On paper, it looked brilliant..cheap money, quick turnaround, and a profit projection that made his eyes light up.It taught me that the real risk isn’t just the cost of capital, it’s the predictabilty of your exit strategy.

In short, he could simply not return the money or the profit by saying that he had reasons of force majeure, without clarifying any additional details.

Want to take profit and equity to an A market.  

Not that there isn't some opportunity, but investing from afar, I don't really have the chance to get a crew that can do the rehab on the homes that I think would turn a profit. 

And for two valid reasons: they don't know if Don is a trustworthy borrower (which he is not), and they could get a lot better profit (for the bank) from a brand new loan.

If i lived in San Jose, the first RE investment that i would consider is a local property with an ADU that had distribution on the lot that would allow a profitable lot split.   

Just keep in mind, the guru will not bail you out in a tough situation, unless there is significant profit in it for them.

My publishing business is now running smoothly and transitioning into profitability, so I’m turning my focus toward my next venture: multifamily real estate.

ST rentals are much more profitable and command cash flows are often higher than in the US if you buy the right property in the right market.As an international investor, I find Ladislas Maurice interesting but there are different types of international investors and most international investors I know wouldn't go through the hassle of what he does for the kind of returns that he gets.

Anywhere that one can buy properties for under $100k is very unlikely to have the rent increases that you will need over time to create positive cashflow, or the price appreciation that you will need to make this a profitable endeavor.