The Real Estate Espresso Podcast

On today’s show we are talking about the design of a multi-unit building on a property that was originally designed for a single family home. There are many urban infill opportunities in major cities across North America. Earlier this week I was looking at a property for a consulting client that has the potential to be redeveloped from a single family home to a six unit apartment building. On today’s show I’m going to take you through the thinking of how we analyze this property to determine the basic feasibility. There are many aspects to this. There is the physical, can I get this to fit on the property in a reasonably cost effective manner. There is the financial where we analyze all of the financial levers in the project. We’re not going to talk about that today, we are just going to talk about the physical aspects of getting a project that complies with the zoning and will be sensible to build. ------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show we are talking about air rights.  Air rights refer to the legal ability to control, lease, or sell the space above a property. Traditionally, property rights included not only the land and any buildings on it but also the air above and the ground below. The concept of air rights date back centuries and are ingrained in common law. The biggest change to air rights came with commercial aviation which put the ownership of the atomosphere in the public domain while preserving private ownership of the air immediately above a property for the enjoyment of the property owner. Exactly where private property rights transition to the public domain varies by location and by jurisdiction. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Max Hansen is a lawyer and Managing Director at Accruit. He is an industry veteran when it comes to sheltering tax using Section 1031 and Delaware Statutory Trusts. On today's show we are talking about the family farmers and ranchers that are going to be divesting in the coming decade and how to create income passive streams for them while preventing a huge tax bite at retirement. Max can be reached at Accruit at 800-237-1031 or his direct line at 406-660-4206. Accruit at a lot of resources and more contact options at accruit.com--------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Today’s show is sponsored by The Cost Segregation Guys. If you own investment real estate and haven’t looked seriously at cost segregation, you could be leaving significant tax savings on the table. The Cost Segregation Guys help investors accelerate depreciation, improve near-term cash flow, and make more efficient use of capital, all without changing the underlying asset. In a business where preserving cash matters, that’s worth paying attention to. If you’re interested in learning more, click on the link in the show notes and you’ll be able to connect with them directly, and qualify for a discount because you came from the show.  https://costsegregationguys.com/estateespressopodcast/------------Today we’re talking about autonomous taxis, also called robo taxis, and how they’re going to revolutionize real estate.When people think about autonomous vehicles, they usually think about transportation. They think about convenience, safety, maybe labor disruption. Think about all of those folks driving for Uber who will be out of work. But from a real estate perspective, the more important question is this: what happens to the built environment when the it makes more sense from a convenience and an economic perspective to call for a robot-taxi instead of owning a car. For the past hundred years, we’ve designed cities, apartment buildings, shopping centers, office properties, and even single-family homes around the assumption that every household needs one or more private vehicles sitting still most of the day.That assumption is about to be challenged.Today, most privately owned cars are parked roughly 95 percent of the time. They are extraordinarily expensive assets with very low utilization. Autonomous taxis flip that model on its head. A shared vehicle can serve many riders in sequence throughout the day. The result is higher utilization per vehicle, fewer idle hours, and a materially lower need for parking at the point of destination.Now, does that mean fewer vehicles on the road? Not necessarily, at least not right away. In fact, in some markets you may still see a similar number of vehicles circulating, especially during peak commuting hours. But even if the number of vehicles on the road doesn’t decline dramatically, the number of parked vehicles absolutely will.------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Today I want to talk about a very practical use of artificial intelligence, from a real world use case. I’m talking about using a well-written AI prompt to eliminate unnecessary engineering cost by finding existing tested assemblies that already solve the problem.This came up recently in the context of a wood framed floor assembly. The plans examiner at the city rejected the proposed assembly as not meeting the code. Now when that happens, you generally have two ways forward.The first is to use a prescribed assembly, something that is already recognized, already tested, already accepted.The second is to have an engineer design the assembly and stamp it.That second path is often perfectly valid, but it can also cost thousands of dollars. Sometimes many thousands. And if the assembly you want already exists in tested form somewhere in the world, then paying to reinvent it is not adding value. It’s just adding cost and time. If a published result exists, an AI tool can often find it in ways that a conventional search tool could not. --------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Our sponsor is The Cost Segregation Guys. If you own investment real estate and haven’t looked seriously at cost segregation, you could be leaving significant tax savings on the table. The Cost Segregation Guys help investors accelerate depreciation, improve near-term cash flow, and make more efficient use of capital, all without changing the underlying asset. In a business where preserving cash matters, that’s worth paying attention to. If you’re interested in learning more, click on the link above and you’ll be able to connect with them directly. -----------Today we’re talking about an issue that at first glance sounds like an energy story, or maybe an airline story, but it is also very much a real estate story. There is a pause in the fighting in Iran. But significant damage to energy markets has already been done. The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is now working its way through the travel economy. Airlines are facing sharply higher jet fuel costs. Some carriers have already warned that if fuel supply problems persist, they may cancel flights. United Airlines has already cancelled long haul flights. Many discount carriers in Asia have cancelled flights. Others are raising baggage fees and other ancillary charges to offset those costs. Reuters reported that Delta and Southwest raised checked baggage fees on April 7, and that United and JetBlue had already moved in that direction. Reuters also reported jet fuel rising from roughly $85 to $90 per barrel in February to about $209 per barrel. Airlines usually operate with about 30% of their cost structure based on fuel. So when fuel prices double, airlines flip from profitability to money losing in a heartbeat. Now, what does that mean for real estate investors?It means that any property whose revenue depends on people getting on an airplane needs to be re-underwritten, at least mentally, for a period of turbulence.--------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Today I want to talk about artificial intelligence, not from the standpoint of hype, but from the standpoint of using it in your real business.There’s no question AI is powerful. It can summarize documents, draft communications, analyze markets, answer customer questions, and automate tasks that used to consume hours of staff time. But there’s a dangerous mistake I see many businesses making right now. They are trying to use AI to paper over broken processes and disorganized data.That is not a technology strategy. That is an accident waiting to happen.Most companies, including many of the major AI companies, are focused on the visible layer. They’re focused on the prompt, the chatbot, the agent, the interface, the demo. What they are often ignoring is the underlying organization of the data itself.--------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

If you want to save a ton in taxes, visit The Cost Segregations Guys and learn how cost segregation can improve your tax situation.--------------On today’s show, we’re talking about weakness in the labor market, and why the headline unemployment rate is telling a much more optimistic story than what many people are feeling on the ground. Moreover, the surge in energy prices is causing some people to sound the inflation alarm bell which has led to a surge in yields on Treasuries. But this is not telling the whole story and frankly I believe we will see a reversal in interest rates soon. Yes, the Fed has signalled that they intend to keep rates unchanged at the next meeting. But the Fed doesn’t set market rates. ------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

John Casmon is based in Cincinnati where he invests in multi-family apartments. On today's show we are talking about how their investment thesis has shifted to meet market conditions. To connect with John, visit https://casmoncapital.com/, check out their podcast at Multifamily Insights on all of the major podcast platforms. Also download their 7 Questions Guide for investing in multi-family apartments. ------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Jared Jones is based in Riverside California where he leads Middle Housing Partners. On today's how we are talking about how the zoning rules have changed and what is working in today's environment. To connect with Jared, visit https://middlehousingpartners.com/ or connect with him on LinkedIn. ---------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show, we’re talking about a real estate thesis that I believe deserves a lot more attention, and that is investing within a radius of major healthcare institutions.When I say healthcare institutions, I’m talking about hospitals, regional medical centers, specialty clinics, research hospitals, cancer treatment centers, rehabilitation campuses, and large outpatient networks. These are not simply buildings where doctors work. They are economic engines. They create employment, they attract patients, they generate supporting businesses, and they create demand for housing.Now, as real estate investors, we need to remember a very simple principle. People need a place to live close to where they work. Employment and housing demand are directly connected. If you can identify sectors of the economy that are growing, resilient, and difficult to automate, and then match your real estate strategy to those sectors, you’ve got the foundation for a very solid investment thesis.------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On March 25, 2026, the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing called, “Social Security: A Discussion on the Facts and the Path Forward.”According to the testimony presented to the committee, the combined Social Security trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2034, and the retirement fund itself is projected to be depleted in 2033. At that point, absent changes in law, scheduled benefits would face an automatic reduction.That's 7 to 8 years away. Everyone in that room understands the math. It's is not a mystery. This is not an ideological debate about whether arithmetic is real. The testimony was very direct. Lawmakers will need to increase program income by about one-third, lower scheduled benefits by about one-fourth, or adopt some combination of the two. Those are not my numbers. Those are the numbers presented in the hearing.So why is the largest budget line item in government spending getting almost zero news coverage? In the meantime, the news is covering how the B52 is still flying. -------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

