SUCCESS STORY
WINNERS!

JANUARY 2021 WINNERS!

NANCY DELGARD 

KRISS 
BUCCI

  • Member Since: December 2018
  • Province: Ontario
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 5
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 12
  • ​Real Estate Portfolio Market Value: $3,950,000
  • Member Since: April 2018 
  • Province: British Columbia
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 13
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 18
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $12,000,000

STRATEGIES USED:

STRATEGIES USED:

  • Flip to Yourself 
  • ​Conventional Financing 
  • ​Private Lending 
  • ​Multi-Unit Residential 
  • ​Flipping 
  • ​Under-Performing Properties
  • Buy & Hold 
  • ​Turnkey Properties 
  • ​Vacation Property/Short Term Rental 
  • ​Flipping 
  • ​Under-Performing Properties  
  • Joint Venture 
  • Flip to Yourself 
  • ​Private Lending 
  • ​Vendor Takeback 
  • ​Vacation Property/Short-term Rental 
  • ​Buy & Build 
  • ​Turnkey Properties 
  • ​Buy & Build 
  • ​Land Development 

My Story...

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

We joined Keyspire together in 2018 but I was at my first Keyspire 3 day workshop a few years prior (before the name was changed to Keyspire) and was in the same class as Kyle Ford, Doug and Anna Scott and Steve Aho!! I did not join at that time and had regretted it since. However, with the excitement and strength of my new partner, we joined together. At that time, I already owned a few properties but had decided to start really getting into the game. With that in mind, we plunged in right after our first summit and started with a Profunds Investment, then our first property, then our second. Then in March of this year we closed on our first 6 plex! It should have been a very exciting time but in the week we closed on the building, my now husband Dave, was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer 2 days before we closed on the multiplex and then 2 days after we closed, the entire province also closed due to Covid. These were some extremely trying days for us. However, my husband is a champ and we decided that this diagnosis would not deter us from achieving our goals and actually strengthened our drive to complete it. Our contractor was way behind schedule due to the fact he had lost a couple of staff members to possible covid and since we could not take the chance with him being on site, we immediately fell way behind on our construction schedule. This gave us some time though for Dave to begin his chemo treatments. In the end, we were able to hire my son full-time to help get our project back on track, Dave completed his 6 rounds of chemo and is doing amazing, and I was able to quit my J.O.B. We are now moving forward on a small flip and then onto a new and very exciting project that we will be looking for investors for. Life is good and we are managing Dave's cancer well. He is my daily inspiration which makes it easier to go to work everyday and since we love what we do, it makes it exciting and fun. 

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

If we had not joined Keyspire when we did, I am not sure how our lives would have turned out but I do know that Keyspire and this community gave us the tools, connections and education we needed to keep pushing forward through a very low time in our lives. I always tell Kyle Ford that I have to catch up to him for my lost time not with Keyspire so that inspires us too. Lol

What has been the biggest benefit of the Keyspire Program you attended? How has it helped improve your family time or family life?

The Summit kick started it all. Not only were we able to invest but my 2 sons also invested with us and that has been amazing. We are teaching Dave's kids as they were much younger than mine, but we see some huge changes in them as well which is so comforting to know that if you teach your children this process, they will always be ok. My belief is that you should never give your kids money, you need to teach them how to make their own money so if something happens that you are no longer around, you know they will be fine. 

Have you made money or increased your net worth using any of the Keyspire training programs?

Absolutely, we have bought, sold and held 8-10 properties since joining Keyspire and have doubled our net worth in just a couple of years. For me, I invested approx 20-30 hours per week in Keyspire while I still had my job but it was well worth it.

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

Kyle Ford and Judi Pare have made a huge impact on me. Sometimes just to bounce ideas off of and mostly for them to push me when I needed it and to hold me back when I needed that too. lol
Their knowledge and willingness to share their knowledge and successes are super inspirational and make it possible for you to believe in yourself and trust the system

What obstacle(s) did you face and what role did Keyspire play to help overcome the obstacles?

My obstacles we initially a divorce that prevented me from joining the first time and set me back a few years while I tried to get back on my feet. Keyspire helped me because throughout that journey, I held on to the knowledge and the feeling I had gained from those first couple of seminars and knew that I would do this full time someday.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting started in Real Estate using the Keyspire programs? Would you recommend it? 

Absolutely, we talk about Keyspire and this community all the time. We have tons of knowledge to share now but we would not have had that if it wasn't for Keyspire and just being a sponge wherever you can. No 2 situations are ever the same and therefore having access to so many people in the community so willing to share their stories, you can find someone who is just ahead of you all the time to follow and learn from even if they don't know it. 

Whether you have made money using Keyspire programs or not, has your newfound knowlegde helped your confidence or outlook for your future?

1000% - again, I had a few properties when we joined Keyspire and I thought I had a pretty good handle on this business......until your first Summit. lol
Then you realize you don't know the half of it. haha
It is both humbling and stimulating to realize how little you know or how your little bit of knowledge can help someone else who is just at the very beginning of their journey

Has anyone from the Keyspire team inspired you? (e.g. Scott, Michael, coaches etc.) If so, how?

