What does it take to outperform during a financial crisis—and then walk away to build a $1B real estate platform?

In this episode of Did It Close?, we sit down with Bruce Fraser of Elkhorn Capital Partners to break down his journey from running a hedge fund during the 2008 financial crisis to becoming one of the most disciplined multifamily investors in the country.

While most investors were getting crushed in 2009, Bruce hit all-time highs—then pivoted into multifamily with a data-driven, risk-first approach that still guides his strategy today.

We dive into:

- Why most multifamily investors got it wrong in the past few years

- Fixed-rate vs floating-rate debt (and how it impacts your returns)

- Why he focuses on workforce housing instead of Class A assets

- How to identify markets with real pricing power

- The biggest mistakes investors are making right now

- His macro outlook on inflation, interest rates, and the economy

- And how personal adversity tested—and proved—his team and systems

Bruce also shares how his upbringing shaped his risk tolerance, why he’s obsessed with downside protection, and the exact mindset he uses to manage other people’s money.

If you’re a real estate investor, operator, or capital allocator, this is a masterclass in disciplined investing.

What separates great commercial real estate brokers from the ones who wash out of the business?

In this episode of Apartment After Hours, Bryan McCann, David Dirkschneider, and Reid Bennett dive into the realities of life in multifamily brokerage—from the skills that separate top producers from “paper passers” to the marketing strategies that can add millions to a deal. Along the way, they break down how the best brokers create real value for their clients, why competitive marketing processes matter, and how to survive the stress and volatility that come with commission-based work.

If you’re a commercial real estate broker, investor, or someone considering a career in the business, this episode offers practical insights from professionals who have spent decades navigating deals, negotiations, and market cycles.

In this episode, we cover:

- What separates good brokers from bad brokers

- Why “paper passers” struggle in brokerage

- How great brokers create value and control the deal process

- On-market vs. off-market deals and when each makes sense

- Why sellers typically benefit from a competitive marketing process

- The dangers of giving multiple brokers the same deal

- Listing agreements, protect lists, and incentive fee structures

- The chronic stress and income volatility of brokerage

- How to build a high-performing brokerage team

You’ll also hear real-world deal stories, lessons learned from deals that didn’t close, and practical advice for younger brokers trying to break into the industry.

Whether you’re trying to improve your brokerage skills, understand how investment sales really works, or simply hear how experienced brokers think about deals, this conversation delivers actionable insights you won’t hear in most real estate podcasts.

🎙 About Did It Close?

Hosted by Bryan McCann and David Dirkschneider, Did It Close? is a commercial real estate podcast focused on deals, strategy, and actionable insights for CRE professionals.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with top operators in commercial real estate.

What can a commercial real estate virtual assistant actually do for your brokerage?

In this episode of Did It Close?, we sit down with Kevin Hanan, CEO and founder of CRE Task Wizard, to break down how offshore talent is transforming commercial real estate teams. From lead generation and transaction management to underwriting support and AI workflows, Kevin explains how brokers can leverage virtual assistants to scale efficiently—without sacrificing quality.

If you’ve ever felt buried in admin work, CRM cleanup, prospecting lists, marketing coordination, or underwriting prep, this conversation will help you understand what to delegate, how to onboard correctly, and how to avoid common mistakes when hiring offshore talent.

We cover:

- What a commercial real estate virtual assistant actually does

- The four core verticals offshore talent can support (lead gen, transaction management, marketing, financial analysis)

- Why most first-time VA hires fail—and how to prevent it

- How cold calling offshore can work in CRE

- The difference between generalists and specialists

- How AI tools like ChatGPT integrate with virtual assistants

- Best practices for onboarding (Loom videos, SOPs, recurring standups)

- Typical cost ranges for part-time and full-time offshore support

- Whether you're a solo broker, team leader, or managing a growing CRE platform, this episode will give you a practical roadmap to building leverage in your business.

About Kevin Hanan

Kevin Hanan is the CEO and founder of CRE Task Wizard. A former broker, Kevin built his company after successfully using offshore talent in his own brokerage career. Today, he helps commercial real estate professionals hire and manage virtual assistants trained specifically for CRE workflows.

🎙 About Did It Close?

Hosted by Bryan McCann and David Dirkschneider, Did It Close? is a commercial real estate podcast focused on deals, strategy, and actionable insights for CRE professionals.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with top operators in commercial real estate.

👍 Like & comment if you’re considering hiring a commercial real estate virtual assistant.

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