John’s Corner

Hey it’s John,

Another wild week.

My wife was still out of town with three of the boys, so it was just me and my 13-year-old holding it down.

Two-a-days at the gym.

Protein shakes.

Late night replays of classic 90’s comedies like Happy Gilmore.

Then everyone got back and the house exploded with noise.

Was awesome.

The I-4 Corridor: Buy While It’s Hard

Last week’s post on Tampa, Orlando, and Lakeland got flooded with comments and DMs.

Because everyone’s watching this stretch and thinking the same thing:

“This place is going to explode.”

They’re right.

But they’re also waiting.

Waiting for rates to drop.

Waiting for insurance to get fixed.

Waiting for perfect conditions.

Here’s the truth:

• Interest rates are high

• Insurance is a mess

But they won’t stay that way.

Smart money is still buying right now because the long-term bet is obvious:

✅ Tampa and Orlando are booming

✅ Lakeland is the logistics sweet spot

✅ Warehouses, multifamily, and rooftops are rising everywhere

✅ Infrastructure is chasing the growth

✅ Migration and job growth aren’t slowing down

If you wait for smooth sailing, you’ll pay retail.

I’d rather deal with some chop and catch the upside.

REI Staffing Spotlight: Saad from Islamabad

This week’s win comes from one of our secret weapons: Saad.

He’s based in Islamabad and runs point on lead management for three different investor clients across the Southeast.

Here’s what makes him lethal:

✅ Checks every inbox by 7 a.m. EST

✅ Scrubs every inbound lead before the sales team even wakes up

✅ Built an automated Google Sheets dashboard to track lead source ROI in real time

✅ Updates Follow Up Boss like it’s mission control

One of our clients was losing 3–5 warm leads per week.

Since Saad stepped in?

Zero have gone cold.

Deal volume doubled in six weeks.

Want someone like that on your team?

Just reply and I’ll send a shortlist.

Local Plug: Crossroads Hot Chicken

You’ve probably driven past it a hundred times without stopping.

It’s tucked into a strip on the east side near Topgolf, just before the 301 turnoff.

Crossroads is a Nashville hot chicken spot with Tampa swagger.

It’s not fancy. The seating is tight.

And yes, you’ll leave smelling like fried everything.

But the food?

Outrageous.

I go with the classic sandwich on “HOT” heat.

It punches you in the face.

And I freaking LOVE it.

Got a Real Estate Question?

Wondering how to:

• Lock up off-market deals without hard money?

• Navigate seller finance with high rates?

• Build your dream team of offshore pros?

Reply to this email and I’ll answer one in next week’s journal.

See you next Tuesday,

— John

Tampa Real Estate Guy

Helping you crush your real estate investing goals