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The era of "extend and pretend" is winding down — and for borrowers staring at distressed multifamily and office loans, the next move could define the next decade of their portfolio. In this episode, Carson sits down with Shlomo Chopp, Managing Partner of CASE and one of the most respected voices in distressed commercial real estate, to break down exactly how borrowers can negotiate from a position of strength when the loan starts going sideways.

With over 20 years in the trenches and nearly $5 billion in CRE deals invested, structured, or advised on, Shlomo has seen every flavor of workout — from CMBS nightmares to family-office repositions. He's also the inventor behind four CRE-related patents and the retailOS™ platform, and has been named a "Top Retail Expert" by RETHINK RETAIL five years running. In other words: when Shlomo talks distressed debt, lenders, borrowers, and operators listen.

Inside this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why relationships only carry you so far — and what actually moves a lender to grant relief
• The single biggest mistake borrowers make with their cash before walking into a workout (and why it kills their leverage)
• How to "re-underwrite" your own asset like a new acquisition so you can have an honest conversation with the lender
• What lenders actually want (hint: it's almost never the keys to your building)
• The negotiation tactics that work in high-stakes restructures — and the ultimatums that blow deals up
• When to fix it at the property level vs. when it's time to bring the lender to the table
• The early warning signs that your business plan has shifted from a real plan to "hope"

Whether you own a single value-add deal or a portfolio of 70+ properties, this episode is a masterclass in protecting your equity, your guarantees, and your reputation when the market turns against you.

If you're an entrepreneur, investor, or operator in commercial real estate, this is the conversation you need to hear before you make your next call to your lender.

🎧 Tune in to Carson's Corner: Entrepreneurship & Investing — and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share with someone navigating a tough deal right now.

Support the show

For property evaluations you can reach me at 615-212-5524

Or Carson@passive.investments

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsonjones/

Other Episodes:

https://carsonscorner.media/

https://passive.investments/podcast/

https://www.youtube.com/@CarsonscornerCRE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Always consult your attorney, CPA, or financial advisor before making any financial decisions. All investments and property ownership carry risk, including the potential loss of principal.

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Impact investing isn’t just about returns—it’s about changing lives while building real cash flow.

In this episode, Dave Seymour shares how he went from firefighter and paramedic to starring on Flipping Boston—and ultimately into one of the most compelling impact investment models in real estate today: sober living facilities.

Now 36 years sober, Dave is combining purpose and profit by acquiring multifamily properties and converting them into recovery housing—creating strong returns through a “rent-by-the-bed” model while building environments that genuinely change lives.

We break down:

• How impact investing can outperform traditional real estate
• The sober living model (and why it works financially)
• The role of the Dover Amendment in scaling
• How insurance-backed outpatient programs boost revenue
• Structuring deals targeting ~14% returns over 24 months

This isn’t theory—this is a model where mission and margins align.

Support the show

For property evaluations you can reach me at 615-212-5524

Or Carson@passive.investments

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsonjones/

Other Episodes:

https://carsonscorner.media/

https://passive.investments/podcast/

https://www.youtube.com/@CarsonscornerCRE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Always consult your attorney, CPA, or financial advisor before making any financial decisions. All investments and property ownership carry risk, including the potential loss of principal.

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What does it take to win a Pitch Slam in front of seasoned investors at one of real estate's biggest conferences? Justin Spillers — attorney, e-commerce entrepreneur, and founder of Real Estate Alpha — just did exactly that at the Best Ever Conference 2026, and in this episode he breaks down exactly how.

Justin's journey is anything but a straight line. He spent seven years as a corporate attorney during the early e-commerce and offshore manufacturing boom, then built a contract manufacturing and online brand business that surpassed $100 million in sales over five years. Today, he channels that legal precision and operational discipline into a laser-focused Midwest multifamily strategy — and investors are taking notice.

We dig into the nuts and bolts of Real Estate Alpha's playbook: targeting C-class apartment complexes along the I-75 corridor in Western Ohio, converting them to B and B+ assets, and doing it faster than nearly anyone else in the market. Justin's team underwrites roughly 1,200 deals per year to hand-select just two to four "home run" acquisitions — then executes with a fully vertically integrated operation that turns units in seven days or less (with a goal of 96 hours).

We also get into the preferred equity fund structure Justin built to give investors something rare: a fixed 12% annual return, 90-day liquidity after year one, a return-of-capital tax strategy that can defer taxes until year nine, and $31 million in existing portfolio equity serving as a protective buffer — with Justin putting in 50% of acquisition capital himself.

In this episode:

• Winning the Pitch Slam at Best Ever Conference 2026 — and the strategy behind it
• Why Justin's firm underwrites 1,200 deals a year to buy just 2–4
• The 7-day unit turn model and how standardization makes it work
• How his legal and e-commerce background shapes smarter deal structuring
• The preferred equity fund built around transparency, downside protection, and liquidity
• Why "nervousness is just a lack of preparation" — and how that mindset drives everything

Support the show

For property evaluations you can reach me at 615-212-5524

Or Carson@passive.investments

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsonjones/

Other Episodes:

https://carsonscorner.media/

https://passive.investments/podcast/

https://www.youtube.com/@CarsonscornerCRE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Always consult your attorney, CPA, or financial advisor before making any financial decisions. All investments and property ownership carry risk, including the potential loss of principal.