Baltimore RE full circle

Hosted by Yaakov Kanevsky

Business InvestingInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook Instagram YouTube

Episodes

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Welcome to the Baltimore RE Full Circle Podcast, your ultimate resource for local real estate investors seeking comprehensive knowledge about the Baltimore market. In each episode, we bring you insightful interviews with experienced vendors and successful investors who will guide you through the intricacies of the local real estate landscape.

Listen to episodes

35 recent

August 13, 202633 min

What Makes a Great Development? Lessons from Amy Bonitz of MCB

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, we sit down with Amy Bonitz of MCB Real Estate to discuss her journey from neighborhood planning and nonprofit revitalization work to leading transformative development projects across Baltimore. Amy shares how thoughtful real estate development can turn long-vacant properties into vibrant community assets, the importance of assembling the right team, and why successful projects begin by listening to the neighborhoods they serve. We also explore what makes Baltimore such a unique city for development, from its historic architecture and strong community organizations to its anchor institutions and public-private partnerships. Amy explains why she remains optimistic about Baltimore's future, highlights projects that are helping reshape neighborhoods across the city, and offers valuable advice for aspiring developers looking to build not just successful projects, but stronger communities.

August 13, 202633 min

What Makes a Great Development? Lessons from Amy Bonitz of MCB

July 26, 202638 min

What Most Investors Get Wrong About Baltimore with Alex Aaron

Is Baltimore still one of the country's most overlooked real estate markets? In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Alex Aaron , founder of Blank Slate Development, to discuss why he's bullish on Baltimore while many investors remain on the sidelines. Alex shares his journey from Wall Street to leading one of the city's most active development firms, revitalizing vacant properties, building multifamily housing, and transforming neighborhoods through thoughtful redevelopment. The conversation dives into Baltimore's biggest investment opportunities, the incentives many investors overlook, the importance of local partnerships and due diligence, and why Alex believes the city's long-term future is brighter than ever. Whether you're an investor, developer, or simply interested in Baltimore's growth, this episode offers valuable insights into one of the East Coast's most misunderstood real estate markets.

April 17, 20261 hr 17 min

Baltimore’s Eviction Process: A Conversation with the City Sheriff’s Office

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen and Assistant Sheriff Nicholas Blendy for an inside look at how evictions and property enforcement actually work in Baltimore. They break down the full eviction process—from court orders to on-the-ground execution—while addressing common misconceptions landlords and tenants have about timelines, responsibilities, and legal constraints. The conversation also explores the operational realities the Sheriff’s Office faces, including coordination with property owners, safety considerations, and the challenges of enforcing the law in a complex housing environment. Whether you’re a landlord, property manager, or investor, this episode offers a clear, practical understanding of what happens beyond the paperwork and how to better navigate the realities of Baltimore’s enforcement process.

March 13, 202630 min

The Power of Leverage in Real Estate: Tenny Tolofari on Building XSITE Capital

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Tenny Tolofari, co-founder of XSITE Capital, to discuss how he went from a tech career to building a multifamily investment platform with over $240M in assets under management. Tenny shares how a $97 real estate course sparked his journey, the lessons learned scaling into large multifamily deals, and how leveraging partnerships helped his team complete their first acquisition. The conversation dives into the realities of property management, market selection, and why demand fundamentals—jobs, population growth, and income—matter more than anything else. Tenny also discusses mistakes along the way, including challenges with property management and investing in the wrong markets, while outlining his team’s ambitious goal of reaching $10B in assets under management in the coming years.

February 26, 20261 hr 10 min

Discipline, Risk & Real Estate Cycles with Yonah Zahler

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Yonah Zahler for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build and sustain a multifamily portfolio in today’s market. From disciplined acquisitions and hands-on management to navigating market cycles in Baltimore, Yonah shares practical lessons learned from years in the trenches. They discuss why patience often outperforms speed, how smart operators evaluate risk beyond the numbers, and what separates long-term builders from short-term speculators. Whether you’re scaling your portfolio or refining your strategy, this episode offers grounded insight on growing the right way, not just the fast way.

February 5, 202651 min

Inside Agency Lending: Market Cycles, Risk & Smarter Debt with Avrom Forman

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Avrom Forman of Greystone, for a candid conversation on agency lending, market cycles, and how investors should be thinking about debt in today’s environment. Avrom draws on decades of experience as an owner, operator, and lender to explain how Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae underwriting really works, where borrowers commonly go wrong, and why many issues stem from misaligned incentives rather than bad intent. They discuss lessons from past cycles, the realities of third-party property management, scattered-site portfolios, and how lenders evaluate risk beyond the spreadsheet. Whether you’re refinancing, acquiring, or reassessing your capital stack, this episode delivers practical insight into structuring smarter debt, avoiding common pitfalls, and navigating a more disciplined lending landscape.

January 16, 20261 hr 15 min

There’s No Such Thing as Passive Real Estate | Market Reality Check with Aeron Alberti

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Aeron Alberti, investor-friendly contractor and real estate operator, for an unfiltered look at what’s really happening on the ground in today’s market. Aeron breaks down why “passive income” is mostly a myth, how the DSCR bubble quietly popped, and why disciplined buyers are finding opportunity while others are stuck holding the bag. From managing hundreds of contractors to spotting market slowdowns months before the headlines, this conversation dives into what data misses, how investor mistakes compound, and why showing up every day still matters. If you’re investing, flipping, holding rentals, or trying to navigate a slowing market with clarity instead of hype, this episode delivers real-world insight you won’t get from gurus or spreadsheets.

December 25, 202551 min

Inside Industrial Real Estate: Middle-Mile Strategy & Market Insights with Zeke Faham

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Zeke Faham from Box Equities to unpack one of the most misunderstood—yet fastest-growing—niches in commercial real estate: middle-mile industrial. Zeke shares how Box Equities grew from a COVID-era startup to more than 7M sq. ft. across 35 properties by targeting off-market deals, capitalizing on supply-chain shifts, and buying well below replacement cost. They dive into how industrial real estate has evolved over the past decade, why middle-mile assets create stickier tenants and wider cap-rate spreads, and how operators can position themselves in today’s market. From tariffs and political shifts to AI’s impact on logistics vs. manufacturing, Zeke breaks down how macro trends are reshaping the sector — and where the real opportunities still are. Whether you're an investor exploring industrial, a multifamily operator looking to diversify, or someone tracking how supply chains and AI are changing real estate, this episode delivers rare insights, practical strategy, and a clear look into the future of industrial investing.

December 11, 20251 hr 5 min

Inside the world of Multi-family Defaults, Fraud, Receivership with Receiver Brian Casey

In this episode of Baltimore RE Full Circle, Yaakov sits down with Brian Casey, president of The Casey Group and one of the region’s most experienced court-appointed receivers. With more than 47 years in banking, workouts, and turnaround management, Brian pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening inside today’s distressed real estate market. From fraudulent leases and inflated appraisals to DSCR loan failures, partner disputes, and assets collapsing under unrealistic underwriting, Brian walks through real cases he’s managing — including properties with fake units, made-up rent rolls, and multimillion-dollar valuation mistakes. They discuss why vacancy and rent-growth numbers are often misrepresented, why so many owners are struggling, and how lenders are finally cracking down after years of looking the other way.