Strategic Lending & Capital Raising: OPM Explained with Judy Walsh

On this episode of the Scale Nation Podcast, Manny, Zach, and Carl sit down with real estate operator Judy Walsh to break down what it really takes to scale using lenders and other people’s money (OPM). Judy shares her move from Rhode Island and Massachusetts into the Cleveland market, the “resume gap” lenders look for when jumping from small multifamily to larger deals, and why lender relationships can be more important than agents or contractors in a new market. The group also dives into building systems as you grow (Buildium vs. TurboTenant vs. AppFolio), how draw schedules and lender requirements actually work, and why seller financing is one of the most powerful—yet misunderstood—forms of OPM.