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In this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben welcomes back returning guest Zeona McIntyre for a conversation on how real estate investors can evolve with the market while staying grounded in what really matters. Zeona first joined the show in Episode 215, “Normalizing the 30-Day Stay in Your Short-Term Rental Business.” Since that conversation, both the market and Zeona’s investing approach have continued to evolve, making this return to the lab a timely update on where opportunities exist today.

Zeona shares how her journey has progressed from short-term rental arbitrage to property ownership, mid-term rentals, and now creative financing strategies designed to help investors operate in a higher-interest-rate environment. She breaks down the concept of subject-to financing in simple terms, explains how creative deal structures can solve real problems for buyers and sellers, and highlights how investors can position themselves to acquire properties without relying solely on traditional lending.

Throughout the discussion, Ruben and Zeona explore the importance of experimentation in entrepreneurship, emphasizing how investors must continually adapt their strategies as markets shift. Zeona also shares real examples of creative deals, including situations where distressed sellers were able to exit challenging financial positions while investors stepped in with new visions for the property. These stories highlight how creative financing can create multiple wins across a single transaction.

The conversation expands beyond deal structures into the broader mindset required to thrive as an entrepreneur. Ruben and Zeona discuss collaboration, relationship-driven deal flow, and the shift from trying to do everything alone to building networks where multiple people benefit from a single opportunity. They also explore the growing influence of AI and why building strong cash-flowing assets may become even more important as technology reshapes industries.

Toward the end of the episode, Zeona shares insights from her upcoming book, The Creative Closer, which outlines several creative financing strategies and the negotiation frameworks investors can use to structure deals in unconventional ways. She closes with a reminder that while entrepreneurs often focus on the next milestone, it’s just as important to slow down, appreciate the present moment, and find small pockets of joy in everyday life.

Tune in now to hear how Zeona McIntyre continues to experiment, adapt, and help investors think differently about creative financing, collaboration, and the future of real estate.

KEEPING IT REAL

03:20 – Investor evolution

04:36 – Experimentation mindset

06:38 – Sub-to deal story

07:43 – Creative financing shift

08:15 – STR tax strategy

10:41 – Subject-to explained

12:20 – Writing new book

15:00 – Creative deal case

21:27 – Creative deal tools

24:14 – AI and real estate

25:01 – Cash flow strategy

31:26 – Collaboration mindset

45:15 – Enjoy the moment

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: https://www.zeonamcintyre.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeona-mcintyre/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeonamcintyre

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