All Forum Posts by: Emanuel Stafilidis

There are moments in business where the spreadsheets fade into the background, and all that’s left is the human side of what we do.

This was one of those moments.

A few weeks ago, I stood outside a modest home in a quiet neighborhood. Next to me was a man with a broad smile that could not be contained. His wife and three children were already inside, running from room to room, laughing as they picked out bedrooms. He insisted we take a picture together. He wanted to capture the moment, to remember the day his dream of homeownership finally became real.

On paper, this was just another house. A three-bedroom in a typical suburban neighborhood, nothing flashy. But to him, it was everything.

Years of Closed Doors

This young father had been trying to buy a home for years. He’s a landscaper, running his own business, providing for his family through sheer effort and grit. His wife works as a receptionist at a dental office. Together, they’ve built a good life for their three kids. But every time he tried to get a mortgage, the answer was the same: no.

Because he was self-employed, his income didn’t fit neatly into the banks’ paperwork boxes. Twice he applied at different banks. Once at a credit union. Each time, he was told he didn’t qualify.

Meanwhile, his family kept moving. Three times in five years, they had to pack up their lives and leave because landlords raised the rent or sold the property. His oldest daughter had to change schools more than once. Each move chipped away at their sense of stability.

Owning a home wasn’t about granite countertops or a big backyard. It was about roots. It was about letting his kids grow up in one place, surrounded by the same friends, going to the same schools. It was about stability.

Finding Another Way

He first found us on Facebook Marketplace. We had listed a home for sale on terms — no banks, no mortgage brokers, no endless hoops to jump through. He came to look at it, and although that house wasn’t the right fit, he asked to stay in the loop. He ended up on our buyers list for the area.

When this house came available, we sent out an email. He showed up almost immediately, cashier’s check in hand for the down payment. You could feel his determination — he wasn’t going to let this one slip away.

It was the right house, in the right neighborhood, at the right price. His oldest daughter was already enrolled in the local school. For once, the stars aligned.

The Day It Happened

I’ll never forget the energy that day.

He shook my hand with a grip that was strong but trembling slightly. It was a mixture of nerves and excitement. His smile was constant, like he couldn’t quite believe it was real.

His wife’s eyes welled up when she stepped into the living room, already imagining family dinners and birthdays there. The kids ran down the hallway, opening doors, shouting out which rooms they were claiming. They didn’t want to leave.

That moment was pure joy.

For him, this wasn’t just a transaction. It was security. It was a promise to his children that they wouldn’t have to move again before graduation. It was pride in providing for his family in a way he had dreamed of but had been denied for so long.

What Stability Really Means

As I stood there, I thought about what stability will mean for them over the years.

His kids won’t have to pack up their toys into cardboard boxes every year or two, wondering where they’ll end up next. They’ll grow up with the same friends, the same teachers, the same neighborhood streets to ride their bikes on. Birthdays will be celebrated in the same dining room. The pencil marks tracking their growth on the kitchen doorframe will stay put, year after year.

His wife won’t have to juggle the stress of finding a new rental, coordinating another move, or fearing that a rent hike will force them out. Instead, she’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing their home is theirs.

And he as the father who worked tirelessly as a landscaper, will finally be able to look at his family and know he provided something lasting. Not just income, but permanence. A home.

Why This Matters

I’ve done hundreds of real estate deals in my career. Some made great profits. Some didn’t. But moments like this, seeing a family step into a home they thought was out of reach, are the ones that stay with me.

The financial industry has its rules, its risk models, its neat little boxes that people are supposed to fit into. But life doesn’t always fit in those boxes. Hardworking, responsible families are shut out, not because they’re unworthy, but because their paperwork doesn’t check all the right boxes.

That’s where our model comes in. We buy moderately priced homes in places where families want to live, and we make them available on terms. Families like his get the chance to own. Investors get steady, predictable payments. And homes that might otherwise sit vacant become part of thriving neighborhoods again.

But at its heart, it’s not about spreadsheets. It’s about rewriting what homeownership can look like.

My Reflection

That day, I drove home with a smile. Not the smile of someone who closed another deal, but the quiet satisfaction of someone who knows he’s part of something bigger.

Every family we help is a small step toward changing a broken system. A system where the banks and the financial industry decide who gets to own and who doesn’t.

When I see a father holding the keys to his first home, I don’t just see a family moving in. I see the beginning of generational stability. I see a shift in what’s possible.

I believe one day this way of doing things won’t be an alternative. It will be recognized as a competitor to the banks. We’re at the start of that change. And every family we serve is living proof that it works.

A Better Future

For this family, it means no more moving trucks, no more rent hikes, no more instability. It means roots, stability, and pride.

And for me, it’s another reminder of why this mission matters.

