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Real Estate Runway - Chad Sutton - Insta
S1E23
The Chattanooga Deal: The Judge Picked Our Offer, Not the Seller's with Brandon Thornberry
October 06, 2021 39 min
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Episode Description

Sometimes you get those deals that are so colorful you can’t help but take away some golden lessons from them. In this episode, me and my buddy Brandon Thornberry are going to take a deeper look into one of those deals from our own experience. Brandon is the Owner/Operator of UrbanGate Capital, which focuses on identifying emerging markets and investing in the path of progress. Prior to starting UrbanGate Capital, he spent 13 years acquiring and renovating single family homes. The skills developed during this time have been brought forward into the multifamily space in finding opportunities, envisioning the value-add potential, and executing on the value-add plan.  Currently, UrbanGate is prioritizing the acquisition of properties in Middle, TN - Nashville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville.


Tons of nuggets in this episode, so jump in, and let’s dive into the adventure we had behind this deal in Chattanooga and why a judge decided to pick our offer over the sellers.


Real Estate as the Best Exit Strategy - [00:01 – 04:32]


  • I welcome Brandon Thornberry

  • Quick recap of his bio

  • Brandon gives a deeper look into his background

  • A background in the music industry as a tour manager

  • A building passion for real estate

  • His first ‘House Hack’

  • Every area Brandon has experience in

The Chattanooga Deal: The Judge Picked Our Offer, Not the Seller's - [04:33 – 34:31]


  • A starting look at the deal between me and Brandon

  • 128 unit in Chattanooga

  • Off-market, forced deal by a judge

  • Getting in the middle of a family feud

  • How the deal was pencilled

  • 70% expense ratio right off the bat

  • The heavy underwriting process

  • $300,000 of payroll

  • Lessons learned from this property’s underwriting process

  • Multifamily take a mental game to get right

  • Hitting hurdles on this deal

  • Having to testify in court

  • Given a Gag Order on the deal

  • Tricked into missing due diligence days

  • Pushed to hire a professional litigation attorney

  • Navigating complicated property tax laws

  • Coaching the seller with market and data analysis

  • A month and a half of settling time

  • A look at the quality of the asset

  • A solidly made building with little to no insurance claims

  • Steel reinforced concrete

  • Why our offer was picked

  • How relationships came into play

  • Shifting the leverage to our side
    Ousting the opposing attorney
    Playing chicken with the opposition

  • Closing the deal

  • Down to the wire

  • Where we are now with the deal

Final Questions (The Quattro Trio) - [34:32 - 39:15]


  • What is your superpower?

  • Finding deals, envisioning the CapEx, and figuring out the budget

  • What is your biggest failure?

  • Not partnering and not hiring earlier on

  • How are you making the world a better place?

  • Corner to Corner Ministry

  • How to reach Brandon

  • Links below

  • Final words

Tweetable Quotes:


“What I found out as I transitioned into Multifamily is you really have to set aside time to underwrite deals… I think that’s where the mental game can be tough.” - Brandon Thornberry


“Deals are not found, they’re made.” - Chad Sutton


“People see that you’re able to close deals and that’s what brokers want to see… Brokers want to make deals to people they know can get it done.” - Brandon Thornberry


“Finding the right ‘who's in your life is exponential because you get those people’s capabilities.” - Brandon Thornberry

Resourced Mentioned:


Want to connect with Brandon? You can find him on Facebook. Check out UrbanGate Capital and start investing in the path to progress.

Try out SyndicationPro: Raise more capital in less time!


Join the MFIN Summit and use our promo code: QUATTRO

LEAVE A 5 STAR REVIEW + help someone who wants to explode their business growth by sharing this episode. Find out how team Quattro can help you by visiting www.TheQuattroWay.com.


Real Estate Runway Podcast is all about alternative business and investment strategies to help you amplify life, and maximize wealth! 


Click here to find out more about the host, Chad Sutton.


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