EP11: Helping Families at Scale with Eva Norris

Tell me about your Mount Everest. What are you looking to achieve over the next five years?

My Mount Everest is getting into RV parks, saying about setting the date.

Provide safe and affordable housing for 1250 people transitioning out of rehab centers.

Welcome to the Discovering Mount Everest Podcast. I am your host, Mundo Sanchez, two time CFO of the year and Forbes Featured Entrepreneur. Every week I sit down with powerful voices from owner's club to uncover their personal Mount Everest and the bold visions they're chasing over the next five years. This podcast gives you a rare front row seat into the mindset of elite entrepreneurs and investors. What drives them, what challenges they're navigating, and how you might play a role in their set. So whether you are scaling your own peak or seeking to support others and theirs, you're in the right place. Let's begin the climb.

And we are here in Monterey, California. I have a special guest, owners club member Eva, joining me here for another beautiful day in sunny California. So thank you for joining the show. Appreciate it.

My pleasure. Thank you so much, Mundo, for inviting me for your show.

Absolutely.

Excited.

Awesome. So tell us a little bit about yourself, maybe how you got started in real estate and then talk about where you are today and then you're Mount Everest.

So, yeah, I started in real estate like most of real estate investors. Right. Read the book Rich dad for dad. Yeah, of course. So I was, I was leaving Brazil because I am Brazilian. So I met my husband there and we got married in Brazil and moved to America. And when I got here, I thought, oh my gosh, now is the chance for me to do what I learned with Robert Kiyosaki. And the first thing I did is what he teached. Go and find the local Ria in your location. So the local real estate investor association. And that's what I did. So three years later, I had bought 28 properties without none of my own money.

Wow.

I love it.

So is that all creative or all creative?

Wow. I didn't have money, I didn't have credit. I didn't even have an English.

That's amazing.

I don't know what happened to my camera, but it's okay. Let's go.

Oh, we can. I can cut it out if you want.

Okay. You know, I don't understand. Maybe wasn't okay.

And so you did this without like any formal training or anything. Like, how did you figure all this stuff out?

So I was at home pregnant and washing infomercial, and then I saw this. What's his name? Carlton Sheets, I think. Is that Carlton Sheets? Is this selling at 300 course. And the ad was how to buy property without spending any of your money. So that's exactly what I'm looking for. Let's do this thing. I bought the program and I went step by step listen to. And actually not even listen. I'm not sure if you're listening to, but there was a script, and then I was doing everything according to the script. You know, sort of nervous talking to the seller. Oh my gosh. But I overcame that. So.

So was this like sub two deals or what? Yeah, mainly sub two.

Exactly. Because he said how to buy property without money, so has to be creative. Right. Subject to. And at the time, I was in Atlanta, Georgia, and they didn't have soup too, but they have option to purchase. And that's exactly what I was doing. So I was buying subject to take over other people's mortgage and then find families that cannot qualify for for loan now. And then I stay there for two to three years and then they refinance the property and that's when I get paid my. My fee.

Wow.

That's what I did. So it was. Was fun.

That's crazy.

And there's a problem because when I learned this, I am addicted to buy properties without money. So now I have money, but do I use my money? No.

And so in that program, did they kind of show you how to like, raise capital? Because you can buy properties no money down, but there's still closing costs and like, you got to pay the age and like that kind of stuff. So are you raising capital with all these deals?

So that time. Yes, actually, at the beginning, no, because the first house that I bought was the first time I bought a house with an agent. And because it was a good deal. And I went to the bank to ask for money. Right. I told you, you don't have credit, don't have credentials, nothing. But my husband had a job. And then I went to the bank and asked for. For a loan, and they gave me $20,000 unsecured loan. So. And that was enough for me to give us the down payment for the first house. $100,000 housing, holding, closing costs and everything. Yeah, 20,000 down. My husband's job, financing his name. And then that's how we started. And then I started to buy properties at courthouse, usda. Yeah, Foreclosures. And it was amazing. The only thing I have to do is to give them $1,000 right there when I bid on the properties and then 30 days later bringing the balance. So that was enough for me to Raise capital to bring the.

And was this in the Chicago area or was it in Georgia? Okay, that was still in Atlanta. And when did you. Because you're in Chicago now, right?

Yeah, but do you know that was 20 years ago when I started.

Wow.

Right when I started. So there's so much more. So then when I. The GFC hit America, right. The global financial crisis. And we are. My husband and I at the time were thinking about moving to multifamily. We did the training and everything and we are about to start. But then when everything happened, people, you know, crazy, you know, not to know, not know what to do. And the market was a little bit strange. We said, okay, let's wait. Doesn't make sense getting something new since we, you know, we've described it so that we didn't do anything. So then we end up going to Brazil. I am Brazilian. And we end up going to Brazil. He was transferred there with his job, KPMG. And there I opened three Century 21 agencies in three years. Tell me why one is not enough. No. So yeah, I opened that three Century 21 agencies and also land development. Because I had bought some land in Brazil and then I decided to. I decided to sell them as owner finance. Right. Because in Brazil the banks will not finance land. So then I was the bank for this family.

Is it just land or.

Just land. So yeah, so we have the lot. Because it's nothing. I don't know, according to the country. Right. The law, whatever, that there's no security. Right.

There's no property, there's no revenue at the time. Yeah, that on the property.

Yeah. So there's no revenue, no nothing. So they would finance. And so I was financed for these families and last running my brokerage company. But I didn't like much because it was too much work. And you have to rely a lot in people. Right. I had like 50 agents and maybe.

That'S a pretty big team.

I know. And maybe 10% of them were performing. You know, that's strange and crazy. But anyways, that's why I have it. I didn't like it. Soldier. The company moved to Australia again. My husband was transferred there, moved to Australia, live in Melbourne. There I am again putting together another company. So I create a property development company. Wow. And I thought that I'm going to have a lot of fun because everything that I've learned in Georgia, buying property, like 50,000, 150,000, selling for more. But when I got in Australia, the median market value of the property, a million dollars. I said, I Can't do that. What I'm gonna do. I had to be creative again, and that's what I did. I started to approach the owners, homeowners, and partner with them. I would develop two properties on their land. They get one, I'll get one. So they didn't have to spend anything up their own money. I didn't have to buy the land. And they had a brand new home. That was beautiful. They loved it.

Wow.

Yeah. Because In Australia, they 70% of the the properties are paid off. They don't have loans. It's just very interesting. And so these people that grew up in that area, 30 years in the same location and prime locations, and they didn't want to leave because they have all the neighbors, family and stuff close to them, but they couldn't also afford to fix up the properties because just like America, the problem about retirement in Australia is very little money. So they don't have enough money to be able to support themselves and fix up properties. So they were trapped. So I was a solution for them. They loved it.

So you're worldwide creative finance?

Absolutely.

That's amazing. How do you like even going back to, like, how do you even create something going from zero to 50 agents, like back in Brazil, like, what were some of those steps?

Everything starts with your thoughts. What do you want? Right, Okay. I want to be the biggest and best real estate brokerage in this town. That's what I want to do. So when you have that in mind, then you just go reverse engineering. I was on the papers and I was on the TV, like Prime TV. Like 15 seconds, 30 seconds commercial. Oh, my gosh, it was incredible. People calling. I want it. I want it because we are international, right? It's an American franchise. And I was in Northeast. Americans are kings for them, right? Oh, my gosh, they have a lot of money. They're gonna solve my problem. So I opened my first agency, like 35 minutes from the city, and this person called and he went all the way there to bring his house to Forest to list for him. So. And that's one of the reasons I opened it in the city. So it ended up being three, because I also decided to open one in the shopping center, the major shopping of the city. I have my agency there too.

And it just got to the point where it was just like grew to something way bigger than you even initially planned. And it was taking up too much of your time, I assume.

