Building a $500M Real Estate Lending Empire: Ruben Izgelov on Shifting from Risk to Reward

The Stephen Lee-Thomas Show: Expert Advice for Real Estate Entrepreneurs

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In Episode 21 of the Stephen Lee-Thomas Show, we talk multifamily real estate and private lending with Ruben Izgelov, who has scaled his portfolio to over $500 million in assets under management. Ruben shares his incredible journey from humble beginnings as an immigrant in Queens, NY, to co-founding two powerhouse firms: We Lend, a tech-driven private lending company, and States Capital, a $300 million private debt fund.

Ruben takes us through his transformation from real estate flipper to institutional-grade lender. Discover why he made the leap into private lending, how he built a fund with zero losses on $700M deployed, and why private credit is one of the most scalable, time-efficient paths for investors seeking strong returns with minimal volatility.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Ruben transitioned from flipping homes to becoming a lender
• The advantages of private lending over active real estate ownership
• How to qualify for fast funding through We Lend
• The surprising long-term benefits of holding real estate during inflation

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] – Introduction: Ruben’s journey from immigrant to investor
[00:04:15] – The early days: door-knocking deals in Queens
[00:12:22] – Flipping vs. lending: how Ruben found his wealth-building lane
[00:18:45] – How We Lend funds deals and supports small operators
[00:27:33] – Investment opportunities in the States Capital debt fund
Ways to Connect with Ruben Izgelov:

• Website: https://www.welendlc.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: [phone]
• Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/ruben_izgel/
• Instagram (Company): https://www.instagram.com/welendllc/
• TikTok: @WeLendLLC
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenizgelov/

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