Collecting Keys - Real Estate Investing Podcast

Hosted by Mike DeHaan

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Episodes

506

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

In the 'Collecting Keys - Real Estate Investing Podcast,' seasoned Real Estate experts Mike DeHaan and Dan Austin discuss how to use Real Estate to create Massive Income not just Passive Income. Real estate doesn't have to be a get-rich slow game, and by bringing over 500 successful deals worth of experience in three years, their episodes unpack the art of real estate investing, wholesaling, house flipping, and transforming properties into profitable rentals. Listen as they share uncensored insights and strategies, from compelling guest interviews revealing personal journeys and finding off-market deals to in-depth deal analyses and the latest market trends. Whether you're taking your first investment step or scaling up your portfolio, embark on your investment journey with the Collecting Keys podcast - where every episode unlocks a door that brings you one step closer to financial freedom so you can finally live the life of your dreams.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 25, 202643 min

EP 506 - Do the gurus actually believe in God? Or is it the next grift?

What did you think of todays show?? Every washed up influencer on your feed suddenly found God, and the timing is not an accident. In this episode, we break down faith as a sales pitch, the borrower who filmed himself explaining how to lie for an Airbnb loan, and why real estate advice from 2015 is still ranking on YouTube and still wrong. You'll also hear what a $20 million yacht really costs to keep, and what Mike learned about insurance checks after his house burned down. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why washed up influencers suddenly found God (01:35) Andy Elliott and the faith sales pitch (03:05) What a $20 million yacht really costs (10:53) The buyer who tried to retrade Dylan (14:55) How a Chinese AI cracked a Bitcoin wallet (17:15) The Airbnb owner who filmed himself telling people to lie (22:35) Why non-recourse debt doesn't exist (24:34) Why 2015 real estate advice still ranks (25:16) Pace Morby and guru advice that was never true (26:09) Mike's burned house and the insurance checks (29:26) The property every landlord wishes would burn (29:42) What servers in Maui and Vail actually make (37:27) Why the 30 year yield hasn't moved DSCR (40:01) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

August 18, 202643 min

EP 505 - Hire Fast, Fire Faster, and Let Bad Hires Teach You

What did you think of todays show?? You will hire ten people to find one good one. Are you firing the other nine fast enough? We get into why you hire fast and fire faster, what every bad hire teaches you about the role you actually needed, and why your best next employee might be a $20-an-hour rockstar in the Philippines. Mike is also rebuilding from a wildfire, and it changed how he thinks about coverage, public adjusters, and why cheap policies are the real scam. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why entrepreneurs and hobbies mix badly (00:56) What the wildfire taught Mike about insurance (08:35) The Cambodia pouch that saved $3,000 (12:07) How a public adjuster beats the insurance company (14:29) Why working for yourself beats disaster (17:12) Letting the team run while you can't (20:16) Hire fast, fire faster, one in ten (23:05) Every bad hire teaches the real role (24:52) Why the virtual assistant hire is dead (30:07) How a $20 Philippines hire outclasses yours (33:26) Klarna, kids, and absurd US travel costs (40:41) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/) ---

August 11, 202646 min

EP 504 - Mike Lost His House In The Spokane Fire, What Happens Next

What did you think of todays show?? Three hours. That's all it took for the Spokane fire to explode to 3,000 acres and take Mike's house with it. In this episode, we walk through what actually happens after a total loss: why you hire your own public adjuster instead of trusting the insurance company's adjuster, the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost, and the mortgage wrinkle that can leave you owing money on a house that no longer exists. Plus the crisis lessons nobody teaches you until you need them. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) How the Spokane fire started and spread (02:03) Mike's evacuation and the pets left behind (02:38) Why house fires burn so randomly (05:43) Why knowing your neighbors matters most (08:57) The best and worst of people in a disaster (11:23) Getting proactive with your insurance claim (14:51) Why you hire your own public adjuster (18:35) Actual cash value vs replacement cost (28:26) The mortgage wrinkle that leaves you with nothing (30:13) Why the insurance company slow rolls your claim (33:56) Filming your whole house before disaster strikes (40:42) What actually matters when you lose everything (42:40) Support Corey and his family, who lost their home in the same fire: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-aspaas-family-rebuild-after-house-fire Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

