Creative Real Estate Strategies For Investors
What happens when the market crashes… and everything you’ve built disappears overnight?
In this episode of Inspired To Invest, Serena Holmes sits down with Chris Prefontaine, Chairman and Founder of Smart Real Estate Coach, to talk about one of the most powerful comeback stories in real estate.
Chris has spent over 30 years in real estate, completed hundreds of deals across North America, and helped thousands of investors build wealth through creative real estate strategies. But his journey wasn’t always smooth.
During the 2008 financial crash, Chris lost everything.
Instead of filing bankruptcy, he rebuilt from the ground up. That experience ultimately led him to develop a powerful framework for investors called the “3 Paydays” model, a strategy designed to generate income upfront, monthly cash flow, and long-term wealth from real estate deals.
Today, Chris runs one of the most respected real estate coaching communities in North America and hosts the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, ranked in the top 0.5% globally.
In this conversation, we dive into:
• The lessons Chris learned from losing everything in the 2008 crash
• Why signing personal guarantees can destroy real estate investors
• The power of creative real estate investing without banks or large down payments
• How the 3 Paydays strategy works in real estate deals
• The importance of mentorship, community, and accountability for investors
• Why scaling a business requires letting go of control and building the right team
• The mindset shift that helps entrepreneurs recover from setbacks faster
Chris also explains how investors can acquire properties using strategies such as owner financing, subject-to deals, and lease purchase agreements—approaches that can allow investors to control real estate with minimal capital.
If you’re interested in real estate investing, creative financing, building long-term wealth, or learning from one of the industry’s most experienced investors, this episode is packed with insights.
Thank you to TenantPay for bringing us this month’s episodes.
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Connect With Chris Prefontaine
Free books mentioned in the episode: https://3paydaysbooks.com/inspired
Free workshop: https://smartrealestatecoach.com/mastersclass
About the Podcast
Inspired To Invest features conversations with entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and business leaders who are building wealth and creating impact through investing and innovation.
Hosted by Serena Holmes, REALTOR®, investor, entrepreneur, and founder of the Inspired To Invest podcast.