Scott and Michael are always an inspiration but the rest of the team is as well. They are inspiring because you know that they are "real people" just like you and they are sharing how to recreate what they did. It is always possible if you are willing to work at it. Nothing falls into your lap ever but no matter what challenge you face, there is someone you can talk to to provide you with a solution. You just have to keep asking and Michael and Scott have created the space to do that.

How do Keyspire programs, strategies and materials compare with others you have seen or used?

There is no comparison

How much has your income increased due to your successful strategies?

It is hard to tell that right now but at this point, we have replaced my income and then some.

Where were you when you started?

In 2018 when Sari and I joined Keyspire, I was 21 years into a career in the Royal Canadian Navy and Sari was a director of 12 group homes for adults with developmental disabilities. Although we had 3 doors at the time, we never thought of ourselves as investors and had kind of fell into it by accident. At the time our blended family that included 10, 12 and 13 year old boys and we were spending all of our time being taxi drivers for our kids many activities and sports. Sari's career kept her next to her phone 24/7, with many of her calls requiring her to deal with life or death situations.
Since 2018, Sari has left her career and has become an investor focused realtor who transacted over 20M in real estate in 2020 (2nd year as a realtor). I left the navy in 2019 to become a full time real estate investor, since then I have decided to focus on land development and have just created my own development company and am a licensed contractor/developer. Our latest project www.sweetoasishomes.ca is a 44 lot subdivision funded almost solely by Keyspire private lenders.

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

Keyspire was a key to the throne. Lol no Keyspire was the motivation, the knowledge and the network that helped us unlock our potential. To be honest though, we truly feel Keypsire changed our lives and has taken us from our previously descent careers making close to $200K per year to a reality where we will be making 7 figures within the next year or two and have net worth pushing the 8 figure mark in 5 years.
3 years and we've grown from 2 homes to holding/controlling over $10M in land and properties. Thank you Keyspire

What has been the biggest benefit of the Keyspire Program you attended? How has it helped improve your family time or family life?

The biggest benefit are the members by far. The education is amazing.. the tools are great... but what makes Keyspire what it is, is by far the people. 

Have you made money or increased your net worth using any of the Keyspire training programs?

2018-2021 from 0 to a current net worth of $3M and controlling over $10M in assets. Our journey started the Monday after the 3 day workshop, where we learned how to analyze Cash Flow. On Monday we refinanced our primary res. and purchased our first true rental property. A 2 unit home we purchased for $585K that cash flowed over $1500 per mth. From their not truly know how to attract private money, we decided to go the path of working partner and spent over 3mths immersing in Keyspire education, podcasts and reading books. From there is still took us almost 6mths to get our first money partner and we quickly purchased two properties with 2 separate Keyspire money partners. The second of which was introduced to us by our coach Judi.
Moving forward we saw our market shift and decided building purpose built rentals was the way to go, so in 2019/2020 under the mentorship of a contractor I completely managed and was hands in the construction of 3 homes. The first we built to flip, using my Navy pension that I decided to cash out. I doubled my pension cash out amount in 6mths... The 2nd and 3rd builds were purpose built rentals that under the guidance of our coach we figured out how to fund and hold fully by our self using commercial financing. Total purchase/build cost was $1M and they were appraised at $1.5... allowing us to take all of our money out and still get $1000 per mth CF.
Phew.. sorry for the long story, but what a couple of years.... moving forward it's all about developments. Currently have 56 homes on the books to build... and just partnered with 3 other Keyspire members and have an accepted offer on a piece of land zoned for 120 townhomes and a multi-use commercial piece... look out Keyspire!!!

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

Answered above... When we approached our coach about our 44 lot subdivision opportunity we had every coach jump on a call to help... amazing support and too many stories to keep typing.... lets just say Judi is amazing!!!

What obstacle(s) did you face and what role did Keyspire play to help overcome the obstacles?

Although it has only been 3 years we have moved for buy and hold, to working partner, to airbnb to developers... and Keyspire’ss coaches and just as importantly members have been there every step of the way with support, coaching and even at times support with private lending...

What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting started in Real Estate using the Keyspire programs? Would you recommend it? 

Honestly it's not for everyone... but Keypsire has changed our lives hands down.  

Whether you have made money using Keyspire programs or not, has your newfound knowlegde helped your confidence or outlook for your future?

Ummm yes!!!

Has anyone from the Keyspire team inspired you? (e.g. Scott, Michael, coaches etc.) If so, how?

All of the above... Keyspire members, Judi, etc... etc...

How do Keyspire programs, strategies and materials compare with others you have seen or used?

Nothing beats the summit... We have gone to 4 now and have gotten something from each one. Whether it was a money partner, key coaching session, private lending whatever, the summit and community is second to none.

How much has your income increased due to your successful strategies?

Answer above... anticipating 10x within the year. Networth... well can't wait to see where it is in 3 more years. :) 

DECEMBER 2020 WINNERS!