August 4, 202638 min

EP 503 - Everyone in Your Deal Is Working Against You

What did you think of todays show?? Think your CPA, your realtor, and your lender are all on your team? This week we unpack why nobody in your deal is actually protecting your money, and what it costs you when you stop checking their work. We get into shaving thousands off your insurance and property taxes, the $106,000 overpayment that somehow felt like a win, the CPA who pocketed his clients' tax money, and why every incentive in real estate is quietly aligned against you. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why old real estate advice will burn you (03:02) Shopping your recurring bills for hidden savings (04:51) How to appeal your property tax assessment (05:37) The $180K payoff that killed a $70K spread (08:18) Why sellers talk themselves into foreclosure (09:28) The upside of overpaying your taxes (11:14) The CPA who pocketed his clients' tax money (15:32) Why you babysit every professional you hire (19:30) The realtor who fought his own client (23:02) Everyone is aligned against the buyer (24:45) Pay cash or keep the 2% mortgage? (30:16) The mask review that broke a tailor (34:11) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

July 28, 202640 min

EP 502 - Would You Rather Be the Richest... or Have Rich Friends?

What did you think of todays show?? Is the guy with the highest net worth in the room actually the happiest? Probably not. In this episode, we get into the psychology of money: why net worth is mostly ego, why it can't buy groceries when it's all locked up, and why comparison quietly wrecks how you feel about your own wealth. Plus the fake business valuations inflating everyone's numbers, whether a guaranteed windfall would kill your drive, and what actually gives money meaning. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Promotion and relegation coming to US sports (04:06) Who's happier: the richest friend or the poorest? (08:11) Why we're never booking another Airbnb (11:55) Why the guy in the $20M penthouse is miserable (19:35) Net worth is just comfort, not a scoreboard (24:57) Why your net worth can't buy groceries (25:39) The fake business valuations wrecking net worths (27:29) Would a guaranteed $10M kill your drive? (29:16) Would you want to know the day you die? (32:17) Why retiring can be the thing that kills you (36:04) Kids, purpose, and what you'll regret at 80 (36:45) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

July 21, 202638 min

EP 501 - Everyone Wants Overnight Success... Nobody Wants the First 5 Years

What did you think of todays show?? Mike and Dylan spend the hour on the money stuff nobody performs on Instagram. In this episode, we break down how the lending business actually grew, the assignment fee trick that juices your spread, and the COVID relief loans sellers forget they ever took. Plus why investing now looks like gambling, how the wealthy borrow to dodge taxes, and the honest math that dropped Mike's real net worth by 35%. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Dan no-shows right after episode 500 (00:07) How the lending side hustle actually grew (04:00) The assignment fee trick that juices your spread (06:55) The COVID loans sellers forget they took (09:23) Why 100% financing signals a frothy market (18:27) How the wealthy borrow to dodge taxes (19:50) Why investing now looks just like gambling (21:23) When to sell instead of holding forever (23:39) How to calculate your returns honestly (26:38) Why your net worth is smaller than you think (28:35) Ten million anonymous or one million famous? (32:53) Why old money never made a TikTok (34:38) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

July 14, 202654 min

EP 500 - Wins, Losses, and Lessons from Five Years of Collecting Keys

What did you think of todays show?? Five hundred episodes. Zero missed releases since 2021. In this milestone episode, Mike, Dan, and Dylan go back to the beginning: the seller who got abducted from a closing, the Spokane duplex that nearly broke their partnership, the hire that changed everything, and the disaster deals still bleeding money today. Plus why they stopped chasing passive income, what actually built the business, and the mindset shift that reshaped how they define success. If you've been here since day one, this one's for you. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why episode 500 almost ended the show (00:13) The seller who got abducted from a closing (09:32) The disaster duplex that nearly broke them (14:57) Losing $500K in the bank in 30 days (20:48) The first hire that changed everything (22:41) One cold call that became 13 units (26:42) Why making $100K is easy and $1M is hard (30:23) Why the wrong partners cost them years (32:21) The 8-unit money pit still bleeding cash (34:56) The third partner that soured everything (38:49) Passive, massive, and recurring income (44:35) Why holding cash beats chasing returns (48:47) Sign up to join the FREE Scale Community! https://collectingkeys.com/ Want deeper breakdowns like this every week? Subscribe to the Collecting Keys newsletter! https://collectingkeys.com/newsletter/ Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

