Denver Investment Real Estate

Denver Investment Real Estate


#578: What Property Llama Learned From 2.5 Years Of Deal Testing

August 26, 2025
Episode Overview

Property Llama just broke records for the sixth consecutive month while most real estate funds are struggling with paused distributions and capital calls. This comprehensive 2025 Property Llama shareholder update reveals exactly how they went from survival mode to consistent record-breaking growth, and why their debt fund is tracking at nearly 24% annualized returns with 66% of new capital coming from repeat investors.

Chris Lopez and Richard McGirr, co-founders of Property Llama, break down their complete transformation strategy in this detailed 2025 Property Llama shareholder update. Together, they’ve built a “small but mighty” team that can scale 3x without additional hiring by focusing ruthlessly on what actually works.

This isn’t your typical feel-good business update. Chris and Richard reveal the hard truths about cutting two-thirds of their business functions to achieve laser focus, why their users average over $1M in property equity, and how they identified that real estate investors have one primary goal: income over everything else. They also share exclusive updates on their deal performance, including a build-to-rent project that received an unsolicited private equity buyout offer just three months after closing, potentially cutting the business plan timeline in half.

Their success has attracted major national partnerships, with Richard now hosting Unlimited Capital on the Best Ever CRE network and Chris co-hosting BiggerPockets’ new Passive Pockets show. These partnerships demonstrate their “other people’s media” strategy for achieving national scale without the massive time and money investment typically required to build audiences from scratch.

In This Episode We Cover:

  • How cutting 66% of business functions led to record monthly growth
  • Why their debt fund tracks 24% annualized returns while others struggle
  • The bootstrap mentality that prioritizes cash flow over features
  • How they identified what investors actually want (hint: it’s not 1031 exchanges)
  • Deal performance updates across multiple markets and asset classes
  • Why 66% of monthly capital comes from repeat investors
  • How to build systems that scale 3x without hiring additional team members
  • National partnership strategy with Best Ever CRE and BiggerPockets
  • And So Much More!

Whether you’re an active real estate investor looking to go passive or an entrepreneur trying to focus your business for maximum growth, this Property Llama shareholder update delivers specific strategies and real numbers from operators who went from survival mode to thriving while others struggle. Don’t miss Chris and Richard’s transparent breakdown of what’s working in today’s challenging real estate market.

https://youtu.be/88podJh4qjg Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:30– Pivoting, Surviving and Thriving – Launching During Market Shifts 

03:25 – Property Llama Users Hit $1M+ Average Equity – Why This Matters 

06:00 – Finding What Investors Actually Want -Solutions vs Features

08:52 – Right People on the Bus – Building Small But Mighty Teams 

12:13– Systems That Scale 3x Without Hiring – Cutting Two-Thirds of Functions 

14:20 Every Month Breaks Records – How Focus Drives Growth 

17:04 – Des Moines Market Outperforming – 9 LOIs on Single Property 

20:36– Build-to-Rent Gets Unsolicited PE Offer – Cutting Timeline in Half 

22:31 – Debt Fund Tracking 24% Annualized Returns – 66% Repeat Investors 

25:40 – National Partnerships – Best Ever CRE & Passive Pockets 

30:25 – Second Half 2025 Priorities – Execute on What’s Working

Links in Podcast

Check out some of the Best Ever Episodes with Chris and Richard:

JF 3959: Fund Structuring Secrets, and The Power of Personal Brand ft. Justin Freishtat
JF 4001: Fund‑of‑Funds Playbook, Family Office Relationships and LP‑First Investing ft. Danny Gould
Capital Raising Confidence, Authentic Investor Messaging, & Why He Avoids Multifamily ft. Ash Patel