Actually, it's not that. It's just because I didn't like, like I said to work you know, managed people and they not perform. And you have to be all the way, all the time on top of them. And I'm a kind of person that if you don't do it, I'm gonna do myself. And there was a point that my agents asked, where are you? I am in front of a client, trying to get a listing. They said, but we are all here. Yeah, go find something to do, because I am doing so. I just. I don't have the patience, so. And then I said, no, it's not good. I'm happy that my husband found this opportunity, was invited to go to Melbourne, and it was fantastic. I love it. So I was able to get up there. My land development company still exists. We still sell in these lots, right? So I was just like, America, if you don't pay, you don't stay. So then I keep getting this lot back. In Brazil, there's something different. They have to give back 30% what they already paid. So, yeah, we have to give back. It's all. It's fine.

Wow.

Yeah. So that's happened.

So what kind of led you to this path? I mean, you sound like a pretty motivated individual. Did you play sports growing up or were you just wired that way?

When I was five years old, I found out that I could exchange scrap metal for candy. Guess what I did? I was in the neighborhood looking for scrap metal to bring to the store and get candy. So when I didn't find anything else on the street because I couldn't go too far, right. I was a little kid. And then I started to look inside my house. And then, oh, my gosh, my eyes lit up when I saw my father's two chest. Oh, my gosh, I'm rich. I could imagine how much candy I would have, right? So I sold every single one. Every single one. Oh, my God, it was so good. So anyways, and finish then that's what I do, right? So then one morning, I always woke up early in the morning, right. I love to come and stay in the sun. And then I was thinking, what am I gonna do? There's no more scrap metal, what I'm gonna do? And then I look in front of me, the front gate, I saw that thing. And of course, that was the end of my career. That's it. So I think I born with that. I've been creative and thinking what to do, how to do, and I. I find solutions. So put me somewhere. What's the problem? How do we resolve that?

Wow, amazing. So what led you to kind of joining the Community as far as owners club and like how did you first hear about Pace and where did that all start?

So yeah. So after Melbourne, I. I moved to Dallas, Texas. Okay. Five years ago. So then I start. I had to learn everything again. I was outside of the country for 10 years.

Yeah.

Brazil, Australia and then move back. So now we don't have credit.

Are you getting like citizenship in each each time you move or how does that work?

Actually in Australia we had a visit because okay, my husband had a job there, so we had a visa.

How does that work? Like now do you guys have citizenship here in America?

Yeah, he's American.

Oh, okay. Gotcha.

Yeah, we met in Brazil. He's American.

Okay, nice.

So yeah. So and then what happened is we moved to Dallas, Texas and I have to learn everything again. And then I found somebody that taught me creative finance. Subject to honor, finance, wraparound, all these things.

Yeah.

So this coach end up being my partner. So we would partnership for two years. So I learned the entire process right on the writing left and right. So it was fantastic. I love it. I'm very grateful for my coach because it was incredible. So anyways, and then I start to listen to Paige. Right. Watching his videos and there was one night that I was. Oh my gosh, he was six hours already in this video and he told me, are we gonna be here 24 hours? I said oh my God, it's already 2 in the morning and I'm here listening this crazy man. Oh my gosh. Is it 24 hours?

Yeah.

Oh my. So anyways, and he was talking about creative finance. Always listen to. Because to increment my creativity. Of course. Listen somebody doing something creative as well. What can I learn, right? A lot. So and I used to buy houses like from the cheapest house. We bought like $26,000 to 150 and sell up to 300,000. And then when I listened to that Pace saying that he bought a house over a million Creative finance with none of his money. I said oh my gosh, I'm going to do that. Sure enough, a week later, a client came from my ads. One million dollar house. I purchased that house with zero of my own money.

Wow.

And as was, as a result, I was able to get $500,000 working capital for that house. So this is a half million dollar advice from Pace Mortgage. Thank you.

That's amazing. Wow. So I guess assuming at that point joining owners club was just like no brainer, right?

Absolutely. So I went to Spot up and when I saw the vision that Pace have For the community and everything that we were saying. I don't remember the three things. I remember two of them that he was saying, we're gonna do this, this, and that.