July 7, 202638 min

EP 499 - Petty Lawsuits, Fake Buyers, and a $120K Retrade

What did you think of todays show?? You call them junk fees. The lender calls them the cost of staying in business. In this episode, we break down why almost every money decision, yours included, runs on how you feel instead of what the numbers actually say. From the real reason closing costs hit 10%, to a deed theft that cost a title company six figures, to the phantom wealth on display in Maui and the credit apps built to make you feel richer than you are. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why America suddenly cares about soccer (01:50) Why Europe's old homes turn deadly in heat (05:53) What flipping houses looks like overseas (09:29) Why real estate costs 10% just to transact (12:45) The truth about "junk fees" from the lender's side (14:48) The deed theft that cost a title company six figures (16:57) Fighting back with PettyLawsuit.com (19:18) Wholesalers, fake buyers, and rigged bidding wars (21:10) Is retrading a deal down $120K unethical? (23:52) Phantom wealth and the new-money flex (26:50) Why people spend on feelings, not data (29:11) How credit apps trick you into feeling rich (34:43) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

June 30, 202640 min

EP 498 - The Benefits of Boring Assets, is Bitcoin Dead?, and The Newest Biz for Major Cashflow w/ Shane Schrader

What did you think of todays show?? While everyone chases the next AI tool or crypto moonshot, Shane Schrader is quietly building wealth out of concrete boxes and plastic totes. In this episode, we break down the self-storage development most people said couldn't pencil, the $6-a-tote arbitrage hiding inside a single storage unit, and why preparation and relationships beat the marketing grind you've been told to run. Plus Dylan's read on Bitcoin, the debt cycle, and why boring hard assets win the next decade. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Dylan's Bitcoin bet with Scott Trench and Jay Scott (1:41) What actually moves Bitcoin to $100K (4:41) Investing with logic vs gambling on emotion (7:14) Meet Shane: lineman to wholesaler to developer (8:32) The self-storage play nobody's quietly winning (11:25) The $700K lot he keeps turning down (19:27) The tote business: $6 arbitrage in a 10x20 unit (25:15) Building a tote market that doesn't exist yet (27:21) Why your network beats marketing every time (31:16) Dylan's macro thesis: debt, inflation, hard assets (36:04) The 1970s inflation playbook won't work now (36:38) Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

June 23, 202649 min

EP 497 - Why there's a lot more Fraud in your Real Estate deals w/ Eric Rubin

What did you think of todays show?? Most of what sounds like a smart money move is either a scam or a bad bet. In this episode, Atlanta commercial broker Eric Rubin joins Mike, Dan, and Dylan to break down the lending fraud wave, the borrower they caught indicted the morning of the wire, why a winning trade doesn't mean you bet smart, and why your high-paying job beats the side hustle. Plus micro salons, grave plots, and the red flags that should make you walk. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Flipping grave plots and the cremation side hustle (00:48) Why hype investing is still just gambling (07:18) Why a winning trade doesn't mean you bet smart (11:02) Why leaving your job for a side hustle usually fails (12:50) Why your high-paying job beats the hustle anyway (13:54) Buying the building your business operates in (15:40) Micro salons: shipping containers as commercial real estate (17:15) Old strip malls versus the modern destination tenant (19:50) The lending fraud wave hitting the whole industry (31:45) The borrower indicted for fraud the morning of the wire (32:24) Red flags: religion, integrity names, and straight shooters (36:44) Ponzi schemes, MLMs, and the slutty vegan bankruptcy (38:43) Connect with Eric Rubin: https://www.instagram.com/ericbrubin Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/ https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/ https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_deals This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)