How Ian Drewe Raised Over $5M for His First Multifamily Deal—And the Hard Lessons He Learned Along the Way!

Raising capital for your first real estate syndication is no small feat but what if you had to pivot, overcome major roadblocks, and completely rethink your strategy just to cross the finish line? In this episode, Ian Drewe, CEO of Avoka Property, shares the raw, unfiltered story of how he raised $5.8M for a 288-unit multifamily deal in Texas. From structuring the deal and navigating city approvals to overcoming investor skepticism and learning the hard way about team dynamics, Ian lays out the mistakes, breakthroughs, and battle-tested strategies that ultimately led to a successful close. 6

Key Takeaways to Listen For:

Build the Right GP Team from Day One – Ian Drewe learned the hard way that having an experienced general partner (GP) team with a solid track record is non-negotiable. Investors and lenders expect credibility, and without it, raising capital becomes an uphill battle.

Nurture Investor Relationships Well Before the Deal – Simply meeting investors isn’t enough. Ian emphasizes the importance of maintaining ongoing engagement with potential investors so that when a deal comes, they are already warmed up and ready to commit.

Don’t Rely Solely on the Deal’s Strength to Attract Investors – Even with a high-yield opportunity, Ian discovered that deals don’t “sell themselves.” A structured capital-raising strategy, investor education, and trust-building are essential to closing successfully.

Test Your Tech Stack Before Launching a Capital Raise – A malfunctioning investor portal cost Ian valuable connections with family offices. His advice? Ensure your CRM, email campaigns, and digital marketing tools are fully tested and reliable before launch.

Retail Investors Can Be a Powerful Funding Source – While family offices and institutions set high requirements, retail investors—secured through LinkedIn, Facebook ads, and digital marketing—played a major role in Ian’s successful capital raise. Having multiple investor sources can de-risk your syndication.

About Tim Mai

Tim Mai is a real estate investor, fund manager, mentor, and founder of HERO Mastermind for REI coaches.

He has helped many real estate investors and coaches become millionaires. Tim continues to help busy professionals earn income and build wealth through passive investing.

He is also a creative marketer and promoter with incredible knowledge and experience, which he freely shares.

He has lifted himself from the aftermath of war, achieving technical expertise in computers, followed by investment success in real estate, management skills, and a lofty position among real estate educators and internet marketers.

Tim is an industry leader who has acquired and exited well over $50 million worth of real estate and is currently an investor in over 2700 units of multifamily apartments.

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