Commercial Real Estate Unfiltered breaks down barriers, making commercial real estate accessible to all. Hosted by Caleb David, a leader in the Front Range market, this podcast brings investors, business owners, and industry professionals into real, unfiltered conversations. Each episode demystifies the market, shares expert insights, and explores how creating space builds stronger communities—no fluff, just honest discussions.
Creating Space. Building Community. Welcome to Commercial Real Estate Unfiltered.
The Hidden Risk Behind Great CRE Returns | Jacob Vanderslice
Can impressive CRE returns hide more risk than investors realize?
Caleb David sits down with Jacob Vanderslice, co-founder of VanWest Partners, to discuss sponsor track records, debt risk, interest rates, self-storage supply, and smarter CRE due diligence.
Learn how to look beyond projected returns and understand what could actually make a deal fail.
👤 Host & Guest
Host: Caleb David
Host of Commercial Real Estate Unfiltered and a Colorado Front Range commercial real estate professional with nearly 15 years of experience.
Guest: Jacob Vanderslice
Co-founder of VanWest Partners. Jacob has been active in real estate since 2005 and has helped deploy more than $375 million into self-storage facilities.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Evaluate sponsors beyond their biggest wins.
Stress-test interest rates and refinance risk.
Identify self-storage supply risk.
Find value-add opportunities in CRE deals.
Evaluate the team behind an investment.
Use debt structure as part of due diligence.
Build wealth through disciplined long-term holding.
❓ Key Questions Answered
Q: What should investors ask a real estate sponsor?
A: Ask about their worst deals, recent exits, debt, and downside risk.
Q: Why can a sponsor’s track record be misleading?
A: Strong returns from easier market conditions may not show how they perform in a tougher market.
Q: What debt questions should CRE investors ask?
A: Understand the loan term, refinance assumptions, and what happens if rates rise.
Q: How do investors spot self-storage supply risk?
A: Look at future development, not just today’s supply-per-capita numbers.
Q: What makes a good value-add real estate deal?
A: Below-market rents, high expenses, and operational inefficiencies can create upside.
🔗 Connect & Learn More
Follow Commercial Real Estate Unfiltered for practical conversations about CRE investing and commercial real estate deals.
Jacob / VanWest Partners:
Website: vanwestpartners.com
Email: Jacob@vanwestpartners.com
⏱️ Chapters
(00:00) - Market Pain Ahead
(00:33) - Meet Jacob Vanderslice
(01:31) - From Residential to Self-Storage
(03:10) - Self-Storage Market Shift
(05:59) - Housing Slowdown & Storage Demand
(07:34) - A Real Estate Deal Gone Wrong
(09:46) - How to Invest in Self-Storage
(11:03) - Why Investors Keep Coming Back
(13:05) - What Limited Partners Should Ask
(15:28) - Finding Value-Add Opportunities
(18:40) - Future CRE Opportunities
(20:48) - Jacob’s Biggest Investing Lesson
💼 Connect with Jacob Vanderslice :
🌎 Website → https://www.vanwestpartners.com/team/jacob-vanderslice
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-vanderslice-02905b16b/
🎙 Follow Caleb David :
🌎 Website → https://www.davidcommercial.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/calebdavid/
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/calebdavid/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebdavid/
🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!
💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/
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8 Sept 2026
Franchise Economics: What Investors Need to Know | Jeff Shafritz
Jeff Shafritz, Founder of Franchise Guidance, and host Caleb David discuss how investors can evaluate franchise economics and site selection for optimal success.
25 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
Commercial Real Estate Strategies for Better Buildings
Host Caleb David interviews Paul Kealey, President & Co-founder of EkoBuilt, exploring how passive house construction enhances commercial real estate returns through reduced operating costs and improved long-term value.
Inside a recent episode
Commercial Real Estate Strategies for Better Buildings
Published 25 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Yeah. So you talk about these buildings being built for 100 plus years. Can you maybe talk about that versus minimum code standards? Yeah, so I think of the minimum code building as a building that is really there to last a single generation. And building deterioration is what is driving this home. And reducing those, reducing the, or if we can lengthen the life of a building, a passive house building, since it is moisture protected, is a building that is theoretically going to last an infinite amount of time. If a building doesn't have to worry about moisture within the building envelope itself, then theoretically, we're going to minimize the risk of that building deteriorating. […]
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