Eric Rubin
Eric Rubin has been a guest on Collecting Keys, the real estate investing podcast hosted by Mike DeHaan, Dan Austin and Dylan Koch.
Why there's a lot more Fraud in your Real Estate deals w/ Eric Rubin
Atlanta commercial broker Eric Rubin joins Mike, Dan and Dylan for a wide-ranging conversation that lands on the rise of fraud in real estate lending, including a borrower whose loan they killed the morning of the wire after a quick Google search turned up a DOJ indictment. They also cover why a profitable trade doesn't mean you made a good decision, why someone with a high-paying job usually shouldn't pick up wholesaling as a side hustle, and how shipping-container micro salon suites work as a commercial rental play.
Key takeaways
- Run a basic Google and background search on every borrower before funding — Dan caught a borrower who had been indicted for fraud by the DOJ the same day the wire was scheduled.
- Red flags to walk from: a borrower offering way above-market points for a very short loan, excuses for every item in a background check, leading with religion or 'I'm a straight shooter,' and company names like 'Integrity Properties.'
- Judge investments by process, not outcome — Dylan cites Annie Duke's 'Thinking in Bets': making money on a trade doesn't prove the decision was good.
- Compare a side hustle to your real discount rate. Eric's advice to a high-income nurse: weigh wholesaling against a savings account, another certification, or just more hours at the job you already know. Being good at a corporate career often means being good at fitting a box, which doesn't transfer to entrepreneurship.