We have a new sponsor on the show. The Cost Segregation Guys are the leading service provider in the US and they have helped tens of thousands of owners improve the tax efficiency of their assets. To learn more, visit The Cost Segregation Guys.------------The EOS Life by Gino Wickman asks a simple question: What would your life look like if your business actually served your life, instead of consuming it? Wickman frames that ideal around five conditions:doing what you love, with people you love, making a huge difference, being compensated appropriately, and having time for other passions. That is the central promise of the book. --------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today’s show, we’re talking about the flurry of new capabilities being released in Claude, and more specifically, how these new tools can take real work off your plate as a real estate investor.There’s a big difference between a technology that is interesting and a technology that is useful. For a long time, artificial intelligence sat in that interesting category. It could summarize an article, write a paragraph, maybe help brainstorm a marketing idea. But that’s not where the real leverage is. The real leverage comes when the technology stops being a novelty and starts removing actual labor from your business.------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Today we’re talking about the deflationary impact of an oil shock.Now that might sound counterintuitive at first. After all, if oil prices spike, and if shortages appear in oil, aluminum, fertilizer, natural gas, and other key industrial inputs, most people’s first instinct is to call that inflationary. And at the consumer level, it certainly feels inflationary. You see it at the pump. You see it in groceries. You see it in utility bills. You see it in transportation and construction costs.But that’s only the first-order effect.The deeper question is this: what does a commodity shock do to the broader economy?History gives us a fairly consistent answer. Oil shocks are not ultimately expansionary. They are contractionary. They are not the fuel for growth. They are the tax that crushes growth. In the 1970’s we called it stagflation. -------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Chris Seveney is based in Northern Virginia. He invests in distressed residential debt across the US. But not everywhere. There are some jurisdictions that heavily favor the borrower and make it difficult for a lender to protect their rights. To connect with Chris, visit 7einvestments.com-------------*Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Shane Pogue is based in Dallas Texas where he uses his investigative skills to help investors with due diligence. To connect with Shane, he can be found on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-pogue-6b900a11a/

Today is another AMA episode, (Ask Me Anything). Our question comes from Tracy in Washington State who writes:I’m working on a 144-unit apartment project in an older jurisdiction where the city is charging about $7,000 per unit for water and sewer—so roughly a $1M fee. At the same time, we’re bringing the main to the site, installing all laterals, and handling all on-site infrastructure.Based on public records, the sewer system is operating at around 50% capacity, and the fees from this one project would represent a large portion of their annual water improvement budget. So it’s hard to see how the fee is tied to actual impact versus funding broader system upgrades.On top of that, they’re requiring roughly 1,000 SF of open space per unit plus additional private open space. This equates out to over 3A on a 6A site, obviously this significantly impacts density and overall feasibility.I have built in 5 different jurisdictions near by and they all have different requirements compared to this project. but similar requirements to each other: Water/sewer would be approx $42K and the open space requirement 200-300 sf per unit.I feel that my project is right in line with the City goals stated in the comprehensive plan, but the development requirements would prevent almost any multi-family project from getting built.In your experience, how do you actually get a city to move on issues like this? Push for a development agreement, challenge the fee structure and nexus, or leaning into the economic impact and negotiate-----------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

On today's show we are analyzing an office to residential conversion project in Washington DC that was reported in the Wall Street Journal. The developer bought it at a great price of $25.53 per square foot, far below replacement cost. But the geometry of the building is not ideal. The usable area is far below the total unless major modifications are made to the building's interior. The biggest question is whether the market will realistically absorb a large number of units in that location, given the lack of community amenities like schools, groceries, health care. It's in the tourist and business core of Washington DC.----------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

We have a new sponsor on the Real Estate Espresso podcast. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ll know that we have rarely had any sponsored content at all. That’s intentional. We’ve had plenty of offers to sponsor the show. Our sponsor is The Cost Seg Guys. If you own investment real estate and haven’t looked seriously at cost segregation, you could be leaving significant tax savings on the table. The Cost Seg Guys help investors accelerate depreciation, improve near-term cash flow, and make more efficient use of capital, all without changing the underlying asset. In a business where preserving cash matters, that’s worth paying attention to. If you’re interested in learning more, send an email to podcast@victorjm.com and put Cost Seg in the title and see whether your property qualifies. I can tell you from first hand experience, that cost segregation can be a low cost high value exercise. Send an email to podcast@victorjm.com and put Cost Seg in the title.------------Today we’re taking a hard look at the current state of real estate inventory in Cape Coral, Florida, and more importantly, what those numbers actually mean for investors. We looked at Cape Coral specifically last year as a bell-weather for markets across the sunbelt. At the time, there was a huge spike in inventory. It’s time for an update. Because when people hear that inventory is falling, the natural instinct is to think the market is tightening and prices are about to run. That is not always true. Sometimes falling inventory means homes are selling. Sometimes it means sellers are simply giving up and pulling properties off the market. ------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)