The Best Ever CRE Show

A wide-ranging look at 2026 commercial real estate trends, from rising cap rates and falling borrowing costs to why liquidity is creeping back in. Discussion on Sunbelt overbuilding and pressure on Class B/C multifamily. Observations about institutional capital returns, gold’s signal for investor sentiment, and sector-specific risks and opportunities across multifamily, retail, office, industrial, and self-storage.

John Casmon interviews Dusten Hendrickson about why he believes development can be less risky than acquisitions when executed with discipline, repetition, and a long-term mindset. Dusten explains how creating value at the ground-up stage provides more margin to weather interest rate shifts and market cycles, especially compared to buying stabilized assets at peak pricing. He breaks down why “cool” trophy projects often underperform, how his team focuses on scalable workforce housing, and the operational efficiencies that drive stronger cash flow and durability. The episode offers a detailed look at development strategy, vertical integration, and why boring, repeatable projects often outperform flashy builds over time. Dusten HendricksonCurrent role: Founder, Mailbox MoneyBased in: United StatesSay hi to them at: https://mailboxmoneyre.com Visit ⁠www.tribevestisc.com⁠ for more info. Visit bestevercrypto.com today to get started and earn up to $2,500 in bonus crypto. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/BESTEVER  Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt interviews Tim Bratz, breaking down why Tim has challenged “traditional” syndication norms—especially fee-heavy structures and LP/GP splits that can leave operators with too little skin in the game. Tim shares how his equity/preferred return approach evolved from his single-family/private money background, and how tighter cash flow post-pandemic has pushed him toward more creative capital stacks (assumable debt, seller carry, accrued pref, and depreciation levers). He also digs into why third-party property management misaligns incentives, why in-house management is a key common denominator among operators who aren’t struggling right now, and how he’s building an AI-powered, all-in-one property management platform to unify ops + accounting + payments + reporting. Tim BratzCurrent role: Founder/CEO, Legacy Wealth Holdings; CEO, Smart ManagementBased in: Charleston, South CarolinaSay hi to them at: smartmanagement.com | YouTube | LinkedIn (Smart Management) Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pascal Wagner interviews Tony Davidow to unpack how institutional investors are thinking about private markets heading into 2026. Tony explains why recent headlines around private credit defaults are often misunderstood, breaking down the difference between CLOs, direct lending, and commercial real estate debt—and why he sees CRE debt, asset-based finance, and secondaries as early-cycle opportunities. The discussion dives into illiquidity as a feature (not a flaw), how institutions size long-term “patient capital,” and why diversified private market funds often outperform single-deal investing over time. Tony also shares his highest-conviction themes for 2026, including secondaries, industrial and multifamily real estate, and infrastructure tied to reshoring, digitization, and demographic shifts. Tony DavidowCurrent role: Senior Alternatives Investment StrategistBased in: New YorkSay hi to them at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-davidow/ | Amazon.com: Private Markets: Building Better Portfolios with Private Equity, Private Credit, and Private Real Estate: 9781394313082: Davidow, Tony: Books | Knowledge Hub | Alternatives by FT Visit ⁠www.tribevestisc.com⁠ for more info. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/BESTEVER Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Smith, Principal at Solid Growth Properties who moved from residential flipping to industrial warehouses, shares his industrial investing playbook. He discusses off-market deal sourcing, relationship-driven seller financing, demising space and rent-reset value-adds. Conversation covers true triple net realities, fixed CAM billing, construction surprises, and disciplined leverage for today’s market.

Seth Bradley interviews Sam Silverman to break down fund-of-funds economics, common misconceptions, and why this structure has become a critical part of modern capital raising. Sam explains how fund-of-funds models create cleaner, more compliant alignment between sponsors, fund managers, and passive investors—without automatically eroding returns. The conversation walks through how margins are actually created, why share classes and underwriting decisions matter earlier than most sponsors realize, and how fund managers can structure compensation sustainably. Sam also shares practical guidance on when fund-of-funds make sense, how to explain layered economics to investors, and why long-term alignment matters more than short-term fee optimization. Sam SilvermanCurrent role: Founder, Fully FundedBased in: United StatesSay hi to them at: https://www.fullyfunded.com/ Visit ⁠www.tribevestisc.com⁠ for more info. Visit bestevercrypto.com today to get started and earn up to $2,500 in bonus crypto. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/BESTEVER  Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brent Neely, founder of Neely Property Investments and serial entrepreneur who turned e-commerce profits into a ~$25M real estate portfolio. He explains moving from self-funding to raising investor capital. Short stories cover mining a 400-person network, getting nearly $2M in soft commitments in 45 days, outreach funnels, video outreach, and small oversubscribed raises to build momentum.

Ben Lapidus, a commercial real estate investor and host of the Best Ever Conference, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of CRE. He discusses the shift from survival to selective investor strategies, emphasizing the rise of niche property types like industrial and retail. Lapidus highlights the trend of LPs consolidating capital with trusted operators post-losses and explains why he favors tangible real estate over equities. He reveals how unique investment theses and adaptability can outperform generic strategies as the market resets.

John Casmon shares a solo episode focused on how multifamily investors can win in 2026 by “mastering their leverage” in a tougher, more competitive market. He outlines a practical framework built around skills, speed, relationships, and resources, explaining how investors should lean into their unique advantages instead of chasing every deal. John discusses why local market knowledge, operational control, and creative deal structures matter more than ever as institutional competition shifts. The episode emphasizes that disciplined execution, strong relationships, and clarity around where you can move fastest will unlock opportunities others miss. Visit ⁠www.tribevestisc.com⁠ for more info. Visit bestevercrypto.com today to get started and earn up to $2,500 in bonus crypto. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/BESTEVER  Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Faircloth interviews David Kamara of Cape Sierra Capital, who shares how patience, operational discipline, and a willingness to tackle complex deal structures have shaped his investing success. David walks through his path from management consulting to multifamily ownership, explaining how hands-on operations, strong reserves, and trusted property management partners helped him navigate fires, insurance claims, and long hold periods while still delivering outsized returns. The conversation dives deep into niche strategies like LIHTC properties coming off restrictions and Housing Assistance Program (HAP) deals, highlighting why many investors avoid them—and how that creates opportunity for those willing to be patient. David also breaks down why investing close to home, even in smaller Midwest markets, has allowed him to scale efficiently while maintaining control over operations and risk. David KamaraCurrent role: Founder and Principal, Cape Sierra CapitalBased in: Ann Arbor, MichiganSay hi to them at: https://capesierracapital.com/ | Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices