The Code to Winning – Episode 71

HOW I BUILT $30 MILLION PORTFOLIO & 120 UNITS IN MULTI-FAMILY REAL ESTATE

Guest: Brandon Locascio
Host: Kagiso Dikane
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kagiso Dikane sits down with Brandon Locascio, a Los Angeles-based real estate entrepreneur, who shares the story of scaling his real estate business from humble beginnings to a $30 million portfolio and 120+ multifamily units. The discussion dives deep into Brandon’s formative years, his strategies, systems, key partnerships, and insights gained from two decades in the real estate industry—particularly in multifamily investments. The tone is candid, practical, and at times humorous, offering golden nuggets for both beginners and seasoned investors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Upbringing & Early Real Estate Exposure

• Background in Real Estate Family

  • Brandon’s family is saturated with real estate professionals—parents, uncle, grandmother (00:00, 02:46).
  • Despite this, had little understanding of the mechanics of the business when he started.
  • Quote:

    "The joke in our family has always been, you could throw a stick and find a realtor." – Brandon (00:00, 02:46)

• First Steps: From Oil Change Shop to Mortgage Sales

  • Post-high school, Brandon worked at a lube center before a friend introduced him to mortgage sales (02:46).
  • Admits he didn’t even know what a mortgage was at the time.

• Market Crash: Baptism by Fire

  • Entered the mortgage business in 2005, just before the financial crisis hit.
  • Realized the need to pivot quickly when the market changed (05:30, 07:44).
  • Quote:

    "I could have started in a market that was going up for 10 years, but it kind of sharpened me fast to get in… I had to learn to be nimble." – Brandon (05:30)

2. Pivotal Career Moves

• Transition to Real Estate Brokerage

  • Moved into brokerage during the foreclosure wave (08:01).
  • Learned about short sales, bank-owned deals—emphasizes adaptability.

• Investment Beginnings

  • Started in residential sales, later gravitated toward investments and development (08:43).
  • Flipped first property—a mobile home—for a small profit (10:16).
  • Mindset shift: pivoted from chasing commissions to building passive income portfolios.

• First Big Partnership

  • Moved from agent to partner by boldly pitching to a client (12:40).
  • Quote:

    "I said to him, I don't want to be your broker. I want to be your partner, because I'm ready to build an empire." – Brandon (12:53)

3. Systems, Disciplines, and Scaling Up

• Focus & Mentorship

  • Focused on multifamily properties rather than being distracted by “shiny objects” like self-storage or mobile home parks (13:48).
  • Sought mentorship from industry leaders like Grant Cardone.
  • Quote:

    "When I focused, whether it's geographically or on the business model, I can go farther faster." – Brandon (13:48)

• Long-term Mindset

  • Warns against the trap of instant gratification; encourages playing the long game (16:09).
  • Draws inspiration from Warren Buffett and Grant Cardone.
  • Quote:

    "Don’t get rich quick, get rich for sure." – Grant Cardone, repeated by Brandon (17:42)

• Acquisition Strategies

  • Embraces creative financing and partnerships (OPM—other people’s money).
  • Started small: first house in Bakersfield for $80K with just $20K down (19:43).
  • Encourages starting modestly and using friends/family partnerships.

• Building a Team

  • Emphasizes the importance of having partners with complementary skills.
  • Current company “BCGK”—Brandon, Chuck, Greg, Kevin (23:15).

4. Practical Steps for New Investors

• Getting Started

  • Step 1: Start looking at properties—research, talk to brokers, drive neighborhoods, attend events (24:49).
  • Understand your local market and property types before investing.
  • Quote:

    "You're going to build a car, you better figure out how cars run..." – Brandon (24:49)

• Success by Property Type

  • Flipping vs. Multifamily: Multifamily yields more stability and long-term returns (26:50).
  • Example of selling a property for almost double its value in three years with steady cash flow (29:03).
  • Mindset: Building a portfolio is like playing Monopoly for real.

5. Raising Capital & Investor Relationships

• Transparency & Trust

  • Keeps investors informed with open financials and quarterly statements; investors can even attend team meetings (31:53).
  • Quote:

    "You need to be an open book... If you can offer them something hands-off, honest, and with a nice return, they're not going anywhere." – Brandon (31:53)

• Educating Investors

  • Many investors look to diversify beyond the stock market/crypto.

6. Navigating Market Challenges

• Adjusting to High Interest Rates
  • Responded by increasing down payments from 30% to 50% when necessary (34:31).
  • Underwrites deals for staying power—knowing how many tenants can leave before having cash flow issues.
  • Quote:

    "Rates will come down, property values will go up... but you want to make sure you understand your break even on your rents." – Brandon (34:31)

7. Scaling to $100 Million: Future Roadmap

• Brand and Network Expansion
  • Focuses on visibility (“get known” as Grant Cardone says) to attract investors, partners, deals, and contractors (36:33).
  • Building new systems, hiring more team members, investing in tech (shifted from QuickBooks to Yardi).
  • Attending and hosting events for networking and deal flow (36:56).
  • Quote:

    "I can’t do it by myself. I need more people to want to join and come along on the journey." – Brandon (36:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The joke in our family has always been you could throw a stick and find a realtor." – Brandon (00:00, 02:46)
• "I could have started in a market that was going up for 10 years, but it kind of sharpened me fast to get in…" – Brandon (05:30)
• "I said to him, I don't want to be your broker. I want to be your partner, because I'm ready to build an empire." – Brandon (12:53)
• "When I focused, whether it's geographically or on the business model, I can go farther faster." – Brandon (13:48)
• "Don’t get rich quick, get rich for sure." – (originally Grant Cardone, cited by Brandon) (17:42)
• "You're going to build a car, you better figure out how cars run..." – Brandon (24:49)
• "I can't do it by myself. I need more people to want to join and come along on the journey." – Brandon (36:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening & Background: 00:00–05:30
• Market Crash Pivots: 05:30–08:43
• Investment Mindset and First Flips: 08:43–13:30
• Partnerships & Scaling Up: 13:30–19:43
• Creative Financing & Starting Out: 19:43–23:13
• Building the Team Structure: 23:13–24:49
• First Steps for Beginners: 24:49–26:38
• Flipping vs. Multifamily: 26:38–30:34
• Raising Capital & Transparency: 31:53–34:15
• Interest Rate Adjustments & Risk Management: 34:31–36:33
• Scaling to $100 Million Strategy: 36:33–38:04
• Event Promotion & Contact Info: 38:04–39:22

Conclusion & Takeaways

Brandon Locascio’s journey underscores the role of persistence, focus, and continual learning in building lasting wealth through real estate. He advocates for starting small, leveraging partnerships, focusing on a niche, and scaling through systems and trust-based investor relations. The episode is full of actionable advice, memorable stories, and real-world examples that demystify the path from a single property to a multi-million dollar portfolio.

To connect with Brandon:
Instagram: @misterlocascio (38:41)
Upcoming real estate event: February 21st, 2026, LA (38:06)

Quote to remember:
"Don't get rich quick—get rich for sure." – Grant Cardone (as cited by Brandon) (17:42)