STEPHANIE PINEYRO 

NATASHA
O'FARRELL

  • Member Since: April 2019 
  • Province: British Columbia
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 8
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 18
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $4,500,000
  • Member Since: March 2019 
  • Province: Ontario
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 7
  • ​Portfolio Total Market Value: $3,000,000
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 7
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $13,250,000

STRATEGIES USED:

STRATEGIES USED:

  • Joint Venture 
  • ​Pre-Construction Property 
  • ​Private Lending 
  • ​Buy & Hold 
  • ​Buy & Build 
  • Multi-Unit Residential 
  • ​Under-Performing Properties 
  • ​Private Equity 
  • ​Land Development
  • Joint Venture 
  • ​Pre-Construction Property 
  • ​Flip to Yourself 
  • ​Conventional Financing 
  • ​Private Lending 
  • ​Multi-Unit Residential 
  • ​Under-Performing Properties
  • Buy & Hold 
  • ​Turnkey Properties 
  • ​Vacation Property/ShortRental 
  • ​Student Rentals 
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance 

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

I was a full time, self-employed graphic designer, and now I am transitioning into full time real estate investor and slowly winding down my graphic design business (I've started to sub-contract a lot of the work so run it more like a design studio instead of myself doing all the actual work).
** I wasn't sure where to write my COVID success story, but I wanted to share that I bought my very first multifamily (12 unit) property right in the height of the pandemic, back in March/April. I was a back-up of a back-up offer on an accepted offer (so 3rd in line) at the end of February. Once we went into full lockdown, the accepted offer backed out (I think based on uncertainty and panic) and a week later the back-up offer backed out, which put me at the front of the line with an accepted offer. I decided to remain calm and "greedy when others are fearful" so I continued with my 30day due diligence which eventually led to closing on the property. I really think the Covid panic is the only reason why a small player like myself was able to get my hands on this multifamily as they usually get snatched up quick out here in BC. Additionally, the money I was going to use as a down payment was invested in stocks at the time, which took a huge hit and it was the worst time to take that money out, so what I did was to borrow the funds against my investment portfolio on a low, interest-only loan and I borrowed an extra 100k so I could privately lend that in order to cover the interest costs. At the end of the day, I didn't have to take my stock investments out and ended up not having to put any of my actual cash into the deal. I expect to be able to refinance in 3-4 years and repay the down payment loan completely, and it's currently cash-flowing around $2500/month!

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

It gave me the confidence and network to pursue what was already in my mind. It has allowed me to connect with key individuals who have been incredible sources of help, support, encouragement & knowledge.

What has been the biggest benefit of the Keyspire Program you attended? How has it helped improve your family time or family life?

The biggest benefit in Keyspire is the community it has helped to build around myself and the networking. I have met invaluable contacts and made great friends who think alike and understand my journey.

Have you made money or increased your net worth using any of the Keyspire training programs?

Yes, I have acquired many properties that have increased my net worth significantly. I have registered & unregistered funds consistently invested passively which are generating consistent returns for me, I have acquired a multifamily property which has already seen an increase in value
through my active appreciation strategies and I have partnered in various development projects that will see significant returns once completed.

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

My coach has helped me walk through & analyze many ideas and opportunities that have crossed my path and determine whether they were good fits or not. She has helped me ask the right questions and see potential weaknesses in deals that I might not have been able to see on my own. 

What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them? 

Seeing other people's successes is always helpful in reigniting the fire when things don't go as planned or when doubt & fear start to sneak into my mind! Also, knowing that I can reach out to new investor friends, or even the community at large to answer any questions or to share
struggles has been very empowering.

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Keyspire?

Yes, I have recommended it as an incredible starting point if someone is interested in real estate. It is a catapult towards the world of real estate, and it launches you in the right direction.

Has anyone from the Keyspire team inspired you? (e.g. Scott, Michael, coaches etc.) If so, how?

Following the incredible projects Judi Pare has been a part of is hugely inspiring. Also my own coach Catherine has inspired me because her story resonates with my own a lot of the time. I think hearing Michael talk about how he is focusing more and more on passive investing nowadays has given me confidence in accepting that I do not have to be "active" in a project in order to be a successful real estate investor. I have struggled with allowing myself to be hands
off as I don't feel it is as rewarding as being a passive investor.

How do Keyspire programs, strategies and materials compare with others you have seen or used?

I think the Keyspire program is phenomenal, the live event (I luckily attended the Niagara summit las year) was incredible, one of the best events I've been a part of and hugely inspiring and valuable. I do however think that the training material is outdated, including the entire UX inside
the member website could use some revamping. I am a part of another major Canadian real estate group and I think they do a better job at providing ongoing meetups, webinars, special training sessions, and work sessions which are very applicable to the business.

How much has your income increased due to your successful strategies?

About 20-30k/year but I have a lot of investments that will pay out at the end of the project ranging from 1-3 years from now, as opposed to ongoing income.

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

If applicable, how has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

We started investing 5yrs ago and are still in our full time day jobs but after joining Keyspire 1.5yrs ago, we have been able to focus and build a strategy to bring us to financial freedom. I work in Stakeholder Relations and my husband and partner works in Insurance.

