Smarter Passive Investing for Tech Pros W/B Dweik
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Episode Description
Welcome to the On The Rise Podcast! In this episode, Jeremy sits down with B Dwiek, former IBM engineer turned full time real estate investor and founder of Bluestone Flagship Investors. B shares his journey from house hacking in the 90s to building a multi decade tech career while quietly accumulating investment properties on the side. Eventually, the headaches of active ownership pushed him toward passive investing, where he discovered stronger returns, less stress, and better scalability. Today, he helps busy tech professionals evaluate deals, avoid common investing mistakes, and build long term wealth through disciplined due diligence and data driven decision making. If you’re overwhelmed by deal flow, unsure how to compare opportunities, or ready to transition from W2 to wealth building, this episode is a blueprint for elevating your investment strategy.
Summary
Tip #1: Your First Investment Doesn’t Need to Be Perfect
“I became an accidental landlord on my first day at IBM.”
B’s entry into real estate happened by accident, but it ignited decades of learning through doing. Early progress matters more than early perfection.
Tip #2: Passive Investing Solves the Bandwidth Problem
“I had a tech career. I couldn’t be dealing with tenants after work.”
Active ownership becomes unsustainable for busy professionals. Passive investing allows wealth growth without sacrificing time or energy.
Tip #3: Buy During Uncertainty—Not Euphoria
“2009 looked scary, but it was the golden opportunity.”
B leaned into distressed markets when others were fearful, buying assets at exceptional value. Great opportunities often appear during downturns.
Tip #4: Stop Chasing Yield—Start Evaluating Risk
“Investors chase high projected returns without understanding the risk premium.”
B teaches investors to rank deals using weighted criteria: sponsor strength, market fundamentals, and structure—not just projected IRR.
Tip #5: The Sponsor Is 50% of the Decision
“Most people skip straight to the slide deck and chase the yield.”
Execution risk is real. Investors must evaluate a sponsor’s track record, operations, communication, and market expertise.
Tip #6: Market Matters More Than the Model
“Multifamily in Dallas is very different from multifamily in Cincinnati.”
Understanding submarkets, rent trends, job growth, and supply is essential. Not all markets reward capital equally.
Tip #7: AI Can Speed Up Deal Screening—Not Replace Due Diligence
“We built a custom GPT to screen deals before deep analysis.”
AI helps B triage hundreds of deals quickly, but human judgment still drives sponsor vetting and market analysis.
Tip #8: Walk Properties and Secret Shop Operators
“You’d be surprised how much you learn by visiting the property you invested in.”
B physically visits assets and evaluates property management firsthand—a step most investors skip but shouldn’t.
Tip #9: Tech Professionals Often Miss Tax Strategy
“People don’t know whether to invest with cash or retirement funds.”
Understanding tax brackets, depreciation benefits, Roth conversions, and post tax returns can drastically change investment outcomes.
Tip #10: Teach Financial Literacy Early
“It has to start at home.”
B volunteers teaching money management to youth, emphasizing early exposure, real world experience, and hands on learning through earning, saving, and investing.
Resources and Links
Company Website
Bluestone Flagship Investors – https://bfi-fund.com/
Social Media
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdwiek
