After more than 40 years in commercial real estate, developer, broker, and general contractor Paul Frank shares why he is shifting away from ground-up development and focusing on brokerage and coaching the next generation of operators.

In this conversation, Paul and Saul break down what has changed in development economics, entitlement timelines, and permitting costs. From six-figure permit fees to multi-year approval delays, they explore why demand for certain asset classes is strong while new supply remains constrained.

They also discuss where opportunity still exists in today’s market, including light industrial shortages, commercial condo strategies, and the long-term value of drive-through retail sites.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why entitlement timelines and permitting costs are reshaping development
• How developers can adapt by shifting strategy and roles
• The growing supply-demand gap in light industrial real estate
• Creative value-add approaches like commercial condo conversions
• Why drive-through retail sites remain a resilient investment

If you want a grounded, real-world perspective on what is actually happening in development today, this episode delivers decades of hard-earned insight.

Connect with Paul:

• Email: paul@pdf-usa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulfrankpdf/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfrankpdf/
• Web: https://www.pdf-usa.com/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly commercial real estate insights from operators and investors: www.joinvaluebuilder.com

This week, Saul sits down with Michael Kuritnik with Kumo Capital for a practical conversation on where AI is actually working in real estate — and where the hype still outweighs the results.

Mike runs a family office with his brother, dad, and mom, and over the past few years they’ve evolved from multifamily into other asset classes while staying focused on technology, underwriting, and operational leverage. In this episode, the conversation centers on real use cases: how AI is helping with underwriting, broker engagement, deal screening, and internal workflows — without pretending the tools are farther along than they really are.

They also shift into a broader investment discussion and compare which asset classes look most attractive heading into 2026.

• Why most AI implementations in business are still failing
• The importance of educating your team before forcing AI into workflows
• How Mike’s team uses Claude, automation, and scrape tools to support underwriting
• Where AI helps with broker response, OM review, and demographic filtering
• Why Argus still matters and how it fits into a hybrid underwriting process
• Mike’s take on flex industrial, agricultural land, and retail in 2026
• Saul’s case for small bay industrial, retail, and one-story office

Instagram: @mkuritnik Website: investkumo.com

If you’re trying to separate AI signal from noise — or figure out which CRE asset classes still offer real opportunity in 2026 — this episode gives you a grounded, operator-level perspective.

In this episode of the Value Builder Podcast, Saul sits down with Nick Terry, founder of Rifle CRE, a Houston-based commercial real estate platform that blends brokerage, investment, construction, and property management into one vertically integrated ecosystem.

Nick started his firm during the chaos of early 2020, pivoting from office tenant representation into small bay industrial investing just as the market began accelerating. What followed was the creation of a unique operating model where brokerage feeds acquisitions, acquisitions create management opportunities, and construction unlocks additional value.

Instead of building a traditional brokerage, Nick built a real estate flywheel—a platform where every service supports the same strategy: acquiring and repositioning small bay industrial properties.

Saul and Nick dive into how this model works in practice and discuss the operational strategies that drive returns.

They cover:

• Why small bay industrial remains one of the most resilient asset classes
• How spec suites and higher-end finishes can dramatically increase rents
• The importance of staggering lease expirations to maximize exit value
• Why brokerage can be the best sourcing engine for acquisitions
• How vertical integration can create a competitive advantage for operators
• The economics behind value-add industrial renovations
• Why some office buildings may present opportunity again at the right basis

Nick also shares how his team recently raised capital for a multi-property industrial fund and why having committed capital allows them to move faster and win deals.

This episode is packed with practical insights for commercial real estate investors, operators, developers, and brokers looking to build scalable real estate platforms.

Rifle CRE Website: https://riflecre.com Instagram: @riflecre LinkedIn: Nick Terry

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This week, Saul sits down with Matt DeVito and Rob Marek to unpack a niche strategy most industrial owners don’t even know exists: lifting the roof.

If you own vintage industrial with 14–16’ clear heights, you already know the problem. Modern users want 24’, 28’, or more. Instead of tearing down and rebuilding, Matt and Rob walk through how entire warehouse roofs can be hydraulically lifted — and when it actually makes financial sense.

