Building Wealth Through Real Estate and Family with Jim Sheilds

On this episode of the Deal Farm®, Kevin and Ken sit down with bestselling author and real estate entrepreneur Jim Shields to explore his journey from buying foreclosures in Bakersfield, California to becoming a partner in one of the top five largest builders in the U.S. Jim shares how spotting an overheated California market in 2005 led him to Jacksonville, how the 2008 crash reshaped his strategy, and why he made the leap from rehabbing old homes to pioneering the build-to-rent model before it even had a name. He also dives into how partnering with a 300-year-old Japanese conglomerate unlocked the ability to offer investors in-house financing at 3.5%, making today's tough numbers actually pencil. And if that wasn't enough, Jim opens up about his bestselling book 18 Summers — a surprisingly simple framework that's helped over 300,000 families stay grounded while chasing big goals. If you're looking to understand how to scale smart in real estate without losing what matters most at home, this episode delivers on both fronts.