Where Should I Invest? Real Estate Investing in Canada

Eli Stoner bought his first investment property in 2022, before he’d even left school. He funded it with private money, did the construction himself with college friends, and lost about $50,000. He kept going. Four years later he’s flipped around 70 homes across Central Indiana. He’s also a licensed realtor and a former wholesaler. Sarah and Ryan met Eli by chance. He was the Zillow agent assigned to them while they were browsing Indy’s Lockerbie Square neighbourhood. In this episode he breaks down how he sources deals, why he scaled back after a rough year, and what Canadians should know about investing in Indianapolis. In this episode: Eli’s story, from Columbus, Ohio to the University of Indianapolis, and the $50K loss on deal #1 (08:20) His lean team: one VA, a part-time bookkeeper and a business partner (10:30) His daily outreach system: 20 “as-is” agents and 10 wholesalers a day into a CRM (11:00) How to add value to wholesalers when you’re not the highest bidder (12:55) Why he chose flipping: high active income first, then long-term holds (18:10) The scaling mistake: trying to double volume and buying the wrong deals (19:30) Hidden rehab costs: interest, insurance, utilities, dumpsters and a 10% contingency (22:15) Why builder-grade gray no longer sells, and how he uses AI design sheets with contractors (25:30) His read on the Indy market: days on market, pending sales and the areas he avoids for flips (29:45) Two exit strategies on every deal, and why he caps resale around $450K (30:55) What to do when a flip sits: restage, re-shoot, and treat every showing like a lead (33:50) Why he got his real estate license (35:55) Why invest in Indy: a $280K–$300K median price, jobs, events and people moving in (41:30) His advice for getting started: stop overanalyzing and take action (43:20) This episode has been brought to you in part by: Ryan Carson, Carson Law – https://www.carsonlaw.ca/ or email [email protected] Matt Pickering, National Bank [email protected] Connect with Eli: Website: https://livindyrealty.com/agent/eli-stoner Email: [email protected] Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/eli_stoner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-stoner-2846a325a/  The post Lessons Learned: Going From a $50k First Flip Loss to Doing 70 More first appeared on Sarah Larbi Developments.

Mat Piché flipped more than 150 houses in Southern Ontario before making the move south about two and a half years ago. Today, 95% of his deals are vacant land in the US, bought at around 50 cents on the dollar, often without putting down a deposit. Sarah Larbi and co-host Ryan Sweda sit down with Mat for a candid (and occasionally controversial) conversation about why he left the Canadian market and how his land business works. He shares the cross-border setup Canadians need to avoid paying tax twice, and what it really takes to get an E-2 visa. He also explains why he thinks mindset, not money, is the biggest thing holding Canadian investors back. “The more offers we send, the luckier we get. The more numbers we call, the luckier we get. It’s not luck, it’s just volume.” Mat Piché, Real Estate Investor and Land Flipper Key Highlights & Timestamps: [00:00] Sarah and Ryan catch up: a delayed resort opening and the keep-or-sell decision on a midterm rental. [05:00] Mat’s background: 150+ flips in Kitchener-Waterloo and the move to the US. [06:30] Why Canadian deals dried up, and why his US team rarely pays more than 65 cents on the dollar. [09:00] Why Mat recommends land for new investors. [11:30] Why out-of-state land owners are unemotional sellers. [13:00] Using public data to build targeted seller lists. [17:00] A typical deal: buy 5 to 10 acres for $50,000 to $60,000 and sell for $100,000 to $120,000. [18:00] The double close: six-month closings, no deposit, and letting a realtor sell the land. [19:30] The real risks of the strategy and how to manage them. [22:00] A “subject to” deal in Tennessee with a 2.1% mortgage locked in. [23:30] Why rising rates barely touch the land market. [25:00] Avoiding double taxation: why Canadians should skip the LLC. [27:30] How the E-2 visa works (and why you don’t need employees on day one). [36:00] $25,000 a month in US marketing for 10 to 15 deals, compared to about one deal a month in Canada for $30,000. [39:00] Hitting every lead three ways: cold calls, mail and Facebook ads. [41:00] The biggest obstacle for Canadians: thinking like a small-time investor instead of a CEO. This episode has been brought to you in part by: Ryan Carson, Carson Law – https://www.carsonlaw.ca/ or email [email protected] Matt Pickering, National Bank [email protected] Connect with Mat Piché: Mat’s website – https://www.matpiche.com/ Follow Mat on Instagram Watch Mat on YouTube Join Mat on Facebook Resources Mentioned: E-2 Treaty Investor Visa   Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode and content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered professional financial, legal, or investment advice.The post Flipping US Land for 50 Cents on the Dollar first appeared on Sarah Larbi Developments.

Glen Sutherland started out investing in his own backyard in Cambridge, Ontario, but eventually made the leap south, building a portfolio across Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Texas. In this episode of Where Should I Invest?, hosts Sarah Larbi and Ryan Sweda sit down with Glen to unpack what it actually takes for a Canadian to build and scale a US real estate business, from visas to financing to picking the right market. “The greatest thing in the world is to get paid in US dollars over Canadian dollars.” Glen Sutherland, US Real Estate Investor and Host of A Canadian Investing in the US What We Cover Glen’s path from single-family houses in Ontario to a multi-state US portfolio, and why he eventually stopped self-managing. The E-2 visa explained: what counts as an active versus passive business, why real estate holdings no longer count toward the investment requirement, and the employee criteria most applicants need to meet. How Glen is using AI and virtual assistants to reduce reliance on W-2 employees, and where he still sees a role for on-site labour. Alternative ways to break into US investing with limited capital, including franchises, self-storage, and seller-financed mobile home parks. Why eviction laws, rent increase rules, and landlord-tenant regulations vary so much by state, and how that shapes where Glen chooses to invest. The real difference between 30-year US mortgages and Canadian renewal cycles, and why that matters for long-term planning. Cash flow versus appreciation, and why Glen prioritizes forcing appreciation through renovation rather than betting on market timing. A creative deal structure most investors overlook: buying an off-market duplex in a single-family neighbourhood, then converting it back to a single-family home to solve a comps problem. Why due diligence on comps, crime maps, and school zones matters more than chasing a specific city. This episode has been brought to you in part by: Ryan Carson, Carson Law – https://www.carsonlaw.ca/ or email [email protected] Matt Pickering, National Bank [email protected] Connect with Glen Sutherland Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@acanadianinvestingintheusa Website: https://acanadianinvestingintheusa.com/coaching E-mail: [email protected] Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/canadianinvestingintheusa Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode and content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered professional financial, legal, or investment advice.The post Building a US Real Estate Portfolio as a Canadian first appeared on Sarah Larbi Developments.

