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In this week’s episode of In the CRE Vault, Mike and Marc from NAI FMA Realty dive into the real-world art of due diligence—aka the “tire kicking” phase where deals either get stronger… or fall apart.

From 30-day timelines (if you’re lucky) to buyers who want everything under the sun—and others who barely scratch the surface—the guys break down what actually happens once a deal goes under contract. Drawing on their experience in the Lincoln market, they walk through the big-ticket items like roofs, HVAC, and sewer lines, along with environmental concerns like Phase I reports and deferred maintenance.

They also unpack the details that can catch buyers off guard—title issues, easements, impact fees (a common factor locally), and even handwritten documents from the 1800s that still carry weight today. With insights from a team that knows the history behind many of Lincoln’s buildings, this episode highlights why “trust but verify” is more than just a saying.

Bottom line: You don’t really know what you’ve got until you do your due diligence… and sometimes, what you find might send you running.

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This week we sit down with Aaron Peregrine from NAI FMA Realty—and let’s just say, his career path didn’t exactly follow a straight line… unless that line ran through a commercial kitchen in Chicago first.

Aaron grew up in Lincoln, took his talents to culinary school, got a taste of the high-pressure kitchen life (literally), and decided it wasn’t the long-term recipe. From there, he stumbled into real estate by showing apartments—and the rest is history.

Now in property management, Aaron walks us through what the job really looks like:

• Spoiler: there is no “typical day”
• Mornings start with tenant emails and ongoing projects
• Afternoons might include… dealing with a property getting hit by cars. Twice.

At its core, Aaron’s role is all about problem-solving—thinking on the fly, adapting quickly, and keeping properties (and people) moving forward. It’s a career that offers freedom, variety, and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting.

And when it comes to the numbers? He’s the first to admit—he leans on NAI FMA’s all-star accounting team to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.

If you’ve ever wondered what property management is really like—or how someone goes from chef to CRE—this episode is worth a listen.

🎧 Tune in now!

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This week on In the CRE Vault with Mike & Marc, the team at NAI FMA Realty breaks down the investment pitfalls that can catch even experienced buyers off guard.

From tenant stability to the realities of unpaid rent, we dig into why it’s not always simple to enforce leases—and how that risk impacts your bottom line. We also cover the true cost of property maintenance, including what it takes to turn over space for new tenants, and why those expenses are often underestimated.

We talk through the advantages of multi-tenant properties (hint: diversification matters), and how vacancy can quietly erode returns if you’re not planning for it. Plus, a look at capital expenditure reserves—one of the most common oversights for first-time investors—and how shorter-term financing can add another layer of risk.

If you’re evaluating your next deal or just want to avoid the mistakes we see too often, this episode is packed with practical insight.

🎧 Tune in and invest smarter.