The Hard Lessons That Made 3 Brothers Better Multifamily Investors with Jeffrey Donis

Jeffrey Donis did his first real estate deal at 18. By 2021, he and his brothers had co-GP'd on over 1,000 multifamily units, right near the peak.

 

Jeffrey says the best lessons are typically learned the hardest ways. Those deals changed how the brothers buy today: no adjustable rate loans, plan for cap rates to rise, careful rent growth, and markets without high crime.

 

When the local fix and flip market turned, they refinanced a duplex instead of selling it. The investor got paid back and the brothers kept the rental. Since then they've bought a 6 unit, a 12 unit and a 25 unit.

 

Jeffrey also shares how three brothers split the work, why they got into real estate to retire their mom, and why sharing past mistakes helps when raising capital in 2026.

 

Key topics:

• Buying 50 to 150 unit workforce multifamily in North Carolina
• Hard lessons from co-GPing near the peak
• Refinancing instead of selling to an end buyer
• Gas pedal and brakes: roles in a family business
• What still works for raising capital now

 

About the guest:

Jeffrey Donis runs capital markets at Donis Investment Group in Raleigh, North Carolina. He and his two brothers buy value add workforce housing within 90 minutes of Raleigh, Winston-Salem and Charlotte, with property and construction management in house.

 

Connect with Jeffrey Donis: https://www.donisinvestmentgroup.com

Prefer to watch on YouTube? https://www.youtube.com/@propertyprofitsrealestate

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