Multifamily has been one of the most popular real estate strategies for years.

But when the market shifted, Mike Stohler went looking for a better opportunity.

In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Mike Stohler, co-founder of Gateway Private Equity Group, to break down why he pivoted from multifamily into hotels, and why he’s now investing in boutique hotels and historic properties in Spain.

Mike has owned and operated more than 1,500 units across hotels, multifamily, and residential real estate. After moving into hotels for stronger returns and better value-add opportunities, changing U.S. market conditions, higher interest rates, and thinner margins led him to expand internationally into Spain.

You'll learn:

• Why Mike moved from multifamily into hotels • What makes hotels different from traditional multifamily investments • How dynamic pricing allows hotels to adjust rates every day • Why Mike started looking outside the U.S. for opportunities • What attracted him to boutique hotels and historic properties in Spain • How European hotel valuations compare to similar U.S. properties • The challenges of investing and operating real estate internationally • Why having the right local team matters when entering a foreign market • How Mike approaches raising capital for international investments • Why investor education is critical when introducing a new market or strategy

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple:

Sometimes the best opportunity isn't in the asset class or market everyone else is chasing.

Hotels require more active operations than traditional multifamily.

But they also provide flexibility through dynamic pricing and create value-add opportunities that work very differently from apartments.

And when U.S. economics became more difficult, Mike didn't stop investing.

He changed the strategy and changed the market.

For investors willing to look beyond traditional multifamily and familiar U.S. markets, there may be opportunities most people aren't even considering.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Mike Stohler's Links:

Website: gatewaype.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelstohler Youtube: youtube.com/@mike.stohler

Raising $1 billion in capital doesn't come from having a better deal.

It comes from building a better system.

In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Craig Cecilio, founder and CEO of DiversyFund, to break down what it actually takes to raise capital at scale, and how technology, trust, investor relationships, and AI are changing the game.

Craig is a three-decade operator who has raised more than $1 billion in capital.

Through DiversyFund, he's built a real estate technology platform that has served 30,000+ investors across more than 70,000 investor transactions, with that technology now being developed into software for other real estate sponsors and operators.

You'll learn:

• What raising $1 billion taught Craig about capital raising • Why successful capital raisers are always raising capital • How AI is changing investor communications and operations • Why technology means nothing if it doesn't produce real ROI • What Craig learned building and operating Reg A+ funds • Why he's focused on Reg D in today's market • How investor behavior has changed after the last real estate cycle • Why trust matters more than the deal itself • How to identify the right investors in a difficult capital-raising environment • Why experienced operators using AI could dramatically increase their output • Where private markets, AI, tokenization, and investment technology could be heading next

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation is simple:

Investors aren't just investing in the project.

They're investing in you.

The market has changed. Many investors have been burned, trust is harder to earn, and the same capital-raising strategies that worked a few years ago may not work today.

That means knowing your investor, building real relationships, communicating consistently, and creating the infrastructure to raise capital at scale matters more than ever.

AI can make that infrastructure faster.

Technology can make it more efficient.

But trust is still what moves capital.

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Craig Cecilio's Links: Instagram: @cxcecilio Website: www.craigxcecilio.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CXCExperience/videos

Buying real estate outside the U.S. sounds exciting. But once you get past the beaches and lifestyle, the questions get real fast.

In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Rebecca Clower, founder and CEO of Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, to break down what it actually takes to buy, build, finance, and invest in real estate abroad.

Rebecca shares how she left a successful Tampa real estate business in 2006, moved to Costa Rica, and built one of the largest independent real estate brokerages in Guanacaste from the ground up.

They dive into how the Costa Rican real estate market works, why more North Americans are buying and relocating there, what financing options are now available, and what investors need to understand before purchasing property outside the United States.

Rebecca also explains how she identifies emerging markets before they become crowded, what makes a strong short-term rental today, why easy Airbnb investing is over, and how buyers can protect themselves when navigating foreign ownership, escrow, property management, and local regulations.

Plus, she pulls back the curtain on her years appearing on HGTV, including what is actually real, what gets recreated for television, and what happens behind the scenes of shows like House Hunters International.

If you’re considering buying real estate abroad, investing in short-term rentals, relocating internationally, or simply want to understand how overseas real estate really works, this episode gives you a practical look at what happens beyond the highlight reel.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• What buyers need to know before purchasing real estate abroad • Why more North Americans are buying and relocating to Costa Rica • How financing works for foreign real estate buyers • The difference between fee-simple and concession property • How Rebecca identifies growing markets before they become crowded • Why the short-term rental market has become more competitive • What makes an overseas rental property actually perform • How investors can protect themselves when buying internationally • Why working with the right local professionals matters • What really happens behind the scenes on HGTV real estate shows

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

X: x.com/sethbradleyesq YouTube: youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq Facebook: facebook.com/sethbradleyesq Threads: threads.com/@sethbradleyesq Instagram: instagram.com/sethbradleyesq LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq TikTok: tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq

Rebecca Clower’s Links:

Website: bluewaterproperties.com Instagram: @iamrebeccaclower Email: becky@bwpcr.com