Yeah.

And I said, oh, my gosh, tick all my boxes. No brainer. Give me the paper. I'm gonna sign you right now.

Yeah.

So that's exactly what I did. And I'm so happy because he has the biggest community right. For creative finance, where else I'm going. So that's perfect. And I love community. I always been mastermind. But Pace, by far the best I ever been.

Nice. So have you gone through and, like, watched a lot of, like, the owners club training content? Like, even from last year?

Yeah, absolutely. He gives us homework, Right. I did everything. Month average active income calendar series. And not only listening, but implementing. And in one part is when I found out that Pace's Mount Everest is like 90% my Mount Everest. That is by find buyers first. That's what he was doing. Right. That's his mom's address. And then I said, oh, my gosh, this is my. My goal. Right. Because I was reaching down how it's gonna be and everything. And when I was listening to him, I said, oh, my God, that's amazing. Was phenomenal. So of course he has some pieces that I don't have and I could plug it in. Right. I'm ready to launch. So right now I'm looking for buyers whoever wants to buy a house and they don't qualify for traditional loan. Talk to me.

Okay, nice. So are you taking down deals and essentially wrapping them?

Right.

To finding these end buyers that maybe they have, you know, high income or they own some businesses and they can't qualify for traditional credit. Right. And you have an option for them. Right. Nice. And so do you make. Are you mainly winning on the back end or are you winning like on both? Like the front end, back end? A little in between Every deal that.

I make, I get paid three times. I have the cash now, cash flow and cash later. That's what I learned. And I don't move from it. And that's exactly what happened.

Nice. And so are you raising capital now? Are you still.

Yeah, always raising capital. Even though all the money that I get is recycling money just to grow.

Three, four month time periods or whatever, because you're. You're essentially closing on it and then you're listing it or going through your marketing channels for three, four months, however long. How long does it take you to find a rat buyer? Four to six months.

The average is between 30 to 90 days.

Oh, wow, that's pretty quick.

Yeah, it's pretty quick because the moment we get the property on the contract is already being marketing for the final buyer.

Yeah.

And then many times we had the buyer anxious to get into the house even before we purchase. So we have to hurry up.

So how are you finding like these buyers? Are you doing a lot of like social media marketing?

Buyers or sellers?

The. The buyers, like the end buyers. Yeah.

So actually once upon a time we're doing Facebook Marketplace, but there's no Facebook Marketplace anymore to do this type of advertisement.

What do you mean by that? Because you can list stuff on Marketplace Place, right.

Equalized houses, they start to block us. And not only us, but a lot of people. It's very hard to make that work. So then now, that's why I move to the part of now I'm going to find the buyers first. I'm going to resolve that problem. And then because it's too easy for me to find the sellers because I've been doing this like for five years and I buy very fast because there's no deal that I cannot close if they are motivated and if the terms are there too easy, just make it happen. Right. So, but now finding buyers first is the key. That is the most important part of my Mount Everest. Find these families first and then I go and market, get the property for them.

Gotcha. So do you have a specific goal? Like if you think about defining your Mount Everest, what does that look like?

Okay, so my month Everest is to help 500 families to acquire their homes by being the bank for them. And as collateral, of course, I'm going to make money. I'm going to have cash flow. And with that money that I'm willing to get for cash flow, my goal is to empower women to become financially free through creative finance. So I'm teaching women how to buy properties without spend any of their own money, even if they don't have credit or experience or money. So that's what I teach them because it's exactly what I did. You can show to them what I did and they can do too. And besides, I have my passion that is Restory, like Re Story. That is a foundation that I create to help survivals of sexual abuse women. Right. So that means she owns, that's the, the organization to teach women as creative finance and of course is a not for profit organization, both of them. And then when I do my meetings with she owns and I bring the awareness for what I'm doing to help women to heal from sexual abuse trauma. And several of these women, they come forwarding forward and say I need help.

Yeah.

