Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The American Upside

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Can a Canadian really do deals across 10 U.S. states without ever seeing the properties? 🇺🇸

This week, Mat Piche and Andrew Hines sit down with Manni Birhanu, a Canadian member of our community. About two years ago, after one wholesale deal in Canada, Manni looked at $600K to $800K Canadian prices and decided to try the U.S. instead. He tried cold calling for one day and swore he'd NEVER do it again. So he started buying leads.

Now he's done deals in 10 states, never visits the properties, and runs it all with one acquisition rep and one VA.

In this episode, we break down:

📞 Why Manni buys pay-per-lead instead of cold calling, and why he's moving to county-level leads

🤝 His first deal: a San Antonio tired landlord, three months of follow-up every three weeks, and a $15K assignment split with a JV partner

🏘️ The Cleveland, Ohio deal: an expired listing, a quick skip trace and a $10K wholesale sold through Facebook Marketplace

🏔️ The Texas whale: a house on five acres plus a 2.5-acre parcel, bought for $98K, then sold for $225K and $60K

🧱 A Titusville, Pennsylvania double close: bought for $9K and sold for $25K

🏠 Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania: helping a seller facing a tax auction with an advance so she could move

🧮 A New York deal under contract at $135K, with keys before closing so the reno can start early

💡 The fire-damaged mobile home: negotiating the seller's private lender down from $50K to $15K

🚪 His top closing tip: get the contract signed while the seller is still on the phone

Manni doesn't do it the way we do, and that's the point. Take imperfect action, make the offers and get creative. The deals follow.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The deal discussed in this episode was under contract at the time of recording. Profit figures are estimates, not final results. Income figures discussed are gross revenue and/or projections, not net profit. The results shared in this episode are Manni's own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Can a Canadian with no U.S. credit and a Canadian job actually get a mortgage in America? 🇺🇸

This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines tackle one of the most common questions we get. Andrew used to work in mortgages in Canada, and Mat has bought quite a few U.S. properties with financing. Our take might surprise you: for many Canadians, getting financing in the U.S. can be EASIER than getting it at home.

On Mat's latest St. Louis rental, the lender cared about three things: 30% down, where the money came from and whether the property cash flows. No Canadian job letter. No Canadian credit check.

In this episode, we break down:

🏛️ Why many U.S. lenders look at the property first, not your Canadian income or credit

🏠 Mat's St. Louis rental: 30% down, two months of bank statements, and appraisals for both value and rent

🌴 How some lenders will consider Airbnb income on a rental

💡 Hedge-fund-style private lenders: why we still use them with Social Security numbers, at rates a couple of points higher

🇨🇦 Why going to the U.S. arm of your Canadian bank can mean more paperwork, not less

🤝 How thousands of competing U.S. lenders compare to Canada's handful of big banks

🧱 Fix and flip loans: borrowing around 70% of the purchase and 70% of the reno budget

🧮 How Andrew's construction draws worked in Cape Coral: an inspector checks progress and funds are released line by line

📈 Why we'll trade a slightly better rate for speed and simplicity

The options in the U.S. are just wider. Know which lenders to talk to, and financing stops being the thing holding you back.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Why can you find real 50-cents-on-the-dollar deals in the U.S. when Canada tops out around 80 cents? 🇺🇸

This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines break down how we find deals at real discounts in the U.S., and why it was so hard in Canada. When Mat was flipping in Ontario, he was blanketing whole neighbourhoods with flyers to find one motivated seller.

In the U.S., the information is PUBLIC. We can pull a targeted list, skip trace it and call the exact people most likely to sell.

In this episode, we break down:

🇨🇦 Why Mat's best Canadian deals came in at 78 to 82 cents on the dollar, not 50

💰 Spending about $30K a month on flyers and Facebook in Canada for one or two deals

🏛️ How public property records in many U.S. states show who owns a property, when they bought and often what they paid

📞 Skip tracing: matching owners to phone numbers, then scrubbing for do-not-call and litigators

🧮 Building a list by criteria: three bed, two bath, 60 days behind, at least $100K in equity

🏘️ Why Canadian homeowners rarely sell at a deep discount, and why their house is often their whole nest egg

🚀 Nine offers signed in one day, a record for our team, when three to four is a normal day