Because in the end, money can be made and lost, but moments like this, handing over the keys and seeing a father beam with pride, those are priceless.

Totally respect that and I get it. I spent years being fully active myself. It taught me a ton, and like you said, that on-the-ground knowledge can be a big advantage.

What finally pushed me to engineer a more hands-free model was realizing how much time I was still trading, even when the returns looked great. For me, it wasn’t about control vs. passive, it was about building something that could perform like a business, with or without my daily involvement.

It’s not either/or. The right strategy depends on your market, experience, and what you want your time to look like.

Appreciate you sharing your take, it adds a lot to the conversation.

Appreciate this, and totally agree, season of life, bandwidth, and goals really do shape how people approach investing.

I’ve noticed the same thing: there’s a growing number of investors who still want strong returns, but they’ve hit a point where time and simplicity matter more than squeezing out every extra percentage point.

That said, I’ve also seen how the hands-on experience, especially early on, can shape the way you evaluate deals and build systems, even if you eventually go passive. It gives you a much deeper filter for what’s real vs. hype.

The sub-$90K space has been incredibly productive for me personally, especially when structured right. Definitely not without its quirks, but it’s a market with a lot less competition and more consistent buyer demand than people realize.

Curious to hear from others working in this price point. Are you finding similar demand?

In a recent conversation with two experienced investors, the contrast in their goals highlighted something I think a lot of us miss when we talk about real estate investing.

One was looking for a hands-off experience. He wants fixed, predictable returns without being involved in day-to-day decisions. The other, however, was curious about how to build the strategy himself. He wanted to understand sourcing, structuring, buyer screening, and backend systems.

At first, suggestions were made to check out books, forums, and courses. But his response was unexpected:

“I don’t want theory. I want someone who’s actually doing it to help me build it in today’s market.”

That distinction stuck.

Passive investors are prioritizing income and simplicity. But others are looking to roll up their sleeves, not just for the sake of control, but because they believe the opportunity is bigger when they’re directly involved.

What made this even more interesting was the asset class: affordable, sub-$90K homes. It’s often ignored because of outdated assumptions, limited financing options, or lack of scalability for institutional players.

But the truth is, it’s a highly underserved space. And for those willing to learn the structure, the results can be surprisingly strong, even in today’s market.

Just thought this was a helpful reflection to share here.

Are others seeing this kind of split between passive and active investor mindsets?

And is anyone else working in this price range?

This is one of the most rational, experience-based breakdowns of seller financing I’ve read on here.
At Capable Capital, we use a nearly identical strategy, but scaled across dozens of moderately priced homes instead of retail centers or special-use buildings.
We buy for cash, then sell the property on terms. Often at a premium price with 2–10% above-market interest rates, just like you mentioned.
Why do this because becoming the lender, not the landlord, changes everything:
No repairs
No tenants
No property management
No capex surprises
Just a predictable stream of monthly payments that is secured by the same real estate we used to flip or hold as rentals. Except now we earn like a bank, not a landlord.
We’ve consistently seen 15–30% price increases compared to cash sales, with 14%+ returns passed to our capital partners.
This isn’t theory. It’s happening every month in our business.
And the kicker? The buyers love it. They're usually investors themselves, grateful for a fair structure that doesn’t require bank approval.
Creative financing isn’t just a tool to “salvage” deals. Used right, it’s a strategy for multiplying equity, increasing control and creating real win-wins in a tight credit environment.
Thanks for sharing this. It’s the kind of insight Private Investors and the real estate community needs more of.

Hi Federico, @Federico Gutierrez

I purchased 2 in Cleveland, the first in Brooklyn and the second in Parma. I have not visited yet but fortunately I can't give you any horror stories from Cleveland as all has gone pretty well so far.

It is an uphill battle for financing but we have a profitable real estate enterprise in the USA so it is not impossible. We don't get traditional financing like a resident but there are many options available that are acceptable and allow us to successfully progress.

At this stage it will be flip but we may keep it as a rental for a few months or years. Just depends how it works out and the market at the time of completion.

Hi All,

I am looking for an independent inspector to provide interim reports on our rehab in Parma. The report will be used as a check on the contractor as I am out of state and to claim from our financier.

Please contact me if you are able to provide the service.

Thanks

Emanuel

I need an appraisal done for a financier. My property is in Old Brooklyn Cleveland OH. If you can provide the service or know someone who can then please contact me.

Thanks and Regards

Emanuel

Hi Janie

I have a Fix-N Flip loan with Lima One and just last week applied for a Rental 30 loan and was advised they can't help me. I went with them originally because of the ability to move from a short term loan to a long term loan but now no longer.

I would suggest you talk to Peak Asset Lending as they have helped me on another property. They just may help you with yours.

All the best.