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

Keyspire has been instrumental in lifting the veil of real estate investing, we have grown exponentially with what we have learned and find value daily in the network.
Ultimately, through the top notch training and tools, Keyspire has given us the confidence to create a strategy that we know will work along with the tools and people to tweak plans along the way!
Keyspire to us means that there's always a way to find a win in real estate, even if that means walking away from a deal!

What has been the biggest benefit of the Keyspire Program you attended? How has it helped improve your family time or family life?

The learnings and tools are invaluable and would take many many years (if ever) and mistakes to develop on your own.
Family time is now something we can enjoy as we have learned focus and have built a strategy we can work toward and therefore, we're working on our business not being bogged down in the business!

Have you made money or increased your net worth using any of the Keyspire training programs?

We have conducted a couple of BRRR's and off loaded a multi-family purchased pre-Keyspire which was a liability, we figured this out from the online learnings and confirmed it with our coach - we still made $100k on the sale of that property!
We have increased our net worth by over a million dollars and it has taken us 1.5yrs (less really as I was pregnant and just recently had a baby during this time and took a little down time here and there :-) )

If applicable, how has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

Focus, Focus, Focus - Before joining Keyspire we had no focus and were open to investing anywhere, our coach built our understanding of the need to have a strategy that works specifically for you. We were able to better understand our financial standing and what options we had as low hanging fruit and what we needed to do to position ourselves for where we wanted to go. We literally would not be where we are today without our coach! 

What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them? 

We had a multi-family in our portfolio which we purchased pre-Keyspire and was a big liability, we figured this out from the online learnings and confirmed it with our coach - we still made $100k on the sale of that property!

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Keyspire?

110% There is no training or networks out there with the same level of professionalism, knowledge and has a network of individuals who genuinely care and want to help each other!!

Whether you have made money using Keyspire programs or not, has your newfound knowledge helped your confidence or outlook for your future?

100% Keyspire has given us the knowledge to have the confidence in our ability to make decisions and build a strategy that will have us financially free in 3-5yrs!! We are now also seen as experts in our personal networks and this will help us in our next steps which is to joint venture.

Has anyone from the Keyspire team inspired you? (e.g. Scott, Michael, coaches etc.) If so, how?

Each and every Keyspire team member that we have engaged with has inspired us, and we learn from all the stories we hear from the Keyspire team members through Facebook and put those learnings into play in ways that make the most sense to our business!

How do Keyspire programs, strategies and materials compare with others you have seen or used?

There is no training or networks out there with the same level of professionalism, knowledge and has a network of individuals who genuinely care and want to help each other!!

How much has your income increased due to your successful strategies?

Currently our cash flow is at about 1/3rd toward being what we will need to be financially free - however, as we are both still in our full time day jobs, we reinvest every dollar made back into the business for now, knowing that when it hits our magic number we will shift it to be our salary.
We have been leveraging our properties to grow and obtain additional doors and will continue to do so!

NOVEMBER 2020 WINNERS!

FRANK
SELLAN 

DIANA SPREMO 
&
STEVE LYTLE

  • Member Since: November 2019 
  • Province: Quebec
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 3
  • ​Portfolio Total Market Value: $1,600,000
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 18
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $1,600,000
  • Member Since: October 2018
  • Province: Ontario
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 7
  • ​Portfolio Total Market Value: $2,200,000
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 7
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $1,950,000

STRATEGIES USED:

STRATEGIES USED:

  • Flip to Yourself
  • Conventional Financing
  • Private Lending
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance
  • Multi Residential
  • Underperforming Properties
  • Turnkey Properties 
  • ​Rehab Properties
  • Flip to Yourself
  • Conventional Financing
  • Private Lending
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance
  • Flip to Yourself
  • Conventional Financing
  • Private Lending
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

Happily married to my beautiful wife Karine since 2004 with two amazing children, Sabrina just turned 12 years old and Luca who just turned 25 years old. What a great family and family life.
However, work was another story. In early 2019, due to unresolved partner issues over a disagreement that got out of hand 3 years prior (my polite version of the story 😉), I was attempting to close a 12 year old company I had started with 2 other partners. The reason for wanting to close was due to a very restrictive partnership agreement which forbade me from working in the field I have been doing for the past 30 years, within a 200km radius, if I voluntarily left.
Very stressful situation for the past 4 years and not getting any better. Plus the fact that I was turning 60 years old on December 24, 2019 and worried about maybe being forced to change career and go work for someone and the proverbial question “Who’s going to hire a 60 year old who has been self-employed for the past 30 years?”
After attending Keyspire’s first presentation on April 13th in Montreal, I started to see a glimmer of hope. I thought to myself I could do renovation work, as I have that skill set having done many renovations on my own home from building a retaining wall, large deck, wood floors, ceramic, painting, etc...
We had signed up for the 3-day workshop but where not able to attend due to a prior engagement. We ended up going to the workshop of November 15-17, 2019, purchased the top tier membership and have never looked back. From there the story really begins.
November & December 2020: My coach, John Brook, put me on a Keyspire video diet of what felt like a million hours of training videos. Had loads of fun.
In January 2020, remortgaged my fully paid home for 80% with Northeast Mortgages to invest in RE. Also pulled out all my RRSP & Insurance investments from the stock market (a bit of great luck there) to invest in RE & private lending.,
On February 11, 2020, the failing partnership was finally closed 🥳
February 28-March 8, 2020: Karine & I took a well-deserved vacation to Mexico
March 16, 2020 to September 10, 2020: Purchased a killer deal condo in Beaconsfield, then a 6-Plex in Moncton and then an 11-Plex in Moncton.
Currently in Moncton staying in one of my 2 bedroom units to renovate 3-6 units in the next couple of months. What an adventure so far 🤗🤗🤗