🤝 Why we prefer unemotional sellers like land owners and tired landlords over pre-foreclosures

🏠 The Atlanta-area tired landlord deal: a tenanted, cookie-cutter brick house we renovated and sold for $237K

The difference isn't that it's easy in the U.S. It's access to information, a bigger market and sellers who are ready to move on.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Is it really just us, or are other Canadians actually doing deals in the U.S.? 🇺🇸

This week, Mat Piche sits down with Luke Paron, a Canadian member of our community who's been doing deals in the U.S. for about two years. Luke came from field construction and spent his downtime in Canada fixing, flipping, house hacking and running the BRRRR strategy the best he could. In the U.S., he found something he couldn't get at home: the ability to SCALE.

Three land flips, a 0% seller-finance home base, a subject-to deal and two fix and flips near Tampa. His next goal: one flip a month.

In this episode, we break down:

🏔️ Starting with land: three parcels flipped before moving into houses

🏠 Luke's Florida home base, picked up on 0% seller financing through his own calls

🧱 A subject-to deal with a seller-finance note attached

🌴 Two fix and flips in Bradenton and Sarasota: one from his own calls, one from a wholesaler

💰 Using hard money lenders plus his own capital for the gap, and why he wants that capital back

📞 Why he shifted from pre-foreclosures to expired listings to find motivated sellers

🤝 Why U.S. lenders and partners come looking for you, even if Canadians pay slightly steeper terms

🧭 His biggest lesson: stay on the phones instead of rushing to put all your cash into assets

🚀 The plan for the next year: a wholesale team doing two to three deals a month, plus one flip a month

Luke is proof it's not just us. The fear is real, but on the other side of it is a lot more opportunity.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are Luke's own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Can you build a U.S. real estate business while working a full-time job in Canada?

🇺🇸 This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines tackle the question we hear from almost everyone thinking about this: is it realistic if you still have a day job? Our starting point is 10 focused hours a week, and a TWO-YEAR plan to build something real. We still haven't set foot on a single property we've done together. That's the whole point.

In this episode, we break down:

🧭 Why we recommend at least 10 focused hours a week, and a two-year timeline

📞 Where those hours should go: talking to sellers and analyzing deals, not cold calling

💰 Time or money: why paying for cold callers or leads beats doing everything yourself

🤝 Why we suggest negotiating your own first deals before you hand it off

📈 How our team signs three to five offers a day while we work on the business

🏠 How Mat stopped visiting his own Kitchener flips for two years by hiring a project manager

🧱 Andrew's first student rental, and the full-time site carpenter who bought back his time

🏛️ How double closes, transactional funding in Florida and buyer-funded closings in Georgia lower the capital you need 💡 Why trying to figure it all out with ChatGPT and Google can cost you months Nobody starts out running the business from a laptop a few hours a week. But that's the path, and it starts with doing the right things in the right order.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple:

To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing. Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs:

https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside Apple

Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast Can a Canadian actually buy U.S. real estate without a visa? 🇺🇸 This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines answer one of the questions we get most: how are two Canadians buying property across the U.S., and can you do it too? We built our business for TWO YEARS before we ever got our E-2 visas. The buying process is closer to Canada's than most people think. The traps are in what you say at the border, and what you do once you're there. In this episode, we break down: 🏠 Buying in the U.S. vs. Canada: title companies, escrow and what's actually different 🏘️ Why U.S. neighbourhoods can change street by street, and why school zones matter for your comps 🧭 Buying in your personal name vs. a company, and the privacy trade-off we've seen 🏛️ Why we didn't wait for our E-2 visas to start building the business 💡 What changed after our E-2s: a Social Security number, a Florida driver's licence and a FICO score 🚪 Andrew's first trips to Youngstown, Ohio in 2012, and what he learned about crossing the border as an investor 🧱 Why "investor" and "worker" are two very different answers, at the border and at the consulate 🤝 The tough questions we got at our visa interviews, and why being prepared mattered 🚀 Why the right team matters: a builder we know who answered one question wrong and had to reapply Owning U.S. property as a Canadian is more doable than most people think. Getting the details right, with the right professionals, is what keeps it that way. Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing. Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you. Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America. Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986 Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast Can you actually make real money flipping raw land in the U.S.? 🇺🇸 This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines open up our back office and walk through two real land deals, closing statements and all. One is closer to a typical deal for us. The other is our BIGGEST profit deal to date. A double close where we didn't buy the land until it was already sold. And a Duval County, Florida parcel we bought for $265,800 and sold at full price, $478K, 20 days later. In this episode, we break down: 🤝 The $340K double close: why we didn't buy until it sold, and the $16,455 we kept after paying our acquisition manager 🧮 How we went back to the seller and renegotiated from $310K to $290K to make the numbers work 🌴 The Duval County whale: $161K gross profit in 20 days, and $145K after commissions 💰 Why the buyer's deposit went from $47K to $97K when he asked for more time to close 🏔️ Why we target counties where land sells for at least $50K to $60K, and our smallest deal ever at about $1,300 🏛️ Why we pass on 3,000-acre parcels and most commercial land 🧭 The Chiefland, Florida listing that sat for a year, and why you can't always trust a realtor's number 🧱 The only kind of subdivide we'd do: clean frontage on a main road, no new roads or power ⚾ Why 10 deals a month at $15K beats one $1M development deal that takes two years You never know which deal turns into a whale. Take enough low-risk swings and the happy accidents come. Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing. Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you. Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America. Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpside Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986 Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

