In this episode of The Lo-Down, Lorenzo sits down with Joshua Massari, co-host of The Broke Millionaires podcast, to unpack how he and his wife built millions in real estate equity while living in one of the most expensive markets in the U.S. — Orange County, California.

Joshua shares how they used a live-in value-add strategy (a twist on BRRRR), buying fixer-uppers as primary residences, renovating while living in them, and repeating the process — all while raising four kids and working full-time.

If you think real estate investing only works in cheap markets, this episode will completely change your perspective.

Chapters

00:00 Intro – Meet Joshua Massari

01:00 What does “Broke Millionaire” really mean?

02:30 Investing in expensive cities like Orange County

04:10 Why fixer-uppers beat turnkey homes

05:40 Buying during COVID: opportunity in chaos

07:15 The ALLL Method (Acquire, Live, Lift, Leverage, Loop)

09:10 Using primary residence loans to invest with less cash

11:00 Turning $17K into millions in real estate

12:40 House hacking before it was a buzzword

14:10 Why Josh avoids flipping houses

16:00 Living through full renovations (no kitchen, kids included)

18:50 Renovation stress, marriage, and alignment

21:40 Balancing a full-time job with real estate investing

24:50 Kids and investing: why they’re not the problem

27:10 Delayed gratification & long-term wealth mindset

28:50 Mid-term rentals vs long-term rentals in California

31:00 How to evaluate neighborhoods correctly

33:30 Foundations: deal breaker or opportunity?

36:10 Creative financing explained (seller finance, HELOCs)

39:50 Cross-collateralization & hard money loans

42:00 Over-leveraging myth explained

44:30 HELOC strategy most investors miss

47:30 Fighting banks & getting deals approved

51:30 Starting The Broke Millionaires podcast

54:00 Biggest advice for new investors

55:40 Where to find Joshua + final thoughts

Key Takeaways

You don’t need to invest out of state to build wealth — strategy beats location

Living in your investments unlocks better financing and faster scaling

Renovation pain is temporary, equity is permanent

Kids aren’t the obstacle — lack of alignment is

Creative financing is often the difference between quitting and winning

Real estate rewards those willing to stay uncomfortable longer

Who This Episode Is For

Investors in high-cost cities

First-time homebuyers thinking long-term

Families who think kids stop investing

Anyone waiting for the “perfect time”

People who want real, practical investing stories — not hype

Connect with Joshua Massari

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuadmassari/?hl=en

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thebrokemillionaires_/?hl=en

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_

Website: LorenzoMercado.com | SolvarraGroup.com

Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast

🎙Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761

🎙Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983

What does it really take to go from working full-time jobs to raising $8,000,000 in private capital and building a multi-state real estate business?

In this episode of The Lo-Down Podcast, I sit down with Grace & Michael Santos, a therapist and nurse who built a thriving out-of-state flipping and mid-term rental business without using their own money. They break down exactly how they started in 2021, pivoted from flips into mid-term rentals, and built the systems and credibility that allowed them to raise $8M in one year using OPM (Other People's Money).

What You'll Learn:

• How to transition from W-2 jobs to full-time real estate investing
• Why mid-term rentals are more profitable and stable than traditional flips
• The exact step-by-step process for raising millions in private capital
• How to find, approach, and close private lenders (with scripts)
• Deal structuring secrets and what to include in investor one-pagers
• Premium furnishing strategies that attract higher-quality tenants
• Exit strategy framework: when to flip vs. hold a property
• Managing burnout and time-blocking as entrepreneur couples
• Their 2026 vision: multifamily development and scaling to $20M+

Connect with Michael and Grace Santos:

Instagram: https: https://www.instagram.com/michael.dc.santos/?hl=en

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/mwgmproperties/?hl=en

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado

Website: 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

What does it really look like to build generational wealth while being a present parent?

In this episode of The Lo-Down Podcast, I sit down with Stephanie Lombardo, a real estate investor who has completed 200+ house flips, scaled a rental portfolio across multiple states, and intentionally built ownership not just for herself—but for her daughter.

Stephanie breaks down:

• How she bought her 3-year-old daughter a cash-flowing rental property

• The exact BRRR strategy she used with zero personal capital

• How she scaled 15+ flips at a time

• Raising private money and using OPM (Other People’s Money)

• Building a high-performance team using virtual assistants

• Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, fitness, and identity

• How to raise a wealthy child without creating entitlement

This episode is a must-watch if you’re an entrepreneur, real estate investor, or parent thinking long-term about time freedom, legacy, and impact.

👇 Subscribe for more real conversations on wealth, business, and life.

Connect with Stephanie Lombardo:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thestephlombardo/

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

Connect with Lorenzo Mercado:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado

Website: 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

Serg Lupescu went from living in his car to owning 255 licensed assisted living beds.

In this episode of The Lo-Down, Serg shares the raw truth about walking away from nursing to build an assisted living business from the ground up. He opens up about the sacrifices, mistakes, and lessons learned while scaling from his first small facility to a multi-location operation.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level success and dives into what it actually takes to choose a harder path, stay resilient through uncertainty, and build something real over time.

What we cover:

• Why he left a stable nursing career for entrepreneurship
• The reality of living in his car while starting his first facility
• How he chose assisted living as his niche and why it matters
• Scaling from 5 beds to 255 and the systems that made it possible
• Location, licensing, and regulations most people misunderstand
• Preventing burnout in healthcare-focused businesses
• Using social media to build credibility and attract opportunities
• Why taking action beats perfect planning

• 
  

Whether you’re in healthcare, real estate, or simply questioning the traditional path, Serg’s story is a powerful reminder that the right niche paired with relentless action can change the trajectory of your life.

Connect with Serg Lupescu:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serg.lupescu
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnasdyxsKn0ULRpS4Zi7Zw

Connect with Lorenzo Mercado:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado
Websites:
https://www.mercasaventures.com
https://www.ascentcapital.llc

Timestamps

1:20 From Nurse to Entrepreneur5:40 Living Out of a Car While Getting Started13:25 Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Stability21:59 Why Assisted Living Became the Right Niche32:53 Lessons From the First Facility40:39 Thinking Bigger Than the First Win47:38 Transitioning Into Commercial Assisted Living54:45 What New Assisted Living Investors Miss59:01 The Real Challenges of Scaling1:01:58 Building a Positive Workplace Culture1:07:20 How Social Media Changed the Business

Lorenzo Mercado sits down with Hemant Mahajan—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 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 covers:

• Hard money lending explained
• 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 income

If you want to understand how experienced capital really moves in real estate, this episode is essential.

Connect with Hemant:

New Bridge Equity: https://newbridgeequity.netlify.app/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetrajum/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmahajan/

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado

Website: 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

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Chapters:

Chapters:00:00 – Seeing deals as both a lender and investor01:14 – Guest introduction: Hemant Mahajan02:01 – Why Hemant started as a lender, not an investor03:03 – Learning without a mentor in early hard money lending04:20 – What hard money lending actually means05:11 – Interest rates then vs now in hard money06:14 – How borrowers earn better rates over time07:05 – What lenders look for in first-time investors08:30 – Trust, equity, and win-win lending09:12 – When and why Newbridge Equity was formed10:20 – Licensing, usury laws, and scaling lending legally11:24 – What separates Newbridge Equity from other lenders12:17 – Combining debt and equity in joint ventures13:51 – Case study: 9-townhome development deal15:44 – Why flexible lenders matter in construction delays18:03 – Avoiding foreclosure through smarter deal structure19:34 – Why Hemant avoids “lend-to-own” strategies20:29 – How new investors earn JV opportunities22:04 – Red flags that stop Hemant from funding deals23:12 – Why real estate beats stocks and crypto for him25:20 – What most investors overlook in deals26:34 – “Hairy” deals others avoid and why he targets them28:19 – Buying distressed property during active litigation30:25 – Why complex deals offer higher upside31:05 – Biggest real estate loss and lessons learned33:47 – Why losses teach more than wins34:24 – Building resilience and long-term mindset36:39 – Creating freedom with passive income38:31 – From CDs and savings to real estate wealth39:41 – Best advice for W-2 employees starting in real estate40:21 – House hacking and first investment strategies42:48 – Using debt intelligently to grow wealth43:07 – Writing Buying Back Your Life45:16 – Turning money into your employee46:20 – Buying back time through joint ventures48:21 – How many hours Hemant actually works49:14 – Should beginners start as lenders or investors51:23 – Using 401(k)s and passive lending52:27 – Vision for the next 3–5 years54:07 – Why happiness is about the present, not milestones

