Radical Wealth Plan – Why Real Estate Isn’t Fair and Why That’s an Advantage?!
Podcast: Radical Wealth Plan | Host: Paul Morris | Guest: Ben Lee
Date: December 22, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, host Paul Morris and guest Ben Lee, a real estate attorney and veteran investor, explore why real estate’s “unfairness” — specifically, the advantage of imperfect and inside information — creates unique opportunities for wealth-building for those who are in the game and willing to do the work. Through candid stories, they reveal the tangible, messy, and ultimately rewarding realities of building wealth through property. The pair break down the risks, rewards, and critical rules that underpin successful real estate investing and discuss why a proactive, ethical approach to dealmaking is not only possible, but essential.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Ben Lee’s Start in Real Estate: Learning by Doing
- Early Inspiration: Ben’s journey began during law school, influenced by his father’s small deals and practical “back of the envelope” lessons.
- First Big Deal: Acquired a distressed note for $50k (owed $90k) through a family connection, with his father’s line of credit.
- Encountered complications: arrears, potential foreclosure, property challenges.
- Brought in a hard-money lender for negotiation assistance.
- Ultimately negotiated with the debtor for loan repayment at the original rate, with added late penalties — paid off in 18 months, covering two years of law school.
- Notable Quote:
“You want nothing to do with this property. You are in way over your head. This is horrible. You do not want it.” – Ron, Ben’s mentor (05:43)
- Timestamp: [02:20]–[07:35]
2. The Power and Legality of Insider Information in Real Estate
- Insider Info is Legal: Unlike the stock market, trading on privileged information in real estate is not just legal, it’s often central to success if you practice transparency.
- Ben offers a story of stepping into a deal after another buyer (a neurosurgeon) hesitated; Ben took over and profited from deeper knowledge of probate and urgency.
- Notable Quote:
“In real estate, it’s actually legal to trade on information that, you know, that nobody else [does]… Many times they want you.” – Ben Lee [10:22]
- Host on the “unfair advantage”:
“Insider information is OK. It’s the only business that I know of where you can...” – Paul Morris [13:40]
3. Solving Problems is Where the Money Is
- Example Deals:
- Buying moldy, problem-ridden properties as others back out in fear or uncertainty, then repairing and documenting remediation yields strong returns.
- Acquiring assets with daunting obstacles (environmental, structural, or title problems) often scares off competition, leaving opportunity for those willing to dig deeper and solve the issue.
- Quotable Moment:
“If you can solve that problem, you… there’s money in it.” – Ben Lee [35:45]
- Timestamp: [15:58]–[35:45]
4. Critical Rules for Real Estate Success
- Paul’s Three Unbreakable Rules:
- Buy Where You Know.
- Value Add is Essential.
- Must Cash Flow (or at minimum, be affordable through a short path to cash flow).
- Ben pushes: being able to “afford” the deal is the root of safety.
- Quote:
“Buy where you know, value add, and it has to cash flow… or you need that straight line [to cash flow].” – Paul Morris [36:35-37:39]
- Ben’s Emphasis:
- Maintain sufficient room in the deal for errors (“make money on the buy”).
- Avoid over-leveraging (especially with expensive hard money loans).
- Use affordable and appropriate debt (“good debt”).
- Timestamp: [24:44], [29:29], [31:13]
5. Risks of Over-Leverage and the Importance of Capital
- Real Stories of Risk:
- Ben shares a personal near-calamity when interest rates rose, threatening overextended projects due to floating construction loans.
- Cautions against “no-money-down” and excessive hard money borrowing; those strategies work for a few, but risk disaster for most.
- Quote:
“The debt is really important and the buy is really important… If the margin is too tight, those problems can sink you.” – Ben Lee [33:44]
- Paul agrees: Conservative, bank-based borrowing and steady acquisition is the path to long-term wealth.
- Timestamps: [31:13]–[40:23]
6. Ethics and Transparency in Competitive Markets
- Disclose Everything:
- Both stress complete transparency with clients, sellers, and partners.
- Deals are best when everyone is clear and comfortable; Paul and Ben both recommend putting all relevant conversations, especially potential conflicts, in writing.
- Quotable Wisdom:
“Put it in writing… My disclosures are so awesome. I love my disclosures.” – Ben Lee [23:31]
- Timestamp: [21:28]–[24:00]
7. Creative Structuring for Changing Circumstances
- Adaptability:
- Example: Ben’s deal involving a sale-leaseback to a seller needing time to move into a retirement community. When the move happened sooner than anticipated, Ben flexibly pivoted, renting to a friend and absorbing unexpected repair costs — maintaining a win-win, ethical approach.
- Quote:
“Even after all that… I still feel like it was a good deal.” – Ben Lee [29:18]
- Timestamp: [25:43]–[29:18]
8. Long-Term Perspective and Resilience
- Cycles and Opportunity:
- Both recall the devastation of 2008, observing that those most exposed to short-term, risky leverage lost the most.
- Today, with $1 trillion in real estate debt maturing in 2026, future “problems” will create new opportunities for disciplined investors.
- Quote:
“That’s going to create real problems. And it’s going to create amazing opportunities.” – Paul Morris [45:34]
- Timestamp: [45:14]–[45:39]
Memorable Quotes
- “If you can solve that problem, you… there’s money in it.” – Ben Lee [35:45]
- “Insider information is OK. It’s the only business that I know of where you can...” – Paul Morris [13:40]
- “Put it in writing… My disclosures are so awesome. I love my disclosures.” – Ben Lee [23:31]
- “Make money on the buy… only buy deals with room.” – Paul Morris & Ben Lee [29:45]
- “The debt is really important and the buy is really important… If the margin is too tight, those problems can sink you.” – Ben Lee [33:44]
- “You can pull the rabbit out of the hat… but be careful.” – Ben Lee [42:24]
- “That’s going to create real problems. And it’s going to create amazing opportunities.” – Paul Morris [45:34]
Timeline: Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:20–07:35 | Ben’s first note deal, negotiation lessons, first big profits | | 10:22–14:02 | Insider information, unique legal landscape in real estate | | 15:58–18:59 | Dealing with mold/other complex problems, creative solutions | | 24:44–29:18 | Rules for not losing money; buy where you know, value add, affordable debt | | 31:13–33:44 | How leverage can become dangerous; avoiding tight margins | | 35:45–36:35 | The value of problem-solving in both agency and investing | | 42:19–45:39 | 2008 lessons, future debt crisis, coming opportunities |
Tone, Language, and Style
The conversation is frank, practical, and friendly, with Paul and Ben blending legal savvy, real-world experience, humor, and humility. They emphasize ethical practices, authenticity, and the value of resiliency over hype or shortcuts.
Final Takeaways
- Real estate is “unfair” — imperfect information, hard problems, and insider insight favor those willing to do the hard work and maintain high ethical standards.
- Wealth comes from solving big, messy problems others avoid, and persistent, creative adaptation.
- Disciplined buying, appropriate leverage, and capital preservation are the keys to both surviving downturns and thriving during opportunities.
- Transparency builds trust and long-term business.
- Coming real estate cycles will provide outsized opportunities for prepared, honest investors.
- Real estate isn’t easy or always fair—but that’s exactly why it works.