Christopher Stout

Amultifamily real estate investor for over a decade and a master operator, Christopher Stout oversees and leads all operations at StoutCap. With over 20 years of experience in the residential construction industry, Stout used his knowledge and expertise to transition his career from construction to real estate investing, a move that ultimately led to the creation of StoutCap.

Under his leadership and direction, StoutCap grew from $10 million to $33 million in assets under management in just 12 months. To date, StoutCap’s most recent and largest acquisition is a $10.25 million building with 117 units.

Stout is a certified contractor who attended Baruch College for business administration and management.

How long have you been in the industry? I have been in the real estate investment industry for 12 years.

What brought you into the business? I've always watched people who I wanted to be like and emulate. Starting in my early 20s, I admired people who were successful in real estate investing, and wanted to pursue that myself. I watched the freedom and growth that was possible, and I was always attracted to the passive income it provided along with the ability to own hard assets.

What spurred your change from construction to investing?

In construction, when a project is finished, you have nothing but liability. When a project is over, that project will never pay you again. However, when the switch is made toward investing, the hardest part is the acquisition. After the acquisition, the property or asset will produce income for as long as you own the property, as long as it is operated properly.

Who influences you?

Barry Sternlicht, Grant Cardone, Steve Schwarzman, Warren Buffet and other great investors of our time.

Is investment still possible/profitable given rising interest rates?

Yes, totally. There are opportunities in every market, despite rising interest rates. The position we are in right now is a little more difficult due to the newness of the current interest rate environment, with buyers and sellers being so far apart. While finding deals is more difficult in the current climate, it is still possible.

What investments are smart right now?

I think it is very important to wait for the right deal to come your way. If you don’t have the patience or the time to wait, it’s important to find someone who will. All of the opportunities today are in the retirement population: people looking to retire and who have “had enough.” Whether it be a multifamily building, another real estate asset class or an operating business, there is a ton of opportunity laying among people who are looking to retire.

What keeps you up at night?

If I can't sleep at night, it means I know I have to take action about something — it rarely means that I'm unsure of what to do. But, if anything is my main concern, it is the security of other people's money. They trust me with their capital, and it's up to me to make sure that it's protected.