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

All of our success (except for the closing of the company, that was my doing 😉) is attributed to our joining Keyspire in November 2019. Starting from the amazing teachings at the workshop, to the people we have met along the way (starting at the workshop), the great coaching, the on-line resource material, the incredible networking, the awesome summit (and my amazing t minute 1 on 1 coaching with Michael Sarracini) and of course “Coffee with Michael” that got me through the worst of the pandemic.

Have you made money or increased your net worth since joining Keyspire?

March 16, 2020: Closed on a new condo in Beaconsfield, Quebec June 1, 2020: Closed on a small private lend to a Keyspire member July 4, 2020: Closed on a 6-Plex in Moncton October 10, 2020: Closed on an 11-Plex in Moncton October 19, 2020: arrived in Moncton NB with a truckload of tools to renovate my 11-Plex

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

John Brook has been amazing all along the way with initial guidance to learning the ropes and identifying my best direction. Also met Judi and Catherine at the summit and was lucky enough to impart some of their wisdom (smart ladies). And don’t know if it counts but I got a 5 minute life changing coaching session from Michael Sarracini on Saturday night right after the days events which helped immensely clarify the total confusion I felt as to what do I do next. Thanks Michael 🙏

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Keyspire?

Go for it! If you're serious about investing, investing in yourself first is a great way to avoid costly mistakes and learn from others who are where you want to be.

What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them? 

Surprisingly, not many challenges or obstacles. Once I was clear on my direction, organised and educated as to what to look for, things just kind of flowed from there..

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

BEFORE:
- Nowhere in real estate. I needed to be told what cash flow was!
AFTER:
- 3 brick and mortar properties
- 1 pre-con condo
- 2 land development investments
- 1 private lending
- TONS OF EDUCATION AND LEARNING through on-site Summits, Monthly Meet-Ups, member socials, and now, through online monthly-meet ups, weekly seminars, webinars and YouTube videos.
- some NETWORKING (working on getting better at this)
- building our TEAM (of real estate agents, contractors, tradesmen, accountant, lawyer, etc.)
- And a goal for us to have our real estate investing business as our full-time jobs. Not there YET (thanks Scott for reminding us to add the "YET"), but will be one day....
- And most of all, HAVING FUN
- and lastly, with the risk of sounding corny, it has STRENGHTHENED OUR MARRIAGE (it's given us a PROJECT to work on together -- aside from raising kids and keeping house)
Here we go !!!

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

EVERYTHING.
We walked into that big room in Mississauga's International Centre two years ago and haven't looked back.
Keyspire has given us:
knowledge, motivation, inspiration, partners, confidence

Have you made money or increased your net worth since joining Keyspire?

As mentioned above, we were actually dormant until about May 2019, then off we went. We refinanced our house, got a $400,000 line of credit, and started searching for our first property.
Targeting London, with Keyspire partners Prime Real Estate (who were awesome), we bought a student triplex -- 3, 2-bedrooms.
As soon as the dust settled on that one, we searched for our second property, in Hamilton, with Keyspire partners The Heddle Group (equally awesome). Bought a duplex - 1BR & 2BR.
And as soon as the dust settled on that one, we searched for our third property, still with The Heddle Group. Then Covid hit. We bought our third property in Brantford at the end of March. Bought a duplex - both 2 BRs.
Interesting note about our Brantford house: Because we were taking vacant possession, we negotiated as long of a closing date as we could due to Covid. We were concerned that no one will be moving during the shut down of a global pandemic. In the end, we asked the previous owner to MOVE UP the closing date by a month because we had new tenants screened and ready to move in!
Thanks to Keyspire Summits (we have attended 2), we learned about Greybrook, REC and ProFunds, and have subsequently invested in a Greybrook opportunity in Miami, purchased a pre-con condo near Downsview with REC, and invested in a Niagara Falls development with Profunds/Valour Capital.
Diana also learned about private lending and lent money to Coach Judi for her Pickering project.
And now, because most of our Line of Credit is gone, we are diving into learning about OPM!
All this purchasing has been fantastic, but on top of all that, our monthly calls with our Coaches (we have had two) have been great

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

We've had two different coaches, who have given us:
- knowledge
- tools
- motivation
- direction
- advice

Their willingness to share their knowledge and experience has been wonderful.

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Keyspire?

