After building a rental portfolio of 300 houses and selling 500 turnkey rentals, Xander made a bold move: he downsized his business—on purpose. Most investors are focused on scaling, but Xander saw the writing on the wall—tightening margins, rising rates, and burnout—and chose to pivot. We talked about what signals told him it was time to shift, how he sold off his property management company, and why he’s now focused on lean operations and hard money lending. If you want to know how to stay ahead of a shifting market or you’ve ever wondered whether all the growth is worth it, this is a r conversation you’ll want to hear. Mentioned in this episode: Think and Grow Rich – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/…/think-and-grow-rich/ Investor Fuel Mastermind – https://investorfuel.com Wize Hire – https://www.wizehire.com) Xander's Carrot Site – https://crofmaryland.com/ Key Quotes: “You’ve got to look at revenue per employee… Bare minimum should be $300,000 per employee.” “Instead of buying rentals ourselves, we began buying houses, renovating them, and selling them as turnkey rental properties.” “Every business owner on this call… knows everyone wants to make more money. Inflation is real… all these forces hitting at once... There’s nothing wrong with scaling back.” “Hard money lending allows us to spend less than 10 hours per deal—and still make solid returns.” About Xander: Alexander Cruz is a Baltimore native, a real estate expert, and the owner of CR of Maryland. Since 2012, he has led the purchase, renovation, and resale of over 1,600 homes across the Baltimore metro area and surrounding counties. With deep local knowledge and a commitment to improving communities, Alexander has built CR of Maryland into one of the most trusted home-buying companies in Maryland. Under his leadership, CR of Maryland helps homeowners sell their homes quickly and easily, offering fair cash offers with no fees, no repairs, and no hassle. Alexander takes pride in offering real solutions to sellers, whether they are facing foreclosure, going through probate, dealing with a vacant property, or simply ready to move on. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Lauren, and their two children. Outside of real estate, he’s a dedicated family man who enjoys time on the water, cheering on Baltimore sports, and supporting local service projects.