Roberto Carabetta, founder of Blue Shores Capital and Kyros Kapital, brings over 25 years of experience in construction, finance, and real estate. A former financial advisor turned investor, he manages a $25M portfolio of multifamily and senior living assets across key U.S. markets and Toronto. Since joining Rod’s Warrior Group at the Orlando Bootcamp in September 2023, he has partnered with fellow Warriors on every deal. Roberto combines deep operational knowledge with a passion for community impact, helping investors build wealth through strategic real estate syndications.

Here’s some of the topics we covered:

  • How Roberto Got Started in Canadian Real Estate (and Why He Pivoted)
  • Why Canada’s Political Climate Pushed Roberto to Invest in the U.S.
  • Roberto’s Second GP Deal with the Warrior Group
  • The Senior Living Crisis No One’s Talking About
  • Inside the Warrior Strategy: Asset Classes That Are Crushing It
  • Trump’s Tariffs & The Hidden Impact on U.S. Real Estate
  • Building a Company Culture People Never Want to Leave
  • From Setbacks to Comebacks, Roberto’s Toughest Real Estate Lessons
  • The One Thing in Real Estate That Keeps Even the Pros Up at Night

If you’d like to apply to the warrior program and do deals with other rockstars in this business: Text crush to 72345 and we’ll be speaking soon.

Full Transcript Below

Introduction and Episode Overview

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: So you know that apartment building or complex you drive by every day? Someone owns it, and it’s probably someone on this podcast. Multifamily rock stars join the growing numbers of real estate entrepreneurs who have made the jump to buying multifamily properties for a lifetime. Cash flow multifamily rock stars using OPM for an OMG ROI. Now here are your hosts, Ron Cleve and Mark Nate.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Welcome back to Multifamily Rockstar. So as you guys know, these are the episodes where we dive deep into our guest deals and give you some practical and really actionable advice and tips so you can go out there and do your own first deal—especially if you’re brand new to this business. Now, because this is in my studio today, I don’t have Marc Nagy on the episode like I normally would.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Because this particular warrior drove over from Fort Lauderdale. So I’ve got Roberto Carabetta in here today, and we’re gonna have a lot of fun. He’s got a lot of value to add, so you don’t want to miss this episode. Welcome, brother.

Roberto Carabetta: Awesome. Thanks, Rod. Thanks for having me.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Oh, of course. So why don’t we start out as we normally do and just have you really tell your story. I know you’ve got a construction background, you’ve been a financial advisor in Canada, and we’re going to talk about the tariffs today too because it’s very timely. So, tell your story, my friend.

Roberto’s Background and Journey

Roberto Carabetta: Yeah, yeah. So like you said, born and raised in Canada. It was a great country. I started in the financial sector, working as a financial advisor for one of the top six banks in Canada for about six years. That’s where my mindset shifted—I saw customers with high net worth portfolios, and the common thread was real estate. So I knew real estate was a long-term play for me. That’s when I bought my first single-family residence in Canada—all on my own without telling my old school Italian parents.

Roberto Carabetta: I was 20 years old. I went on my own, putting down my deposit from lines of credit and my own work, then stepped away from that corporate world because it just wasn’t for me.

Roberto Carabetta: I ended up working with my father in the family business—home renovation and general contracting. He had been a general contractor for 20 years, and through him I learned about work ethic, sales, invoicing, and all the behind-the-scenes details. About eight years in, when he started getting sick—not old age, just medically—I realized I needed to get him to slow down by opening my own construction business. I ran my own company in Canada, growing it to $2 million in annual revenue and becoming one of the most reputable companies on the west side of Toronto.

Roberto Carabetta: Then, COVID hit. I didn’t see a future for myself or my family in that environment, so after tough discussions with my wife, we planned our exit from Canada. By July 2023, we relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where I’ve been living for almost two years now. And this move marked a major turning point.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Before you move on, why did you not see a future in Canada?

Roberto Carabetta: With COVID and the shifting political scene—small businesses were being shut down and people weren’t allowed to work unless they were deemed essential—the environment was changing. I saw an opportunity elsewhere. Fort Lauderdale eventually became that opportunity, especially after we invested in a startup diabetic management company which helped fuel our move.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Oh, so you handled the immigration piece with a solid business plan rather than just showing up.

Joining the Warrior Program and First Deal

Roberto Carabetta: Exactly. One day, I was laying on the beach—I didn’t know about you before living in Canada—when an advertisement popped up about a bootcamp in Orlando for $199. I thought, “Why not?” That bootcamp changed my life. In the construction world, they never talk about mindset, opportunities, or a mind shift. I signed up for the Warrior Program that weekend and never looked back.

Roberto Carabetta: I closed my first GP deal within three months of joining the program, and about a year and a half later, I have 500 doors under my name with $25 million in assets under management—spanning multifamily and senior living facilities.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Congratulations. That’s fantastic. I always say that 80 to 90% of your success starts with your mindset. Once you’re motivated and take action, nothing can stop you.

Roberto Carabetta: Absolutely. The 90-day action plan made all the difference for me.

First Senior Housing Deal Discussion

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Let’s talk about your first deal. Where was it? How many doors? What was the story?

