If you’re interested in becoming a General Partner, what actionable steps can you take? How does one go from working a W2 job to landing their first syndication deal? I was fortunate enough to pick the brains of aspiring syndicators, Jon and Michelle De Los Reyes on their current journey.
It was only 4 months ago that they joined the Sumrok ecosystem after attending the R2R conference. Since then, they have invested in 2 deals (Calder Square Apartments and Hollyview Apartments) as Limited Partners totaling 500 units. They’ve committed to building a strong foundation for underwriting and a network of potential Co-GPs and LPs.
The De los Reyes invested in Calder Square Apartments, a 164 unit Class B property in League City, Texas
Jon and Michelle first learned about multifamily syndications through relatives, Lea Rodriguez and Carmina del Fonso. While Michelle urged Jon to purchase the single-family home next door for sale as an additional income stream, Lea and Carmina saved them the headache of tenants, trash, and termites.
Wise words from syndicators given that Jon and Michelle work full-time as engineering and healthcare professionals while running two e-commerce businesses. Although they are busy with various obligations, the couple finds harmony through their work, partnership, and marriage.
It is through their common goals that they work together to find spontaneous ways to celebrate milestones. Whether it’s coffee dates to practice underwriting or taking their 8th-anniversary photo near the first multifamily property they invested in, both are aligned that anything worthwhile takes patience.
The newest syndicators, Jon and Michelle De Los Reyes in their home base of Houston, Texas.
Incremental, implementable, imperfect
Jon states that every goal needs to be broken down into incremental steps because the summation of consistent, small steps equate to progress in achieving the overall goal. He also references implementable (action or plan) based on experiences, people, and resources currently available. Lastly, any new challenge will result in errors or imperfect results, but that is all part of the learning curve.
Accountability partners
Jon and Michelle found accountability partners with other aspiring syndicators in the same mentorship program. This has accelerated their learning by pinpointing facets of underwriting that they otherwise would have overlooked. Underwriting is subjective thus finding partners and coordinating weekly meetings has allowed them to find comfort and familiarity with learning together.
Smart Goals
The De los Reyes’ have concrete weekly targets which includes attending 2 networking events, meeting 3 new people in the syndication space, and underwriting 3 new deals. They are focused on finding co-sponsors, particularly those with a high net-worth or a wide network. They also have hired VAs to assist with these benchmarks to streamline the process and free up some of their precious time.
Educate friends and family
Start educating friends and family as soon as possible – build your investor network now. Raising capital does not begin the day you find a deal but rather it starts with warming your leads. While peers may view you under one identity (an engineering expert or employee), you have to begin to change their perception. This begins with content (newsletters), branding, and educating those around you.
We are excited to follow Jon and Michelle on their syndication journey. If you are in the local Houston area or want to connect, feel free to reach out at dlrxventures@gmail.com.
Kristina Xie is a real estate syndication enthusiast. She invests in properties in NYC, however became interested in large scale multifamily units after attending her first real estate conference in November 2021. When she is not actively interviewing people or writing articles, she enjoys the outdoors and traveling around the world!
