🎙️ Introduction
On this episode of The Active Duty Passive Income Podcast, host Markian Sich sits down with Neal Bawa, a data-driven technologist turned multifamily investor, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming real estate investing forever. Neal shares his journey from Silicon Valley to building a $800M portfolio, how he leveraged data science to spot opportunities others missed, and why AI will fundamentally accelerate wealth creation. They cover the future of multifamily markets, the coming demand shock in data centers, and why Indianapolis is poised to become one of the best markets in America.
📌 Key Takeaways
✅ AI is the “Uber Invention” – it will create all other inventions and multiply the need for data centers and computing power
✅ Multifamily is in an “air pocket” – prices are down ~20%, but NOI is steady, creating outsized opportunities.
✅ Data-driven investing beats gut instinct – Neal’s system identifies cities before institutions move in.
✅ Indianapolis = top U.S. market – the Northeast quadrant (Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville) is the path of progress.
✅ Data centers are the “new multifamily” – explosive demand for compute will drive massive growth opportunities.
⏱️ Chapters
- 00:00 – AI as the greatest invention since fire
- 04:15 – Neal Bawa’s tech background and entry into real estate
- 12:30 – Lessons from 2008 and the power of data science
- 21:45 – Building a database, meetup, and toolkit (“Location Magic”)
- 30:50 – Transition to syndication and first $32M raise
- 45:10 – Multifamily’s current “air pocket” and why it’s not 2008
- 55:30 – Cap rates, concessions, and 2026 supply shortage crystal ball
- 1:10:00 – Why Indianapolis is America’s #1 market right now
- 1:22:15 – Data centers as the new multifamily
- 1:30:00 – Neal’s free Multifamily University webinars
