How I Filled 40 Units and Hit 100% Occupancy During the Slow Season

You know that saying about being in the right place at the right time? Well, sometimes you have to create that "right place" yourself. That's exactly what I did when I turned a casual Christmas dinner conversation into a career-defining opportunity.

Here's how I went from flying planes to filling apartments, and the lessons I learned along the way that can take your real estate business to the next level.

The Dinner That Changed Everything

It's Christmas, and I’m sitting at Grant Cardone's dinner table. I'm not there as a guest, mind you. I'm his pilot, fresh off flying the family to Daphne, Alabama in their Gulfstream G200.

Grant storms in, fuming about a nearby 344-unit property he owns. "The pool's a mess, the leasing office is dark, and there are 40 empty units just sitting there!" he vents.

Now, at this point, I had some skin in the real estate game. I'd built up a portfolio of 21 units before deciding to sell and invest with Grant (that's a whole other story you can read about here). So when I heard about these issues, my ears perked up.

I immediately looked at Grant and said, "What if I went up there and helped you out? I could lease those units, check out the management situation, the whole nine yards."

Grant's eyes widened. "You'd do that?"

And just like that, my holiday plans changed. But more importantly, my career and my life was about to change.

The 40-Day Hustle Begins

Two hours after landing back in Miami, I was on a commercial flight to Mobile. My luggage? An air mattress, my laptop, and a burning determination to turn this property around.

I set up camp in one of the vacant units. I wanted total immersion. That first night, lying on my air mattress in a quiet, empty apartment, I wondered if I'd bitten off more than I could chew. But there was no turning back now.

Actual photo of the air mattress I slept on.

Pro Tip #1: When taking on a major project, immerse yourself in it. Being on-site gives you insights you'd never get from a distance and shows your commitment to the team.

Day one was all about assessment. I quickly realized the property manager was checked out, but I got lucky with the assistant manager and one of the maintenance guys. They were eager to help and became my closest allies in this crazy adventure.

I hit the ground running. The first thing I did was compile a list of everyone who'd inquired about an apartment in the last 60 days and got to work calling them. Then, I printed a giant banner with my cell number and plastered it across the front of the property. I made flyers and lit up the leasing office like we were hosting the world's brightest Christmas light competition. No one was going to miss that we were open for business.

Making use of the resources I had - Christmas lights.

From dawn till dusk, I was a man possessed. If I wasn't on the phone with potential tenants, I was showing units. When I wasn't doing that, I was pounding the pavement, hitting up every local business I could find. "Looking for an apartment? Know anyone who is?" became my new catchphrase. I probably said it in my sleep.

Pro Tip #2: Proactive outreach is key, especially in a slow market. Don't wait for potential tenants to come to you - go find them where they are, whether that's online or in the streets.

Getting Creative in a Slow Market

We were smack in the middle of the holiday season – typically the slowest time for rentals. I knew I had to get creative if we were going to fill these units.

I created a sense of urgency by scheduling showings back-to-back so potential tenants would see that they weren’t the only ones interested. I’d offer move-in specials, like waiving application fees if they were ready to secure their apartment that day.

Pro Tip #3: Create a sense of scarcity, even in a high-vacancy situation. People are more likely to act quickly if they believe they might miss out on a good opportunity.

We also streamlined our process. Applications and background checks were processed on the spot. No waiting around in this operation. If someone was interested, we made sure they could move in as quickly as possible.

But it wasn't just about getting bodies in the door. We wanted to create a home for our tenants. One day, I walked into a unit that was supposed to be ready for showing, only to find our maintenance guy on his hands and knees, scrubbing the bathroom floor.

"I thought the cleaning crew had been through here," I said, confused.

He looked up at me, sweat dripping from his brow. "They did, but it wasn't up to our standards. This isn’t just an apartment; it’s someone’s new home."

That's when I knew we had something special going on. We weren't just filling vacancies; we were building a community.

It was hard work, but we had fun.

The Results That Changed My Career

We were signing a lease a day. This may not sound all that impressive, but this was between Christmas and New Year's. If you know anything about property management, you know that's practically unheard of.

After 15 days of non-stop hustle, I got a call from Grant. "Ryan," he said, "you got 15 leases in 15 days. I want you to join the Cardone Capital team full-time when you're done."

By the time I flew back to Miami, we'd filled all 40 units. But the real shocker came when I found out I was now the only person on Grant's real estate team. Just like that, I went from flying planes to overseeing a massive real estate operation.

The Lessons Learned

As I packed up my air mattress and said goodbye to the property that had been my home for 40 days, I realized I'd learned more than just how to fill vacancies. I discovered the power of diving headfirst into challenges and seeing opportunities where others saw obstacles.

But the biggest lesson? Don't wait for an invitation to prove yourself. When you see a problem, offer a solution. Then roll up your sleeves and make it happen. I could have spent years trying to impress Grant with my real estate knowledge, but it was my willingness to jump in, take ownership of a problem, and see the solution through to the end that put me in the position I’m in today.

Pro Tip #4: Always be ready to pivot. Your skills in one area (like flying) can be surprisingly applicable to another (like real estate). Stay open to unexpected opportunities.

So, next time you're faced with a seemingly impossible task, remember this: It's not about the resources given to you. It's about making the most of the resources you have. This experience taught me that in real estate, and in life, it's about creating opportunities where others see roadblocks. It's about inspiring a team to care as much as you do. And sometimes, it's about being willing to sleep on an air mattress to make it all happen.