Adapt or Fail: Real Strategies for Thriving in a Flat Market

To register for the meeting, please go to our website at http://www.nsdrei.org

Are your investing strategies keeping up with today’s flat market? - Are you still playing by last year’s rules?

With interest rates holding high and buyer confidence wavering, traditional strategies are falling flat. We’re bringing together three seasoned investors who are not just surviving but thriving in today’s unpredictable market.
Join us for a candid, panel-style Q&A where our experts will share how they're adjusting their buying criteria, adapting their underwriting, navigating longer hold times, and handling offers that look very different from those they did a year ago. Whether you're flipping, wholesaling, or holding, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to help you make smarter decisions to close out the year.
Topics:

• How seasoned investors are adjusting their buy box and underwriting criteria
• What pricing strategies are working in today’s uncertain market
• Real numbers: Showings, offers, and DOM (Days on Market) on recent flips
• What buyers are asking for now, and how sellers are responding
• How investors are managing longer hold times and shifting exit strategies
• Whether depreciation risk is being priced into deals, and how
• Tips for staying competitive without overextending in a flat market

About the Speakers:
Meet Marcel Bonee - Founder of Dwell West Homes
Marcel Bonee is a seasoned real estate investor with over 15 years of experience navigating both hot and challenging markets. He got his start in distressed real estate in 2008 and has been actively investing since 2012. Over the years, Marcel has managed more than 500 fix-and-flip projects and oversaw 400+ REO properties for major banks at one time, building his operation that sets him apart today. In 2018, he launched Dwell West Homes after leading acquisitions at a large investment firm. By 2019, Dwell West had completed 15 successful flips, then doubled that number in 2020, even as the pandemic slowed much of the industry. Marcel’s approach combines volume with quality, and he continues to scale both his flip business and long-term rental portfolio across Southern California and Tennessee. Based in La Jolla with his wife and two children, Marcel is passionate about giving back to the investor community, sharing insights from the trenches, and building lasting relationships in the real estate world.
Brian Daly - Founder and CEO of WeRevive and WeRevive Construction.
With nearly two decades of experience in value-add real estate and construction. Since 2005, he’s overseen more than 2,500 property sales and over $200 million in renovation projects across Southern California. Brian’s passion is building high-performing teams and businesses that make a positive impact. He firmly believes business is the greatest platform for doing good. Through WeRevive, he partners with agents and sellers to transform distressed homes with smart design and quality renovations. He’s known for his sharp market insights, noting that while today’s market feels slow, the real issue is flatness, rising days on market, slipping prices, and rate stagnation are giving buyers more leverage than they realize. Brian emphasizes the importance of understanding real (inflation-adjusted) pricing and adapting strategies to current conditions. Above all, he aims to lead by example and create lasting value through every project and partnership. A devoted husband and father of three, Brian is passionate about giving back, including supporting the San Diego Rescue Mission through every sale. He also publishes The Real Report to share insights in the real estate space.

Kristi Cirtwill – Founder of Hoarder Homes
She moved from Toronto to Long Beach in 2007 to launch her real estate investing career and has since completed over 250 residential projects across Southern California. Specializing in hoarder homes and value-add opportunities, Kristi is currently building four new houses in Highland Park, flipping properties, and developing ADUs throughout L.A. and Orange Counties. She’s completed eight ADUs so far, with three more underway, and offers unique insight into designing efficient spaces and navigating the complexities of Los Angeles permitting. With deep experience in heavy rehabs and capital-intensive builds, Kristi is known for her practical wisdom, like why flipping is great for big profits but holding assets builds real wealth. She’s also passionate about helping families of hoarders find solutions with compassion and dignity. Kristi is a big believer in adapting strategies over time, recently shifting some of her short- and mid-term rentals back to long-term for stability and scalability. When not managing projects or consulting with other investors, she enjoys playing guitar and badminton from her temporary home base in Downey.