What's the best state in America for real estate investing? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines put ChatGPT's list of the top five cash flow states up against the states we're actually doing deals in. Two of its picks, Alabama and Tennessee, are already on our map.Our real answer? ALL 50, if the deal makes sense. But some states make it a lot easier than others.In this episode, we break down:💡 ChatGPT's top five for cash flow: Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, and where we agree🌴 Why Florida and Georgia are our one-two punch, and why we're expanding into Tennessee, Alabama and the Carolinas🏛️ Disclosure vs. non-disclosure states: why we can comp our own deals on Zillow in most states, but not Texas🤝 How our double closes work: list the property before we close, then close both sides when an offer comes in🧭 Why states that restrict wholesaling, like South Carolina, can mean less competition for flippers📈 Why $10K a month in marketing can put you near the top in the U.S., when Mat spent $30K a month on flyers and ads in Ontario🏠 Why 30-year mortgages and our 2.85% subject-to rate blow Canadian minds🇨🇦 Why Canadian homeowners rarely sell at 50 cents on the dollar, and why we'd rather buy from tired landlords and land owners🏘️ Where Canada can still make sense: multi-family programs and Andrew's glamping businessThe U.S. is a big ocean. Pick states where the data is open, the rules fit your strategy and you have a backup plan.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com

|Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comWould you rather do one flip or own 10 rental properties? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche built a portfolio of about 50 rental properties with partners in Kitchener-Waterloo. Andrew Hines has been investing in the U.S. on and off since 2012. So when Mat threw this question at Andrew, we didn't land in exactly the same place.Mat's take: the rentals worked, but they took TWELVE YEARS. Flip first to buy your time back. Then let the rentals build the wealth.In this episode, we break down:🏘️ Why Mat's 50-property portfolio took 12 years of grinding alongside a full-time job💰 Why flipping is the faster way to replace your income, and rentals are the long-term wealth play🧮 Peeling the onion on 10 rentals at $1,000 a month: furnaces, roofs, sewer lines and missed rent🧱 Why cash flow is non-negotiable for Andrew, and how much he kept in reserve for his student rentals🏠 How buying at 50 cents on the dollar opens every door: flip, wholesale, wholetail or rent🇨🇦 Why Canadian sellers rarely sell at a deep discount, and MLS deals sit at 90 to 95 cents🌴 How the lockdowns pushed us both toward the U.S., and what Mat learned about evictions in Florida vs. Ontario📈 From 24 flips a year at Mat's peak in Canada to being on track for about 100 U.S. deals🧭 Why we buy in states we've never visited, from Texas to AlabamaThe real answer is both. The order you do them in decides how fast you get your time back.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comSubscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast Is an LLC really the right structure for a Canadian investing in the U.S.? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines dig into the mistake we hear about more than any other from Canadians starting out in the U.S.: setting up an LLC. Almost every American lawyer and accountant suggests one. For many Canadians, we believe it can open the door to DOUBLE taxation.We're not accountants. But we've paid a lot of them, made this mistake ourselves, and caught it before it got expensive.In this episode, we break down:🏛️ Why Americans love LLCs: liability protection plus flow-through taxes🇨🇦 Why Canada looks at an LLC and sees a corporation, and where the mismatch comes from🧮 How, in a worst-case scenario, combined U.S. and Canadian tax on LLC profit could top 90%📅 The "match the dividend" gymnastics: pulling all of your profit out before December 31🤝 Our own LLC story: a month-long back-and-forth between cross-border accountants, and a couple grand lost💡 Why "possible" isn't the same as "practical" when it comes to your structure🧭 Why the Canadians we see doing well in the U.S. aren't using LLCs🚀 Why setting up your structure off a ChatGPT or Google answer is risky🧱 Why the business is simple, but the tax setup is the one thing you have to nailU.S. real estate isn't that different from Canada. A couple of things on the back end are, and this is the one that can quietly eat your profits.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comSubscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

