Joining us today on the Clever Investor Show is Jerome Maldonado Jerome Maldonado has been a self-employed Entrepreneur. Inspired by his parents’ dedicated work ethic, Jerome has always had a hunger for success and a willingness to do whatever it took to make his vision for his life a reality.  He founded J. Jacob Realty, LLC., and he is still currently the active Qualifying Broker. J. Jacob Realty, LLC was put into place to complement its sister company J. Jacob Enterprises, Inc, in 2000. He is still the active President and CEO of J. Jacob Enterprises, Inc. and the Qualifying Broker for J. Jacob Realty, LLC. Additionally, he is the founder of several other corporations and an investor and equity owner in several diverse companies and industries. Today, Jerome is excited to bring over 20 years of professional experience to the world’s business owners and entrepreneurs. He can’t wait to share his knowledge to help other hungry people take their lives to the next level. In today’s podcast episode, Cody and  Jerome discuss the challenges of breaking into the multifamily real estate market. Jerome shares his personal experience of moving from single-family homes to multifamily properties and how he found success with the help of a mentor. They also discuss the pitfalls of relying on cash for deals and the challenges of dealing with banks during a market downturn. Jerome also shares how he had to adapt his strategy and scale his business to succeed in the industry. The conversation provides insights into the multifamily real estate market and the skills needed to succeed in it. HIGHLIGHTS: Jerome talks about making an embarrassing amount of money and keeping more of it through understanding tax benefits and the tax structure.  He also discusses multiplying your money and making it matter by investing in smart products, such as affordable housing. Jerome shares his journey as well from single-family houses to multifamily apartments He advises staying focused on what you currently do well, while also migrating and educating yourself on new investment opportunities. It's okay to learn from successful investors and start executing small investments.    Website URL: https://jeromemaldonado.com/ Social Media URL: Jerome Maldonado IG ?  https://instagram.com/thejeromemaldonado?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Jerome Maldonado YT ? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtwtRGxF2viCRYui_xOKUuQ  Jerome Maldonado FB ? https://www.instagram.com/josephfazio/?hl=en    TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - Prelude 00:11 - Introduction to Jerome Maldonado 01:12 - How he started in the multifamily construction industry in 2009 indirectly and became fully immersed in it in 2016 01:35 - Total of units completed under management and under construction 01:47 - Making and keeping money through understanding tax benefits, multiplying money, and making money matter  2:18 - Successful things that Jerome has done and completed as a developer and builder 3:18 - How he initially found the industry challenging and wanted to leave, but grateful he stayed and learned the game 5:31 - Have to have a partner that's more experienced in the beginning to get in the game 6:40 -  How did you build your Power team? How did you approach it? How are you looking at things? 8:31 -Issue of hidden clauses in contracts that can negatively affect people in the future when the markets are not doing well. 8:54 - How Jerome fights with lenders over servicing loans during a difficult market period while also investing in Class D properties and leasing to immigrants in a politically hostile environment 10:49 - Built your network around it 11:05 -  Jerome built a portfolio based on the referrals of guys that needed places to live. 12:26 - How to sell finance deals to loyal cash renters in the Hispanic community by constantly injecting capital to meet their financial needs. 13:44 - Jerome sold his property to companies that specialized in that asset class, after realizing the nee