This isn’t a gimmick episode. It’s a feasibility conversation.

Key takeaways:

• How roof lifting actually works from a structural standpoint

• What happens to sprinklers, HVAC, lighting, and fire protection

• Typical timelines from analysis to lift day

• Real-world cost frameworks for a 100,000 SF building

• When column removal is practical — and when it kills the deal

• The math behind deciding whether to lift, redevelop, or sell

The central question isn’t “Can you lift the roof?” It’s “Should you?”

If you're holding older industrial in urban or suburban markets and wondering how to compete with modern warehouse specs, this episode gives you a framework to evaluate the move.

Connect with: Matt DeVito – liftxusa.com Rob Marek – rooflift.com

This week, Saul sits down with Graham Storey to break down how he transitioned from brokerage into owning small bay industrial—using direct-to-seller outreach and seller financing to create serious equity.

After learning under CityPlat in North Carolina, Graham began sourcing and buying bite-sized industrial deals in tertiary markets—often with seller financing and little to no money out of pocket.

Key takeaways:

• Why tertiary markets still offer spread between lease rates and pricing

• How Graham structures seller-financed industrial deals

• The “lease-before-close” strategy to unlock value

• A real-world BRRR example in small bay industrial

• Why cold calling still works in overlooked markets

Connect with Graham: Instagram: @graham_storey Podcast: Commercial Real Estate Blueprint

If you're trying to move from broker to owner—or ramp up your off-market acquisition strategy—this episode is a tactical blueprint.

This week, Saul sits down with Justin Goodin, founder of Goodin Development, to break down the real mechanics behind ground-up multifamily development in today’s market.

From starting as a multifamily underwriter to building $33M Class A mixed-use projects across Indiana, Justin shares why he transitioned out of value-add, how he structures public-private partnerships, and what it actually takes to get a deal from land to exit in under three years.

Key takeaways:

• Why development can be less competitive than value-add
• How to calculate developer spread and yield on cost
• The role TIF incentives play in making deals pencil
• Real timelines from land acquisition to stabilization
• How Justin structures development fees and contingency

Connect with Justin: https://goodindevelopment.com/invest-with-us/

If you’re an operator thinking about scaling into development—or wondering whether ground-up makes sense in 2026—this episode gives you a practical, math-driven look at what it really takes.

This week, Saul sits down with Paige Gunn, VP at Sands Investment Group, for a boots-on-the-ground view of what’s really happening in industrial and office markets across Chicago and the Midwest.

With over $370M closed across her career, Paige shares where she’s seeing buyer movement, how operators are navigating high taxes and leasing softness, and why tertiary markets like Des Moines and Omaha might be the best play for 2026.

Key takeaways:

• Which Midwest markets are heating up outside of Chicago
• The real story behind small bay industrial leasing velocity
• Why sellers are still holding on—and when that might change
• Office-to-industrial conversions: what works and what doesn’t
• Paige’s long-view strategy for navigating downturns with adaptability

Connect with Paige: pgunn@sandsig.com & LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pngunn/

If you’re operating or investing in secondary or tertiary markets, this episode gives you the field-tested insights to see what’s ahead.

In this episode of The Value Builder Podcast, Saul interviews Michael Rebelo—founder of EverForward Capital Partners and a Gen Z entrepreneur who skipped college and built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio before age 21.

Michael shares how he raised over $1M in capital, co-founded a firm with his mother and grandmother, and found his niche in capital raising and investor relations.

🎯 You’ll learn:

• Why Michael walked away from day trading and chose multifamily
• How he went from cold calling to co-managing 150+ units
• What Gen Z gets wrong (and right) about real estate
• Why he believes mentorship beats formal education
• His vision for retiring his mom—and inspiring others to rethink financial freedom

If you’re curious about what it really takes to break into commercial real estate young—or to build generational wealth without a college degree—this is a must-listen.

Reach out to Michael by phone/text at (774) 264-3392 or online at everforwardcapitalpartners.com.

Subscribe and follow The Value Builder Podcast for more CRE and business operator insights every Wednesday.