In this episode, we sit down with Darius McClelland, a private money lender, investor, and content creator who has quietly built a six-figure passive income business by lending over $620,000 of his own money.He breaks down how he started, how he made $20,000 doing absolutely nothing, and why private money lending is one of the most underrated and powerful strategies in real estate.Darius also shares how social media helped him raise over $600,000 from just one Instagram post, how he vets borrowers, protects his investments, and the importance of transparency in building trust.If you’ve ever wanted to become the bank, earn high passive income, or understand the real behind-the-scenes of private lending, this episode is a must-watch.You’ll Learn* How Darius lent out $620K and built a six-figure lending business* The first deal that made him $20K completely passively* How private money lending works (in simple English)* The exact steps to vet and protect yourself as a lender* Red flags when someone asks you for money* Why private lending beats rentals for cash flow* How he raised $600K from one Instagram reel* How to get paid monthly, quarterly, or balloon payments* Starting a fund and scaling passive income* How social media built his entire business* Why transparency + storytelling converts* The mindset needed to press record and overcome fearKey Topics* Private Money Lending 101* Real Estate Flips & Exit Strategies* Social Media for Raising Capital* Building Trust Online* Self-Directed IRAs & Equity Leverage* Starting A Fund* Passive Income Systems* Travel + Lifestyle FreedomConnect With DariusInstagram: @dariusmcclelland(https://www.instagram.com/dariusmcclelland/)Connect with LorenzoInstagram: 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

What if you could buy real estate with friends or even strangers without needing $100K upfront or dealing with endless paperwork?In this episode of the podcast, host Lorenzo sits down with Stella Han, Co-founder & CEO of Fractional, to uncover how she’s changing the game of real estate investing.Fractional allows anyone to co-own real estate legally and easily through investment clubs, no accreditation required, no crazy legal costs. Stella shares how the platform has helped investors raise over $400 million, what makes the model SEC-compliant, and how you can start investing smarter today.If you’re an aspiring real estate investor, operator, or entrepreneur, this episode will teach you how to raise capital, build trust online, and grow a community of active investors around your deals.

Why Watch This Episode:

• Learn how Fractional makes real estate investing accessible for everyone

• Discover the future of real estate ownership through community capital

• Understand how to build trust and transparency when raising money online

• Get inspired by Stella’s story of turning a $50K loss into a $5M startup.

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Connect with Stella Han:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellastellah/

Learn more: www.fractional.app/

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lorenzo.mercado

Website: www.mercasaventures.com

www.AscentCapital.llc

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🎙Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983

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Timestamp

0:00 - Intro: The new way to own real estate1:00 - What is Fractional and how it works3:00 - Raising $400M through community capital6:00 - Why investment clubs beat syndications10:00 - The legal side of Fractional investing14:00 - Typical returns and success stories20:00 - Mistakes new investors make24:00 - Hot asset classes for 202529:00 - Stella’s journey from failure to YC success39:00 - Pivoting from consumers to operators42:00 - The mindset for raising capital47:00 - What’s next for Fractional