What does $25K a month in marketing actually get you in U.S. real estate? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines answer the question we get asked more than any other: how much do we spend finding deals, and what comes back? Right now it's about $25K a month on marketing ALONE, for a business we started together in 2024.On a conservative month, that spend brings in around 10 deals. At a low-end average of $15K per deal, the math speaks for itself.In this episode, we break down:📈 The marketing ladder: what $2K, $5K, $10K and $25K a month does for your business🧮 Our conservative math: 10 deals a month at a $15K average vs. $25K in spend📞 About $80 a lead and roughly 250 to 300 leads a month, and how that turns into offers🤝 How our team signs 60 to 70 deals a month, about three or four a day, without us visiting a single property📲 Why live transfer leads on houses can convert better than our land campaigns💡 Why students who call their own leads can be more efficient than us, and why we accept that trade-off🧭 Who to hire first, and why negotiating with motivated sellers is your highest-paid job🏔️ Land pitfalls to avoid: no well, landlocked parcels, full wetlands and two $18K Mississippi houses we passed on⚾ Why this business is a numbers game, and why every pro still needs a coachThe more offers you make, the more deals you do. But volume only works with a real methodology and someone checking your plan.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comSubscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986Disclaimer: Income figures discussed are gross revenue and/or projections, not net profit. Profit figures are estimates, not final results. The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

How did two Canadians end up with a U.S. mortgage rate under 3%? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines walk through a house we bought just over a year ago in Cleveland, Tennessee, subject to the seller's existing mortgage. No bank application. No qualifying. And a rate locked in at 2.85% for the next 24 years. That's UNDER 3%.It's not a grand slam. It's a base hit that cash flows every month on about $28K in, and we pull out the receipts to show you exactly how it works.In this episode, we break down:🏠 The Cleveland, Tennessee deal: bought for $176K, subject to an existing mortgage of about $165K🏛️ What "subject-to" actually means, and why it's different from assuming a mortgage in Canada💰 How a better insurance quote cut the monthly payment from $1,036 to $901🧮 The full numbers: $27,896 all in, $1,500 rent and about $325 a month in cash flow📈 Paydown, appreciation and cash flow: how we estimate a roughly 43% first-year return🧭 The due-on-sale clause, putting insurance in our name with the lender as loss payee, and how we protect ourselves🤝 Why we paid for a transaction coordinator, and how it saved us when the seller stopped responding📞 Where to find more of these deals: owners who bought their homes around 2020 to 2022🇨🇦 Why $700K houses and 54% top tax rates make deals like this so hard to find in CanadaSubject-to isn't easy, but it's simple. Done carefully, with the right team, it's a way to grow a U.S. rental portfolio without tying up a mountain of capital in every property.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comSubscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986Disclaimer: Profit figures are estimates, not final results. The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Can you really start a U.S. real estate business with just $25K? 🇺🇸This week, it's just us. Mat Piche and Andrew Hines answer a question we get all the time: if we had to start this business over with only $25K US, what would we do? In Canada, that budget won't even cover a down payment, let alone marketing AND a purchase.In the U.S., it's a different story. With double closes, novations and affordable high-intent leads, the money goes into finding deals, not buying them.In this episode, we break down:🤝 How our Florida title agent's lender funds our double closes for a 1% fee, with nothing wired in📞 Cold calling by the numbers: about $3,700 for a four-week campaign, 60 to 70 leads, roughly $50 to $65 a lead📲 Pay-per-lead: $35 a lead nationwide or $75 a lead in one metro, and why we'd start there with $25K🧱 The rungs of the ladder: double close, novation, wholetailing, rentals and Airbnb vs. Canada's 85 cents on the dollar🧭 Plan A, B and C: why every deal needs a fallback, like turning a flip into a cash-flowing rental in Georgia or St. Louis🏘️ Two livable houses in Mississippi under contract for $18,000, and why we still passed📈 What $2K, $5K and $10K a month in marketing does for your business, and where we sit at about $25K a month🌴 Around 50 listings for sale and six deals sold or under contract so far in October, mostly without buying with our own cash🏔️ Why vacant land means no utility bills, no renovations and no countertops to pick outStarting in the U.S. isn't about having hundreds of thousands in the bank. It's about knowing the strategies, keeping a runway and treating it like a real business.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.comSubscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.Website: https://www.theamericanupside.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanUpsideApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-upside/id6825474986Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are our own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Why would a Canadian making seven figures walk away from it all to start over in the U.S.? 🇺🇸

