Investors Round Table

In this episode of the Investors Round Table, we’re diving into the hard lessons learned from our first commercial real estate deals—the mistakes, the surprises, and the critical takeaways every new investor needs to know. Logan, Matt, and I will share real stories from our first commercial transactions, breaking down what went wrong, how we overcame challenges, and what we would do differently today.

296. Listen to This Before Buying your First Commercial Property (Office Hours)
296. Listen to This Before Buying your First Commercial Property (Office Hours)

In this week's Office Hours, we're diving deep into the hard lessons of real estate investing—what people wish they knew before they jumped in. A recent Reddit discussion in r/realestateinvesting revealed some brutal truths about real estate, from unexpected maintenance costs to tenant nightmares and overestimated cash flow projections, and we're going to talk about the things you should know before you start buying commercial real estate.

295. Are Distressed Properties the Opportunity of 2025? - Brokers Round Table
295. Are Distressed Properties the Opportunity of 2025? - Brokers Round Table

Join us for a dynamic roundtable discussion with top brokers Chad, Jesse, and Adam as we dive into the rising trend of distressed commercial property sales, like the recent high-profile losses in Nashville.

294. Tenants Moved Out but Still Pay Rent? (Office Hours)
294. Tenants Moved Out but Still Pay Rent? (Office Hours)

Join me in this week's Office Hours as we dive into the unique investment opportunities and challenges of dark and vacant commercial real estate. We'll discuss scenarios like tenants going 'dark' (still paying rent but ceasing operations) and how these situations can impact neighboring tenants, property value, and lease agreements. I'll also cover strategies for investing in discounted dark NNN properties, how to evaluate their potential, and key considerations when re-leasing the space.

293. I Bought a FAILING Self Storage Facility
293. I Bought a FAILING Self Storage Facility

Self storage is one of the hottest asset classes in commercial real estate these days and I'm excited to get my hands on my first one right up the road from my office here in Nashville. However, this storage facility certainly isn't...without its issues. Today, my partner, Jacob, and I will dive into our first month of owning the self storage facility and what we're planning to do with it over the next few years.

292. Is The CRE Job Market Cooked? (Office Hours)
292. Is The CRE Job Market Cooked? (Office Hours)

In this episode, we'll be discussing the current state of the commercial real estate job market. Is it tough to find jobs right now, especially in asset management and private credit? I'll share my insights and advice on breaking into the industry, even if you're just starting out. We'll also cover creative financing strategies that can help you get deals done, even if you don't have a ton of capital.