Our biggest challenge has been a VERY challenging tenant. How do I summarize a long story?
In mid-September, she gave us notice via text saying she'll be leaving at the end of October, and:
- we should not expect October rent from her as her 'last month's rent' will apply
- not to contact her again, and when she is gone, she will text us to let us know
- not to have showings
Since she was in the middle of her 1-year lease, we explained how this broke a few different Landlord-Tenant Board rules. She didn't care.
She refused to let us in when we went for showings and eventually changed the locks on us.
After giving her written notice, time and the chance to give us the new keys, we went to the property and began drilling out her new locks. She called 911 to say we were breaking and entering. The police came and it was obvious that she was irrational and in the wrong. The police explained to her how she was wrong to change the locks, and stayed while we continued drilling out her locks, replaced them with new ones that we purchased, and gave her a set of keys to the new locks.
We weren't sure if she would actually move out when she said she would, so we prepared for that by filing appropriate documents with the LTB. She did move out when she said she would. Not before she left windows open, lights on, and two water taps running full blast.
How we handled it:
- MANY calls to the LTB to ensure we understood the rules and parameters, and we were acting properly.
- Few calls/emails to Kyle Hampson for legal advice
- issued her a number of LTB forms: N4, N11, N9, N5 (twice)
- gave her written notice and 24 hour notice, when we didn't have to, to enter the unit
- spoke to her (and wrote to her) rationally and professionally, even when she was irrational
- calmly explained LTB legislation to her when she clearly didn't understand our rights as owners/landlords
- always acted respectfully around her (knocked first, wore masks, kept our distance, spoke calmly)
- documented everything with dates and details

FEBRUARY 2021 KEYSPIRE SUMMIT GUEST SPEAKERS!

EVELYN & RISHI PODDAR

FERN 
GAUTHIER

  • Member Since: October 2019 
  • Province: Ontario
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 6
  • ​Portfolio Total Market Value: $2,900,000
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 6
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $1,500,000
  • Member Since: March 2018 
  • Province: Ontario
  • ​Number of Real Estate Investments: 19
  • ​Portfolio Total Market Value: $7,180,000
  • ​Number of Doors/Units: 41
  • ​Dollar Value of Real Estate Transacted: $6,180,000

STRATEGIES USED:

STRATEGIES USED:

  • Flip to Yourself
  • Conventional Financing
  • Private Lending
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance
  • ​Land Development 
  •  Buy & Hold 
  • Student Rentals
  • Under-performing Properties
  • REIT
  • Joint Venture
  • ​Flip to Yourself 
  • ​Buy & Hold 
  • ​Buy, Reno, Rent, Refinance
  • Rehab Properties 
  • ​Under-Performing Properties

Our Story...

Where were you when you started?

Before investing, Rishi was a full time Project Manager for Peterborough Utilities and Evelyn was a teacher. While on mat leave, Evelyn lost her job due to the cuts in education. For a little while, we felt very insecure, as our family of seven (we have 3 kids and Evelyn brought her parents from Greece) needs two incomes to support our expenses.
As luck would have it, Evelyn saw Scott's ad about the free event. As we loved the show "income property" and the positive vibes it brought to people's lives, we decided to attend the event November of last year.
So, we decided to take the leap of faith and with that leap of faith, now, a year later, we have increased our income (before taxes) by $5,500 a month (excluding the income that we are making from our investments with our TFSAs and RRSPs).

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

Our success has Keyspire written all over it.
Let us share a little bit about us. Rishi is a natural rationalist and one of the most risk averse people in the whole wide world. Evelyn on the other hand goes with intuition without qualifying the deal. She can also find the most outrageous deals, but she was an unforgivable consumer. Before Keyspire, this used to be an immense problem, as Rishi would not do anything out of fear and Evelyn would jump at any opportunity without qualifying it.
Keyspire made us see each other as an amazing partner. When we heard Alfonso Cuadra talk about his experience, we realised that our polar opposite characteristics (excellent planning, leaving no details fall down, but also good intuition) were actually the magic ingredients for success. Now, Rishi trusts Evelyn when she brings a deal, but he is qualifying it before we continue and Evelyn has turned her consumerism into finding crazy deals about properties (like furnishing the houses for peanuts).
You see, Keyspire did not just increase our net worth, by a few million dollars, it actually helped us appreciate each other. It made us work together and find a really good synergy.
In terms of our financial success, Keyspire was the corner stone. Through the videos that we saw from the platform, through attending the RPM and the lifestyle freedom day, through our coaching sessions, through Michael's webinars and of course through the networking that Keyspire provided, we were able to understand what kind of a deal is a good deal, what kind of investments we would like to go after and of course which kind of returns suit us.
To be very honest, through Scott's guidance (he actually spoke to us for 5 minutes and he was able to determine how we could turn around our massively UP property into a positive cash flowing one. Withing 5 minutes!), we were able to turn our UP property (We had lost about $20,000) into a cash-flowing one within a month. (Now it cash flows by approximately $1,200/month). We also refinanced the property and the bank gave us $190,000 ($100,000 as a mortgage at 2.09% and a line of credit at prime.
Through Alfonso's presentations, Evelyn changed her mindset from that of a consumer, to that of an investor (Imagine that she has 40 different pairs of shoes and about 40 matching purses). So, she is still finding ridiculous deals, but this time around to furnish the houses, or a great real estate deal. She won't buy anything useless, because she thinks that it takes from the downpayment of the next property...
Keyspire has taught us to always be alert. Not to be in a haste, but not to be complacent either.
We would also love to share this online with the keyspire community.