Season two of Where Should I Invest? kicks off with a new voice in the room. After 10 years and more than a million downloads, Sarah Larbi welcomes co-host Ryan Sweda, a US-based investor with seven DIY renovation projects and 50 acres of timber in western New York under his belt. Their first guest together is a show favourite: Matt Pickering, Mortgage Specialist at National Bank. Should you go fixed or variable today, and why? We dig into the questions you should be asking before making that decision. We also discuss loans from National Bank at bank rates that you could be eligible for, potentially reducing how much of your own money you need to use. What are these loans, and could you qualify? And if you’re planning a BRRRR deal, a flip, or a renovation, you’ll want to hear what has changed. Getting an “as complete” appraisal upfront could help take some of the guesswork out of your property’s projected value after renovations. But that’s just one piece of the conversation. You’ll need to listen to the full episode for the other financing insights and changes you should know before your next deal. What could this mean for your numbers, your financing, and your next purchase?  Tune in to find out. Matt breaks down why fixed rates have been jumpier than variable this year, why he still likes variable for investors who can handle some risk, and how locking in actually works. He also walks through National Bank’s renovation loan, which finances your project based on a guaranteed future value before you swing a hammer. And he explains how the bank lets investors scale to 40 units when most lenders cap out at 8 to 12. “I’m not a no guy. I don’t wanna just say, ‘No, you don’t approve. See you later.’ It’s more, ‘Okay, this is what you want. Let’s look at qualification.'” Matt Pickering, Mortgage Specialist, National Bank This episode has been brought to you in part by: Ryan Carson, Carson Law – https://www.carsonlaw.ca/ or email [email protected] Connect with Matt Pickering: Phone/Text: 905-802-7788 Email: [email protected] Key Highlights & Timestamps: [00:00] Season two begins: meet new co-host Ryan Sweda. [04:00] Matt’s read on the rate market heading into the end of 2026. [07:00] Variable vs fixed: who should choose which, and why first-time buyers may prefer a three-year fixed. [08:00] How locking a variable into a fixed rate works (and when it’s usually too late). [11:00] Why variable mortgages reward prepayments. [16:30] The renovation loan: financing based on a guaranteed after-repair value. [18:30] Why single-family to duplex conversions tend to return dollar for dollar or more. [21:00] Borrowing at 6.09% interest only with just 15% of the renovation cost on hand. [23:30] How National Bank counts ADUs in your total property value. [24:30] The 40-unit cap: four times the doors of most major banks. [27:00] Qualifying self-employed, incorporated investors on business net income. [29:30] Financing anywhere in Canada, plus options for permanent and temporary residents. [32:00] Matt’s number one piece of advice: start early. [36:30] Converting your current home into a rental and buying a new primary residence. [37:30] Why AI is a starting point, not a substitute for an expert. Disclaimer: Content provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice.The post Fixed or Variable? What You Need to Know BEFORE Financing Your Next Deal first appeared on Sarah Larbi Developments.

Most investors spend years building the confidence to do their first deal. Bryce Kander initiated his first joint venture at the age of 13. In this episode of Where Should I Invest?, host Sarah Larbi sits down with the Red Deer-based realtor and investor to unpack how a home school “financial planning” class turned into a property portfolio — and how he’s now using an unconventional strategy called condo deconversion to build serious equity in Alberta’s softened condo market. What We Cover: Bryce’s origin story — a $30,000 inheritance, a home school finance class, and his first joint venture with his mother at age 13. How an obsession with social media content became his entire deal-flow engine. Inside an 18-unit condo deconversion in Edmonton: buying individual units, converting them to rentals, and unlocking value through the income approach to appraisal. Real numbers on the deal — purchase price, financing structure, and the refinance plan through MLI Select. An unexpected legal snag: an estranged tenant who wouldn’t sign a lease, and what that meant for the refinance timeline. Alberta vs. Ontario landlord-tenant rules, and why market knowledge matters more than ever. The mechanics of convincing dozens of individual condo owners to sell — including what happens when one owner refuses. Why Bryce’s 27-unit partnership ended in a buyout, and the hard lesson he learned about equity versus voting rights when raising capital. A breakdown of MLI Select financing, ADUs, and how a five-unit “garage suite plus house” strategy can unlock outsized equity. Bryce’s lightning round — his favourite investing book, his current audiobook, and his advice for someone starting with $50K today. This episode has been brought to you in part by: Ryan Carson, Carson Law – https://www.carsonlaw.ca/ or email [email protected] Matt Pickering, National Bank [email protected] Get in touch with Bryce Kander: E-mail – [email protected] Website Instagram – @brycekander Facebook TikTok – @brycekander LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryce-kander-9836521a/ Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode and content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered professional financial, legal, or investment advice.The post Condo Deconversions and Scaling to 50 Doors first appeared on Sarah Larbi Developments.