Working Full-Time? How Brian Alfaro Built Real Estate on the Side Before Going Full-Time

Episode Summary

Brian Alfaro began investing in real estate in 2017 while working in the restaurant industry and operating coffee shop businesses. He started with single-family rentals, flips, and wholesale deals before realizing that reaching his income goals through individual houses would require managing a large number of properties. That realization led him toward multifamily investing and eventually capital raising.

In this episode, Brian explains how he transitioned from active single-family investing into multifamily, became Director of Investor Relations at Headway Capital, and personally raised about $20 million for real estate deals. He also discusses active versus passive investing, navigating higher interest rates, acquiring distressed properties, and why strong relationships and asset management matter when building a real estate business.

• How Brian started investing while working in corporate America and operating coffee shops.
• Why he moved from single-family properties into multifamily investing.
• How having more time than money influenced his decision to become an active investor.
• Why busy professionals should evaluate whether active or passive investing fits their lifestyle.
• How Brian transitioned into real estate full-time and capital raising.
• Why his firm paused acquisitions during volatile interest-rate conditions.
• How relationships with sellers and lenders helped the team acquire distressed properties.
• Why fixed versus floating-rate debt can materially affect a real estate deal.
• Why strong asset management is critical after a property is acquired.
• Why new investors should focus on becoming a deal finder, dollar finder, or asset manager.

Brian's journey shows that the right real estate strategy depends on your available time, capital, family responsibilities, and long-term goals. If your career already demands most of your time, becoming an active investor can create another major responsibility.

For professionals who want real estate exposure without finding deals, managing properties, or dealing with lenders themselves, passive investing may offer another path. Brian emphasizes getting educated, understanding who you are investing with, and taking a long-term approach rather than expecting one deal to replace your paycheck.

Brian Alfaro is the Director of Investor Relations at Headway Capital, a Houston-based real estate investment firm. He began his real estate journey in 2017 and later transitioned from single-family investing into multifamily and capital raising.

According to the episode, Headway Capital has approximately 3,000 units in its portfolio and has raised more than $100 million in investor capital. Brian says he has personally raised approximately $20 million for real estate deals.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balfaro89/
Email: brian@headwaycapital.us
Company: Headway Capital

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