Have you made money or increased your net worth since joining Keyspire?

We enrolled in November for the membership. Until then, we had a condo downtown Toronto that was making $10 a month and a rental in Peterborough that was bleeding money. When we say bleeding, we had already lost 4 months of rent and the previous tenants had completely wrecked the house. The previous tenants (a couple in their 60s) destroyed our hottub, the floors were completely destroyed, they even punched a wall and it had a hole! We were devastated!
In September 21st, we went to the "Scott Creates Cashflow" event. We just wanted to find how to turn our UP property to a cashflowing one. We heard him and he was just inspirational. We also met him personally and he spoke to us for 5 minutes. We explained our situation to him and he said: Did you know that student rentals are doing really well in Peterborough? That was it! We changed our model instantly.
We turned our once UP property into a luxury student rental. We managed to rent it to a group of students in October. We were able to increase our rent and we have not lost a month's rent since then. Today, this property now boasts a 13-feet ceiling family room, 5 bedrooms, a home theatre with bleachers, a massive basement fully furnished with high end furniture. The list goes on. The property now earns $1,300 more a month than it used to. This September we were up for refinance. The appraisal of the bank came $150,000 more than we expected and the bank gave us $190,000 for the refi. $100,000 as a mortgage and $90,000 as a line of credit.
Before all that, we need to explain that the beginning was very slow. So, if this happens to you, please do not be dejected. You see, we went to the summit, with high hopes of great deals. Everyone was closing deals left right and center. Nothing happened. We heard fantastic stories of success with people that were more of idols rather than real people. We felt sad, dejected and utter failures. We thought that the event was great, but we had not even closed on a single deal. What was wrong with us? Were we incompetent? Everyone else seemed to close on deals; not us. We returned home and we were more determined than ever. We were watching videos and by fluke Evelyn's dad had a friend who was a real estate agent and who owned 100 doors in our area. Evelyn and I spoke to him thinking that he might need property managers. Evelyn, though, asked him (let's be honest, she grilled the poor guy) to get her off market opportunities. He found a ridiculous one...A four-plex mansion from the 1800s. Super high end, with exquisite masonry, recently renovated. We saw the price tag and it didn't make sense. It was just ridiculous.
But for some reason, we could not let it go. Evelyn was pushing for it (as always). We run some numbers. The numbers did not make sense. After changing 3 mortgage brokers, COVID hit. At that time, it was February. When we started the process, we were told that a B Lender would give us a mortgage at 4%. Due to COVID and the decreasing rates, we were able to secure financing at the ridiculous rate of 1.75%, refinance our condo, which we used as the down payment. So, basically we were putting almost nothing from our own money. With tactics learned by other Keyspire members, we also vacated the 3 units that were under performing, increasing the rent by $1,100 a month. Following Michael's and Scott's tactics, we had rented the main unit to students even before we had possession of the house.
With some renovations and a huge amount of sweat equity, we finished our renos right on time (within a month and a half) and on budget. We created 4 extra rooms in the main house, renovated 2 washrooms and created a second kitchen on the third floor. Evelyn was able to furnish the house with Bombay furniture, paying only for transportation. The house looked great! We also added a vending machine and for next year, we will be buying kayaks that we will be renting to our tenants. In our future plans, we want to create a meal plan for our students. Now, due to COVID restrictions, this was not possible, but we are looking into it.
In the interim, we also did a couple of private lending deals, with a couple of keyspire members, we signed with District REIT and SG REOT.
This is our time to start our JV journey. We are into discussions with a few members to figure out our next move

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

Working with John has been great. He has been giving us materials to study and we are on the phone with him when we want to review a deal. He has been a wonderful support and the voice of reason many times.

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Keyspire?

Keyspire doesn't just change your financial status. It changes your outlook on life. We became more positive; we became more aware. We are now surrounded by equal minded people who pull us up, who guide us into an amazing journey. We believe that Keyspire members are family. Every single person whom we have met through Keyspire has helped us become better, grow and enjoy this journey. It is not that the journey is danger - free, but Keyspire is offering the safety net called knowledge. So, if you want to deal with real estate, Keyspire is needed. Without them, don't even try. The membership is not just an investment, it is the key to success.
We would also like to tell people that timing is key. Success rarely comes very quickly. It takes time. Keyspire can only provide the keys (the knowledge) to open the door of success. But to be a key master, we need to put time and effort.
We feel that we want to give back to Keyspire in any way we can. We are truly indebted to them for the information they shared and the transformation that we experienced as a result. We would love to tell our story to new members and we are more than willing to share our thoughts, our hindrances and our mistakes, so that others will feel that they are not alone in this. At the end of the day, success is great only when you share it with others.

What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them? 

