Digital Social Hour | Episode: Grant Cardone: He Bought a $2M House… Then Grant Did the Math (DSH #1761)

Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Grant Cardone
Date: January 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively and candid conversation, host Sean Kelly brings back entrepreneur and real estate mogul Grant Cardone for his third appearance on the show. True to Digital Social Hour’s ethos, the episode delivers unfiltered perspectives on wealth building, real estate, bitcoin, generational financial advice, family, and even personal relationships. Grant pulls no punches as he critiques common financial choices, reflects on mentorship and raising his daughter, and shares inside stories from his business life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of Homeownership for Gen Z

• Grant’s Core Message: Young people should not be buying homes—they should rent instead.
  • [00:00, 08:09] “Gen Z shouldn’t buy a house… Like a house is not a thing people should be buying. They should rent.” (Grant Cardone)
• Grant gives a blunt financial breakdown for Sean, who recently bought a $2 million house:
  • After putting 20% down and carrying a 10% interest mortgage, Sean would pay $1.6 million in interest over 10 years and still owe the principal (“Your $400 grand’s dead. Earning nothing. You could have taken that $400 grand, bought Bitcoin.” – [09:04])
  • Renting, in Grant’s view, offers greater financial flexibility and less responsibility for taxes, maintenance, or long-term commitment.
• Notable quote:

  “You could have bought $400,000 of Bitcoin… instead you sold crypto to buy the house.” — Grant Cardone [09:15-09:29]

2. Real Estate & Bitcoin: Innovation Meets Security

• Grant’s Investment Strategy: Combining real estate assets with bitcoin holdings in a business model that creates a “moat” around his operation—something institutional giants can’t easily replicate due to regulatory constraints on REITs.
  • Recent $235 million Boca Raton purchase included 900 Bitcoin. [04:14–06:45]
  • The blend reduces bitcoin volatility and allows for major-scale innovation in an otherwise stale REIT market.
  • “The play here is not the bitcoin or the real estate. It's the REIT industry… putting real estate and bitcoin together, I have basically a moat around my business.” — Grant Cardone [06:22]
• Advice:

  “I’m not buying the bitcoin by itself because it’s so volatile. I keep telling people, leave that thing alone by itself, dude.” [05:11]

3. Predictions & Society: Renters Nation and Beyond

• Grant reminds Sean he predicted the rise of a “renters nation” years ago, as Gen Z becomes increasingly unable to afford homes and new financial products like 50-year mortgages emerge.
  • “You said we'd be a renters nation... Three years ago, you called it, they just announced a 50-year mortgage. Gen Z can't afford houses. You called that.” — Sean Kelly [08:01]

4. Family, Mentorship, & Education

• Grant is passionate about teaching his daughter, Sabrina, through real-life business experiences rather than formal schooling.
  • “She finished school at 15… homeschooled. She’ll go to my college.” [13:51–14:05]
  • Relates stories of involving her in high-stakes negotiations and litigation, teaching her to see through business situations and confront hard truths directly.
    • “My daughter’s like, he knew the whole time, the whole time he was lying.” [15:17–15:28]
    • “You can’t learn that in school, man. You can only learn it being in the game.” [15:37–15:38]
  • On not gatekeeping information from his kids:

    “No, nothing. She gets to see all of that. All of it.” — Grant Cardone [14:26]

5. Marriage, Business & Decision-Making

• Mixing Marriage and Business: Grant doesn’t recommend a spouse working within the same business if the husband is the founder/decision maker, sharing that clear roles and 100% commitment—rather than “50/50”—lead to better outcomes.
  • “You got to get 100% from her, 100% from you… She needs to give 100% what she’s good at… then you need to do what you’re good at.” [21:15–21:43]
• Grant shares that he’s decisive, disciplined, and prizes simplicity in both personal and professional decisions:
  • “I make decisions very quickly, and then another superpower is I make sure that decision works… I trust me, and I have a lot of discipline. I believe that is a superpower.” [22:39–23:04]
• On weaknesses: Even someone as successful as Grant admits to them—he’s not good at hiring or firing, which he delegates.

  “That’s not my superpower.” [22:34]

6. Keeping It Simple

• Grant credits much of his success to simplifying—cutting through trends (“putting real estate on the blockchain”—not necessary yet), and finding business innovations that are easy to understand, scale, and execute.
  • “I’m a very simple man. If it’s complicated, I don’t do it.” [23:43–23:56]
• On Entrepreneurship:

  “A lot of people try to come up with these complicated ideas of businesses these days. But you’re right about being simple. Keep it easy, right?” — Sean Kelly [24:33–24:43]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Homeownership:

  “So in 10 years, you will have paid $1.6 million in interest and you will still owe $1.6 million.” — Grant Cardone [08:53]

• Buying with Emotion vs. Logic:

  “I did it mainly for my— I just got married.” — Sean Kelly [11:46]
  “You did it for her… What nationality is she?… That’s why you don’t mix.” — Grant Cardone [11:51–11:53]

• On Involving Kids in Business:

  “She’s in all the meetings… She saw me do a call the other day with a guy… At the end of the call, my daughter’s like, ‘he knew the whole time, the whole time he was lying.’” — Grant Cardone [14:06–15:28]

• On Mediation Style:

  “This guy’s been doing this, he’s typically a retired judge… The way you do this is you interrupt the whole process… I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” — Grant Cardone [16:01–16:23]

• On Relationships & Leadership:

  “One of you guys has to be in charge, bro… You got to get 100% from her, 100 from you. 50/50 is 50 pesos and 50 American dollars. What is that at, 25 cents?” — Grant Cardone [21:11–21:25]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Why Gen Z Should Rent, Not Buy: [00:00–00:21], [08:01–09:04]
• Grant’s Real Estate + Bitcoin Model: [04:14–06:45]
• Breakdown of Home Mortgage Math: [08:53–09:44]
• Teaching Kids Business (Sabrina stories): [13:45–15:28], [15:38–17:24]
• Role of Simplicity in Business: [23:43–24:33]
• Decision Making as a Superpower: [22:39–23:21]

Episode Highlights & Memorable Exchanges

• Humorous Banter: Sean admits to selling crypto to buy a house—Grant razzes him playfully for both the financial move and, tongue-in-cheek, for not living up to “Asian” money-savvy stereotypes.

  “How can an Asian man make that big a mistake?” — Grant Cardone [11:42]

• Practical Wisdom: Grant lays out plain logic on why renting provides more freedom and less risk, with real-life numbers and comparisons.
• Unconventional Parenting: Grant’s daughter, instead of going to college, learns firsthand about business, negotiation, and hard truths from being at his side.

Tone & Language

Grant Cardone brings a straight-shooting, high-energy, often humorous tone. He’s blunt, irreverent, and generous with personal anecdotes—alternately provoking, encouraging, and mentoring both Sean and listeners. The conversation is informal, filled with real talk, a few jabs, and lots of hard-earned perspective, making this episode both eye-opening and entertaining.

Listen if you want:

• Real talk on wealth building and why old financial advice may not serve the next generation.
• Insights into how a multi-millionaire views risk, reward, and opportunity in today’s world.
• Lessons on decision-making, business innovation, and raising entrepreneurially minded kids.
• Spicy, quick-witted banter and stories you won’t find in a business textbook.