Roberto Carabetta: This wasn’t my very first deal as a warrior—it was my second deal as a GP. It was a 58-bed senior living facility located about an hour and a half west of Savannah, Georgia, in the small town of Claxton. We chose this asset because it sat only 30 minutes from a high-end facility being developed just outside Savannah—a facility that would manufacture battery-operated high-end vehicles and create thousands of jobs. The area was primed for long-term growth.

Roberto Carabetta: The previous owner, a lady who had run the place for 20 years, was simply tired and wanted a fast closing.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: What was the occupancy when you took over?

Roberto Carabetta: Occupancy was stabilized at about 82-84%. It was a strong asset, and the owner’s desire to exit was the catalyst for our acquisition.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: I’m very interested in senior housing, especially since many warriors are diving into this asset class. It’s a challenging but rewarding market.

Tariffs and Market Trends

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Now, let’s shift gears and talk about the tariffs. I did a post and even some lives on Facebook and Instagram about this topic—the reaction was intense. As of now, there’s a 90-day hold on tariffs for about 70 countries, not including Canada and China. What are your thoughts?

Roberto Carabetta: I’m not shocked that Canada didn’t come to the negotiation table. They have a mindset that their product is indispensable. Sure, they offer lumber, oil, and maple syrup, but when you look at new multifamily construction, lumber only makes up about 10% of the cost. Thus, the tariffs likely won’t drastically impact development pricing in the U.S. I receive calls from friends and family in Canada worried about the news, but from where I stand, the impact is limited.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Right, and some even talk about abolishing the income tax if these tariffs succeed. It seems like a bold move, but one that could re-balance international trade.

Senior Living Operations and Staffing Challenges

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Let’s discuss the operational side of senior housing. The importance of choosing the right operator can’t be overstated.

Roberto Carabetta: Absolutely. In multifamily, you might be able to have a property management company step in temporarily if things go awry, but with senior living, you can’t. The financial projections we ran for the Claxton asset showed a 9% cash-on-cash return and a 30% IRR, leading to around a 3x multiple over a five-year hold. However, one of the biggest challenges is that staffing turnover in senior living is notoriously high. In that asset, after close, nearly half of the staffing records were missing, so we had to rebuild the team.

Roberto Carabetta: In Georgia, for example, the minimum wage was around $7–$7.50 an hour, but the existing staff was paid only $13 per hour. We decided to offer $25 an hour for new hires to remain competitive. It’s a risk factor that you must manage because payroll expenses in senior living can be significantly higher than in multifamily.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: And as you know, in senior housing the expense ratio can reach 70–75% compared to around 50% in multifamily. These challenges underline why choosing a stellar operator is key.

Investment Perspectives and the Stock Market

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Shifting to another topic—what about the stock market? Recently, there’s been so much volatility, and many investors are hesitating. What’s your take?

Roberto Carabetta: The stock market has been extremely volatile—whether you call it a correction or a crash, there’s a lot of money sitting on the sidelines. Investors aren’t going back to simply hoarding cash. They need to redeploy this capital and are looking at real estate as a secure option compared to volatile assets like Bitcoin or high-yield savings accounts.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: I agree. Many people will eventually see the logic of shifting from unstable markets to tangible, income-producing assets.

Lessons Learned and the Power of Networking

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Let’s talk about some lessons from your early experiences. You mentioned your first real estate deal as a GP, where you provided at-risk capital. Can you share what that taught you?

Roberto Carabetta: My very first GP deal involved providing $200,000 in at-risk capital for earnest money, due diligence costs, and finance charges. We were about two weeks away from closing and ended up $1 million short. It was nerve-wracking—sleepless nights ensued—but we ultimately pulled it together with additional commitments. That experience taught me the importance of ironclad underwriting, stress testing, and truly understanding risk before putting my capital on the line.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: It’s all about networking as well. You mentioned setting up multiple zoom calls every day and meeting numerous warriors. That networking has been invaluable.

Roberto Carabetta: Absolutely. Initially, I contacted every warrior on the state list and set up five zoom calls a day. Networking not only expanded my circle but also built relationships that have been crucial in forming successful partnerships and accessing deals.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: And that’s the secret sauce—just do it, get out there, and build those relationships.

Roberto Carabetta: Exactly. I even started embracing social media because of the bootcamp. My first Facebook account was created because of you, Rod, and I now share my journey on Instagram daily. This consistent content has opened doors to new opportunities.

Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Before we wrap up, are there any final words of wisdom you’d share with aspiring operators who are stuck in the rat race and looking for more—more time, freedom, and financial freedom?

Roberto Carabetta: Everyone wants financial freedom, but many keep repeating the same actions expecting different results. You need to set down concrete goals, write them out, and use techniques like time blocking. For me, planning my entire week—from gym sessions to underwriting reviews and even family time—helps me stay focused and achieve my goals.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: At my boot camps, we emphasize goal setting on steroids and the weekly planning process. If you want to learn more, check out the goal-setting workshop on RodsLinks.com.

Roberto Carabetta: Absolutely. It’s all about commitment, consistency, and confidence.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Roberto, I really appreciate you coming on today. Thanks for driving over and sharing your insights.

Roberto Carabetta: No, thank you, Rod. I appreciate the invite and everything you do for the Warrior Program. All these resources—from time blocking to networking—have truly benefited me.

Riyad “Rod” Khleif: Thanks for a great conversation, brother.

Intro/Outro (Riyad “Rod” Khleif): Thank you for watching Multifamily Rockstars. If you love the show, please subscribe and leave us a five-star review.