How Investors are Turning Hotels into Homes People Can Afford - ft. Adam Hooper & Ryan Sudeck

05/14/25 • 54 min

In this episode of the Directed IRA Podcast, I sat down with Adam Hooper and Ryan Sudek from Sage Investment Group to dive into a high-impact real estate strategy: converting underutilized hotels into naturally affordable housing. We explored how this model delivers strong investor returns while addressing the affordable housing crisis—without relying on government subsidies. With over 20 successful conversions and more in the pipeline, this episode is packed with insights on real estate investing, IRA strategies, and wealth-building opportunities. If you're passionate about doing good while making money, you won't want to miss this conversation.
0:00 - Intro - Real Estate Supply, Demand & Affordability Crisis
0:30 - Meet Sage Investment Group & Their Mission
1:43 - Why Hotels? A Strategic Conversion Model Explained
6:13 - First Hotel Deal Case Study: Tucson Conversion
10:11 - Why Not Office Conversions? Key Challenges
12:05 - Investment Returns Without Sacrificing Impact
15:15 - Deals That Didn’t Work and Why
20:26 - Big Wins: Texas Hotel Acquisitions for Half Price
23:09 - Hotel Industry Distress & The Patel Effect
25:13 - Post-COVID Shifts in Hospitality and Opportunity
27:06 - Using Self-Directed IRAs in Real Estate
30:17 - Evergreen Fund Structure & Diversification Benefits
31:54 - Liquidity & Exiting the Fund
33:08 - 1031 Exchange Strategy Using a 721 UpREIT
36:45 - Active Value Creation vs. Passive Investing
38:06 - Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Real Estate?
40:22 - Supply Forecasting & Conversions Market Potential
44:27 - Personal Motivations & Building Investor Access
48:31 - How M&A Skills Transfer to Real Estate
51:18 - Fund Performance, Notes, and Final Investment Terms
53:59 - How to Learn More & Get Involved
👉 Want to learn more or invest?
Visit sageinvestment.com/IRA for details on how Sage Investment Group helps turn underutilized hotels into high-yield, naturally affordable housing.
📩 Have questions or ready to connect?
Email [email protected] or [email protected]

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Previous Episode

50 Minutes of Real Talk on Self-Directed IRAs and Alternative Investing

Thinking of opening a Self-Directed IRA? Open an account today https://directedira.com/open-accounts/
In this exclusive live audience podcast, recorded at the Self-Directed IRA Summit, ‪@MarkJKohler‬ and I talk about how powerful the tool of self-directing is. Enjoy as we are accompanied by live attendees going over REAL self-directed investing scenarios.

Next Episode

How to Buy a Rental Property in your IRA

In this podcast, Mat breaks down how he used his retirement account to purchase a real, physical rental property—and how he paid zero taxes on the rental income and six-figure profits when he sold. Most people think their retirement is locked into Wall Street investments, but Mat shows how you can use a Self-Directed IRA to invest in assets you know and trust—like real estate.

He walks through the exact steps he took, the financial results, and how you can start taking control of your financial future by building wealth outside of traditional investments.

📚 Want to learn more? Get a copy of The Self-Directed IRA Handbook or schedule a call with the team at DirectedIRA.com.

00:00 – Intro: I Bought This Rental in My IRA
Mat introduces the surprising truth—yes, you can buy a rental property with your IRA or 401(k).

01:36 – Why Real Estate Over the Stock Market?
Explaining why Mat believes real estate provides better returns and tax advantages than stocks.

03:12 – How a Self-Directed IRA Works
An overview of what a Self-Directed IRA is and how it gives you investment control beyond Wall Street.

05:32 – The Exact Strategy I Used
Mat breaks down his real-life example—buying a 3-bed, 2-bath rental in Indianapolis through his retirement account.

07:14 – Setting Up the IRA LLC Structure
How to structure the deal using an IRA-owned LLC for control and liability protection.

10:26 – The Financial Results: Rental Income and Big Gains
Mat shares the numbers—purchase price, rental income, sale price, and the $100K profit he made tax-free.

12:17 – What I Did Next: Private Lending & More Investing
How Mat reinvested the profits into private money lending and new deals.

13:15 – Why You Should Take Control of Your Retirement
The emotional payoff—building a bigger retirement account and creating a life of freedom and choices.

15:09 – Can You Really Do This? Yes! Here’s How to Start