In this episode, we sit down with Hemant Mahajan, a Bay Area real estate developer, hard money lender, founder of Newbridge Equity, and author of Buying Back Your Life, to explore what really changes when you operate as both the lender and the investor.Hemant breaks down how seeing deals from both perspectives completely transforms risk assessment, deal structure, exits, and long-term wealth creation. With over 15 years of experience, nearly 100 funded deals, and millions deployed across residential, commercial, and development projects, he shares hard-earned lessons most investors only learn the painful way.This conversation goes deep into:• Hard money lending explained in plain English• How lenders actually think when deals go sideways• Structuring joint ventures using both debt and equity• Real-world examples of complex, high-risk deals• Biggest investing mistakes and mindset shifts• Buying back time using real estate and passive incomeIf you want to understand how experienced capital really moves in real estate, this episode is essential.ABOUT HEAMANT MAHAJAN:Hemant Mahajan is a Bay Area–based real estate developer, private lender, and founder of Newbridge Equity, a California-licensed finance lender. He specializes in hard money loans, second-position lending, joint ventures, and complex real estate projects that most investors avoid.With a background in tech and over 15 years in real estate, Hemant focuses on combining debt and equity strategies to create flexible deal structures that protect capital while maximizing long-term returns. He is also the author of Buying Back Your Life, a book centered on reclaiming time through smarter investing.

Connect with Hemant:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetrajum/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmahajan/Connect with Lorenzo:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercadoWebsite: https://www.mercasaventures.com | www.AscentCapital.llc Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast 🎙Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761🎙Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983