This week, Mat Piche sits down with Joe Doyle, a member of our course and community. In B.C., Joe sells around 100 homes a year, owns 13 properties, has flipped more than 50, and runs a gym and a car wash on the side. By any measure, he made it in Canada. But between B.C.'s short-term rental crackdown, the vacant home tax and the new anti-flip tax, Joe decided he'd rather be swimming in the OCEAN than a goldfish pond.

Within about a month of setting up his U.S. structure, Joe had his first deal under contract: a move-in-ready 3 bed, 2 bath house in Texas at $145K, with local agents putting the after-repair value around $220K. No renovation. No contractors. Just close, stage, list and sell, without touching the doorknob.

In this episode, we break down:

🏠 Joe's first U.S. deal: $145K purchase, roughly $220K estimated value, zero renovation

🧮 Peeling the onion: what Joe stands to make if the realtor is right, and what he could still make if they're way off

🚪 Why a seasoned flipper is choosing "no-touch" deals over big renovation projects

🍁 How B.C. regulations took away Joe's Airbnb income, then taxed him for leaving the home empty

🏛️ Setting up a Canadian and U.S. corporate structure the right way, with the E-2 visa as the long-term goal

⚾ Why base hits beat home runs, and how volume eventually brings the grand slams

🤠 What Joe saw in Texas: speed, no red tape and a "just build your business" attitude

💡 His advice for Canadians on the fence: "$1 of unearned money is 10 times more valuable than earned money"

🧭 Deciding how you want to live, then reverse-engineering the business to get there

Joe had already "made it" in Canada. He's not chasing money. He's chasing freedom, more time with his family and a country that wants him to grow.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Disclaimer: The deal discussed in this episode was under contract at the time of recording. Profit figures are estimates, not final results. Joe's results are his own and are not typical, and they are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

What does it actually take for a regular Canadian to break into U.S. real estate? 🇺🇸

This week, Mat Piche sits down with Travis, a Canadian construction guy and one of the very first members of our mentorship. Travis didn't have a big budget or a shortcut. He made 25,000 cold calls over SEVEN MONTHS before landing a single deal. Then the deals started stacking up: $18K, then $30K, then $98K on ONE property in Delray Beach, Florida.

No fluff. Real deals, real numbers, and the mistakes that cost him months.

In this episode, we break down:

📞 Why 25,000 cold calls produced zero deals, and what finally changed

📲 Switching from cold calling to SMS and voicemail blasting (with an AI receptionist answering the phone)

🏔️ The $18K log cabin deal that closed while he was on a 46-day, no-money road trip from Detroit to Miami

🏘️ How a duplex he almost lost to a higher bidder turned into a $30K fee with three offers in 48 hours

🌴 The $98K Delray Beach deal: under contract at $336K, listed at $465K, 36 showings in the first weekend

📈 Going from about $67K gross in year one (part-time) to roughly $250K this year

🧱 Why beginners should start with novations, double closes or cash deals, not fix and flips

🇨🇦 How to set up a U.S. structure from Canada, and how to start doing deals before it's ready

🤐 Travis's blunt advice for Canadians on the fence: stop asking for everyone's opinion

Travis is proof this isn't just possible for Mat and Andrew. It's possible for any Canadian willing to put in the reps, get the right guidance and treat it like a business.

Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business and investing.

Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this show is for you.

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better life in America.

Disclaimer: The results shared in this episode are Travis's own and are not typical. They are not a promise or guarantee that you will earn similar results. Real estate investing involves risk, including the loss of money. Nothing in this episode is legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

How do two Canadians build a real estate business buying and selling properties across the United States? 🇺🇸In the very first episode of The American Upside, Mat Piche and Andrew Hines pull back the curtain on how they built an American real estate business, how it actually operates, and why they believe the United States offers incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors.We're not talking about flipping million-dollar mansions, dealing with expensive renovations, or managing difficult tenants.We're talking about VACANT LAND.That's right. Buying and selling American land, often without ever setting foot on the property.In this episode, we break down:🇺🇸 How we got started investing in American real estate🏡 Why we chose land flipping as our business model💰 How we find undervalued properties and motivated sellers📈 How we generate leads, negotiate deals, and find buyers🤝 How we built the team and systems to operate our business🌎 How Canadians can explore American real estate opportunities without relocating🚀 What we'd recommend to someone looking to start their own real estate investing journeyWe'll also share our personal experiences, the lessons we've learned building businesses, and what excites us most about entrepreneurship in America.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business, investing, and financial freedom.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this podcast is about discovering opportunities, building wealth, and creating a life with more freedom and possibilities.Want to learn how to invest in American real estate?Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better financial future.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

How do two Canadians build a real estate business buying and selling properties across the United States? 🇺🇸In the very first episode of The American Upside, Mat Piche and Andrew Hines pull back the curtain on how they built an American real estate business, how it actually operates, and why they believe the United States offers incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors.We're not talking about flipping million-dollar mansions, dealing with expensive renovations, or managing difficult tenants.We're talking about VACANT LAND.That's right. Buying and selling American land, often without ever setting foot on the property.In this episode, we break down:🇺🇸 How we got started investing in American real estate🏡 Why we chose land flipping as our business model💰 How we find undervalued properties and motivated sellers📈 How we generate leads, negotiate deals, and find buyers🤝 How we built the team and systems to operate our business🌎 How Canadians can explore American real estate opportunities without relocating🚀 What we'd recommend to someone looking to start their own real estate investing journeyWe'll also share our personal experiences, the lessons we've learned building businesses, and what excites us most about entrepreneurship in America.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business, investing, and financial freedom.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this podcast is about discovering opportunities, building wealth, and creating a life with more freedom and possibilities.Want to learn how to invest in American real estate?Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better financial future.

Want Us To Be Your Mentors? https://fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

How do two Canadians build a real estate business buying and selling properties across the United States? 🇺🇸In the very first episode of The American Upside, Mat Piche and Andrew Hines pull back the curtain on how they built an American real estate business, how it actually operates, and why they believe the United States offers incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors.We're not talking about flipping million-dollar mansions, dealing with expensive renovations, or managing difficult tenants.We're talking about VACANT LAND.That's right. Buying and selling American land, often without ever setting foot on the property.In this episode, we break down:🇺🇸 How we got started investing in American real estate🏡 Why we chose land flipping as our business model💰 How we find undervalued properties and motivated sellers📈 How we generate leads, negotiate deals, and find buyers🤝 How we built the team and systems to operate our business🌎 How Canadians can explore American real estate opportunities without relocating🚀 What we'd recommend to someone looking to start their own real estate investing journeyWe'll also share our personal experiences, the lessons we've learned building businesses, and what excites us most about entrepreneurship in America.Our mission with The American Upside is simple: To show everyday people what's possible when they start thinking bigger about money, business, investing, and financial freedom.Whether you're Canadian or American, an experienced investor or someone who's never purchased a property, this podcast is about discovering opportunities, building wealth, and creating a life with more freedom and possibilities.Want to learn how to invest in American real estate?

Explore our coaching and real estate investing programs: https://www.fruitfulinvestingacademy.com/podcast

Subscribe to The American Upside for conversations about real estate, entrepreneurship, money, and building a better financial future.