Real Estate Development: Land to Legacy

What does a dry cleaning business have in common with mobile home parks and private debt funds? According to Ian Noble, everything. In this candid conversation, Ian shares his journey from running a family dry cleaning business in Austin to becoming a thoughtful and selective real estate investor. He talks about selling his company in 2023, the mindset shift it took to move into passive investing, and how he now vets operators not just on returns, but on character. Ian opens up about the psychology of trust-building with investors, why he values stability over flashy returns, and what makes mobile home parks an overlooked but compelling asset class. Whether you’re looking to raise capital, allocate capital, or simply understand what separates a good deal from a great partner, this episode is packed with timeless lessons. Guest Bio Ian Noble is a Texas-based investor and founder of RunSteady. After selling his family’s dry cleaning business in 2023, Ian transitioned into real estate full-time, focusing on mobile home parks and private lending. His investing philosophy centers around capital preservation, character-driven partnerships, and accessible passive income strategies. Episode Highlights and Chapters 01:00 – Why capital preservation trumps high returns in Ian’s investment philosophy 02:00 – From dry cleaning to real estate: Ian’s journey into passive investing 04:20 – The challenge of trusting others with your capital 05:45 – How Ian vets character in potential partners 07:45 – Switching roles: From investor to capital raiser 09:00 – Why trust takes time and urgency kills relationships 10:10 – Referrals and long-term relationships as the core of Ian’s investor network 12:30 – Real estate is a full-time job: The appeal of passive investing 13:30 – Marketing and capital raising: Why last-minute outreach doesn’t work 15:30 – Ian’s two key focus areas: private lending funds and mobile home parks 17:30 – How Ian’s debt fund works and what makes it low risk 21:30 – Managing defaults and borrower relationships in a volatile market 23:50 – Why Ian emphasizes risk over upside in private lending 27:30 – Investor psychology: logic brings them in, emotion seals the deal 30:00 – Tips for analyzing underwriting assumptions and red flags 31:30 – What mobile home parks are (and what they’re not) 33:20 – Manufactured homes, zoning, and why foundations matter for taxes 36:00 – Touring a factory: the surprising quality of manufactured homes 38:00 – Why Ian chose mobile home parks over apartments 40:30 – Value creation by infilling lots in mobile home parks 42:00 – Why cities resist approving new parks and how that creates opportunity 43:30 – ADUs, zoning laws, and development trends in Seattle 45:00 – Gentrification, real estate change, and why Ian says “Play the game” Contact Information You can learn more about Ian Noble and his investment firm at https://runsteadycapital.com Free Passive Investing in Real Estate Cheat Sheet: https://go.runsteadyinvestments.com/land-to-legacy-podcast Join Ian's Passive Investor Mailing List: runsteadyinvestments.com/investor-club LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/iannoble1/ Instagram: @ian_invests   For more episodes, visit Eugene Gershman’s podcast page at https://giscompanies.co/podcast/ Download our free feasibility study checklist: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/  Find out if your project is ready to be financed here: https://giscompanies.co/development/feasibility-study/   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.