And so I'm very excited about that because as a survivor myself. Right. Because that's the only way you can do this. Because actually Pei said something that I love it. He said, you teach what you need to learn the most.

Interesting.

So yeah, then up when I take these Women through the 13 week process, I'm with them, I'm learning with them. Right. Even though I'm ahead of them because I already look for healing and I'm more advanced because sexual abuse is something that you never heal. So you always carry with you. So you have only to help others to have a better quality of life. Life and understand what happened to them and show them what's possible. They don't have to be back in the past and feeling sorry or no, no, you know, thinking that they are not enough, that there's something wrong with them. So I'm very excited about this program. I already started and I have the first group and five weeks in and it's in incredible to see the transformation of the girls. It's incredible. It's not girls. I said there's from 36 to 60.

So man, you must be really good at marketing yourself because it sounds like all of this stuff, like it's crazy. The growth, the things you've accomplished, Amazing. That's awesome.

I have the talent to talk to people and you know, I don't entice them to do what I'm telling them. And I think also because I do with my heart, because my passion is to help people. And when I'm talking to sellers, I find a way to pay them as much as maximum as possible, but at the same time I'll be able to have a margin. And I talked to them very clearly, they said, hey, I will not be able to make any money. I have the passion to help people, but I also have bills to pay. So. And the same thing with the buyers. I do whatever it takes for them to get a home even. Of course I try to get 10% down, but sometimes they don't have and I work with something out with them to make it happen.

So if you think about the owner's club retreat that we're at, like what are some of the resources or connections you want to make over the next few days to walk away, like, yes, that was a success.

So what I want is to find as many women or people as possible that can help me to reach out the most amount of women as possible because I want to help all of them. I know it's not possible, but as many as possible. So that's what I want to do. That's my passion. So I can teach them real estate and I can bring them to go to the program of Restory and heal to be able to rewrite their story in a combination of the two organizations. Because when they come from the healing process. What are you going to do now with the power that they just got back, they can come in and mingle with the women that are learning real estate and build wealth to themselves.

Wow.

Fantastic.

Amazing. So it sounds. So you've already started this?

Yeah, I started you on like five months ago and I won. I run like a meetup every month, first week of the month and. And the restoration just started five weeks ago.

Nice.

The first group.

And so how do you. How are you spreading that awareness and getting the word out there and attracting these people for restoring or both?

All of it. Yeah. Just curious story. We didn't start go out there to the public. We are new and we are doing this now and just hire marketing person which is amazing. And so we are now marketing to find the restoring. But I believe she owns is the best channel because there I know what to do. Right. With the women right now. We've empowered them to buy properties and that's my passion too. Right. It's awesome to do that. And so through them I'm bringing women to restoring and I think that's perfect because I'm starting. I don't want to avalanche with women because I'm learning the process too. Right. So I start with four women and the programs for four to eight max to be able to be more intimate group.

Yeah.

So that's why I have to multiply for example the four that are in my group right now. Two of them already express intention to be facilitators for the first 13 week program. So that means the next program I can start three groups at the same time.

Yeah.

Multiply like that way.

Have you thought about not so much on like the attracting women side but wow, that's a loud point. On the expanding on the real estate connections. Have you thought about joining sub2 at all? Have you thought about joining sub2 like basis sub2 community.

So you know I think that is what I have to do because the majority of the women are there. Yeah.

Because there's like. I think there's like 16,000 people in it and owners club is like there's only like 550 or something like that. So it's a much wider pool of people and they're all still like really super hot. And I mean, not as high level as this group, but they're still like pretty high level. And a lot of real estate activity and like just. I mean, it sounds like you already have all that knowledge, but just like the resources or the access to the people is like the value, honestly.

Absolutely. Because everybody have some talents, right. They have different talents and we cannot do everything by yourselves.

Yeah.

I'm very impressed with the community. Oh my gosh, it's. It's incredible. I love it. I love it. Yeah. And absolutely right. Sub 2 is, is the best. I went to San Francisco, mingle with some subju people.