Where should we start... The first obstacle (which is actually still there, only much better) was our mindset. The thought that we are not ready for it, the thought that we are taking on more debt than ever before, the thought that we are not good enough, that we have no experience, etc.
This obstacle was minimized with time, with interactions with other Keyspire members and with the increased understanding that we achieved through the Keyspire’s videos, and the webinars.
Another quite different obstacle was the uniqueness of the property that we acquired. It took us about 4 months to find an insurance company to insure it.
 I believe that the greatest challenge has been dealing with the city. The bylaws are just ridiculous. In one of our properties we had to put three fire alarms, withing 3 feet. Yes! Within three feet, just to get the rental license!
A crazy one was evicting bats from the mansion. We had a family of bats, who would not leave! We ended up making bat houses and we (thank God) found the point of entry, so now they are gone. (Imagine that a bat removal company quoted us $25,000 to remove them safely).
It is very important to understand that as an active partner challenges will always come up. It is crucial to be alert and be aware at all times. We had to problem solve in several instances and the mindset of trying to solve someone else’s problem was what helped us through up until now.

My Story...

Where were you when you started?

When lockdowns due to COVID first began in March people were fearful of investing. The most important thing I did was not to let COVID interfere with me achieving my goals. At the beginning of the year I had set the goal to quit my job by the end of summer. I achieved that goal on September 2nd. Since Covid hit in March our company closed on 9 new properties; 7 of those were with JVs. We also did 1 flip-to-JV on a renovated property, and 6 refinances.

What role did Keyspire play in your success?

Your network is your net worth. The Keyspire community has always been very supportive. Of the 7 JV deals since March, 6 of those were with 5 different Keyspire members. Of our total 16 JV deals, we have 10 different JV partners and 9 of those are fellow Keyspire members.

What has been the biggest benefit of the Keyspire program you attended? How has it helped improve your family time or family life?

Learning about Joint Ventures was the main reason I joined Keyspire. I had prior experience in real estate investing but learning how to scale my efforts using OPM has been life-changing.
In October I moved to a new/larger primary residence with a home office. I've been able to instill a business mindset in my daughters and show them that hard work pays off.

Have you made money or increased you net worth using any of Keyspire training programs? How much has your net worth increased?

Since joining Keyspire in March 2018 I've added 18 properties to my portfolio, 16 of those with 10 different JV partners (9 Keyspire members). By this summer it was a full time hours on top of my job but it was worth it as my portion of monthly cashflow is now >$4500/mo and my net worth has increase by $195,000 without counting existing projects which have yet to be refinanced.

How has a Keyspire coach or advanced training helped you?

Jason was very helpful in getting us started and helping us stay focused.

What obstacle(s) did you face and what role did Keyspire play to help overcome the obstacles?

I would not be where I am today if I hadn't joined Keyspire. It's a matter of "you don't know what you don't know" and Keyspire offers comprehensive training in all areas of real estate investing. Definitely recommend! 

Whether you have made money using Keyspire programs or not, has your newfound knowledge helped your confidence or outlook for your future?

Although most of my financial growth right now is tied up in the equity of my portfolio, it is amazing to think that the effort I have put forward in the last two years has set me and my family up for the rest of my life. This is mostly due to learning about Joint Ventures which I had never heard about before Keyspire. When I initially signed up to join Keyspire, I remember thinking to myself I could put that membership fee to work to do 2-3 deals over the next 10 years by myself or I could do 20 with JV partners. Here I am two-and-a-half years in and I'm already at 19 with #20 already set to close in February. The scaling that JV's offer is something I never imagined!

Has anyone from the Keyspire team inspired you? (e.g. Scott, Michael, coaches etc.) If so, how?

One of my 3 year goals is to own a vacation resort and seeing what Judi Pare has done is truly inspiring.

Have you made money or increased your net worth since joining Keyspire?

$1700/mo in property management.
$4500/mo in share of cash flow
$150,000 in equity share in properties
$ 45,000 in my share of cash payouts from refinances.

Connect Now
contact@keyspire.com
1-888-556-2244
Keyspire Headquarters
180 Northfield Drive West
Unit 4, 1st Floor
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 
N2L 0C7
For questions and inquiries please call 1-888-556-2244 or e-mail contact@keyspire.com

By using this website you agree to the terms of service and privacy policy
Any published prices are subject to change without notice
Copyright© 2008-2020 Keyspire® Group Inc. All Rights Reserved. Keyspire®, Keyspire® and design, KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERS YOU, THE WEALTH TOUR and certain other names, words, logos, slogans and images used on this website (collectively, the "Trademarks") are trademarks of Keyspire® Group Inc. Keyspire®, and Keyspire® and design, are registered by Keyspire® Group Inc. as trademarks in Canada and the United States. The Trademarks are used, and the related goods and services are distributed, in the United States by Invantage USA Inc. under license from Keyspire® Group Inc. No portion of this site may be reused or reproduced without the prior written consent of such owner and distributor.
Keyspire Group Inc  |   Copyright ©2008-2020   |   All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy -  Terms & Conditions  -  Disclaimer