Market Focus & Vertical Integration: Axel Ragnarsson's Multifamily Playbook

First, Worst, Best, & Next

In this episode, host Brad Weaver talks with investor, entrepreneur, and podcast host Axel Ragnarsson, founder of Aligned Real Estate Partners and host of the Multifamily Wealth Podcast.

Axel shares his journey from flipping cars in college to building a 450-unit multifamily portfolio focused in New Hampshire. He opens up about the hard lessons learned from a cash-burning out-of-state deal, the creative strategy behind his best acquisition, and how direct-to-seller marketing became the cornerstone of his success. Axel also offers practical insights into market focus, scaling wisely, and building long-term wealth with or without investor capital.

Key Topics:
Axel’s first deal and why the $5K loss was worth every penny
What went wrong in his worst deal (and how vandalism made it worse)
Lessons from a $1M equity lift in his best direct-to-seller portfolio
Scaling to 450 units through focused growth—not flash
Building a vertically integrated operation with in-house property management
The importance of deep market knowledge and avoiding shiny-object syndrome
How Axel uses direct mail, calls, and emails to build long-term deal flow
Why smaller deals can be more profitable than syndications
Launching a membership community to support investors and give back

Memorable Quotes:
"If it’s working, pour gas on it."
"You don’t realize how much you know about your market… until you go outside of it."
"You don’t do direct mail to get deals—you do it to build relationships."

Connect with Axel:
Instagram: @multifamilywealth
Podcast: Multifamily Wealth Podcast
Membership Community: Aligned Community Info (More info via Axel’s Instagram bio)

Connect with Brad:
Risk Strategies on LinkedIn: Link
Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-weaver-bb29035/
Book an intro appt with Brad: https://zcal.co/fwbn/introcall
Brad’s Direct Cell: [phone]