Oh, the meetup a couple days ago. Yeah.

Oh my gosh. That's amazing to see very young people.

Yeah.

Because they look up to us. Right. They think, oh my gosh, they are owners club. They know everything. We know more than that. But not everything. Right. So. And it's good to talk to them and give them encouragement. Hey, don't, don't wait. Just do it right now. Stop telling your story that you work 40, 50 hours per week. So what? Do it. So. Yeah, so it was very nice. And then they sent a message back on. Thanks so much. I started. Yeah. That's why I didn't do it. Sorry.

Yeah, that's my favorite excuse because I work during the day W2 and I'm still doing like a ton of real estate activity. So I love when people tell me, they're like, oh, I'm. I can't do anything. I got a W2. It's like you're talking to the wrong person.

Yeah. Yeah. You have many hours.

Yeah.

Just go sleep six hours per day max. Then you have all the hours you need to get your phone.

Oh, yeah, absolutely. So what are, what are some other resources that you need to kind of help, like fuel besides like expanding your reach?

So of course, we always need money all the time.

Yeah.

And I love the investor out there that loves to. To invest for a good cause. Because all I do. Oh. I do is with the heart to help. Right. So help families to acquire their homes. Yeah. It would be amazing if I have more money to be able to make that happen.

Yeah.

Right. And that's money I think is important. And there's one very important thing that I want. Maybe somebody out there listening to me. I have been interviewing people to become my integrator on my business because I am, of course. What do you think? Pure visionary. Don't Give me anything for integrated to me.

Yeah.

Not gonna work. So. And I'm looking for somebody and I interview some of them and I'm hoping for this event and motorways and penalize the interview process. And there's one person that's coming to this event and I think that's going to be the one that we'll see.

Yeah. When we talk again, what I'm trying to think, because I think the majority of people coming are probably visionaries. Right. There's probably very few integrators that are in this group.

This is a problem that somebody has to solve. Yeah, integrators and operation people. Yeah. But Pace did something like that. So doing like bring up operations for the. For people that need. Right. So.

And you're. You're a true visionary, because I can tell. But then there's also people that I've heard them like, classify themselves as visionaries, but they just like, don't want to do any work. Like. So there's a difference between, like, truly being a visionary and just being someone that's like, I just want to hire people and just do this. For me, it's a very big difference.

Not for me. Yeah. I like to have the vision. I want to see that happening and I go get whatever I have to get. But I love to structure deals, raise capital, you know, talk to the buyer, the seller. That's fantastic. That's what I love to do. But of course, I have to hire people to help them. To help me, actually.

Yeah.

To be able to talk to these many 500 families is a lot.

It is.

It is a thousand transactions. It's a lot. So you have to get a good team to help us out for sure.

And it should be a big enough goal that it scares you. Right. It shouldn't be something that you should just be able to accomplish next year or two years or three years. It should be massive.

That's right. That's what I have been doing my entire life. Jump and look for the biggest thing that scares me. I don't think any. Anything scares me anymore.

I think just being all that's amazing. Well, how can people find you, follow you, send you deals? Where do we contact you at?

Okay. So, yeah, I love my calendar. Just like bas. I live by that calendar. Everything in there is going to happen. Right. So I'm not sure if I should give my calendar here for people's cash, like 15 minutes. But of course, I block my time wisely.

Yeah.

So, yeah, I can give my calendar.

What about, like, are you on Instagram.

I am Instagram. It's Eva Norris. You're gonna find me. Can I give my.

Yeah, sure.

So, meetwitheva.com that's it. Www.

Nice and simple.

Meetwitheva.com book 15 minutes in our calendar. My calendar. So then we can talk and see how can we can help each other.

Amazing. Awesome. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy day. Super impressed with your background. I mean, it just seems like you're accomplishing so much, even without even joining sub 2. That's just wild. So I'm sure after doing that, you're going to meet a lot of people that's going to take it to the next level. So thank you for coming on the show, and we will see you next time.

Thank you.