Teamwork, Expansion and the Power of Taking Action including 2 new Infill projects : July's Investor Journey
- Michele Correa
- Jul 17
- 8 min read
What We’ve Been Up To
Between being on the road for 26 days in June (good thing I can work from anywhere) and landing 2 new Infill projects, June was all about momentum.
I recently heard a great quote -
“Talking about the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Thinking about the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Reading about the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Only doing the thing is doing the thing.”
It’s a powerful reminder that action is what creates results—not just preparation, intention, or study.May brought growth, challenges, and exciting progress at Correa Equity Partners. Here’s a peek behind the scenes:
Edmonton Project Highlights
Flip Project: Back on the Market
As you know, we hit a snag on our flip project (see previous newsletter if you missed it and for our key learnings). I am happy to say it is all fixed up and back on the market. When I went to Edmonton for the field trip just before it got relisted, I spent 4 hours in the pouring rain weeding, the yard, and a couple of hours inside cleaning with my friend Rhondi. I picked her up at the airport and she graciously offered to help even though she wasn’t part of this project. Those are the kind of partners and friends you want!
You can see the listing here (https://s.paragonrels.com/goto/Ihywx4lvQl-) and if you know a family looking for a home in Edmonton, please pass this along. It is a stunning renovation with many thoughtful touches and a great flow to the home.
Infill #1 – Westwood. Our Development Permit is Approved!
Our Westwood project is ready to be demolished however we had one small snag from the city. When they came to disconnect the utilities the water valve was broken so they have to replace it before they can shut the water. Unfortunately that takes 6-8 weeks. Good news, we now have our demolition permit!
Infill #2 – Idylwylde – Huge win
Our Idylwylde infill had a huge win. I was on my flight to Edmonton June 18th, when I saw that the Edmonton city council had announced there was going to be a vote June 30th on whether interior lots were going to be restricted to 6 units instead of the 8 they had blanket rezoned to last year. This project is an interior lot so this was concerning as we already have plans and the budget done to create 8 units.
The next morning I emailed our builder at 7am asking him if he had heard about this and that I would call later in the morning to discuss it with him. He called me immediately to say that they had also heard about it yesterday and had been blindsided as they are on the IDEA board which is the Infill Development Edmonton Association and had not heard about this. We weren’t quite at the stage to receive our development permit which would allow us to build 8 units no matter which way the vote went June 30th. With his connections in the city, he was able to obtain our development permit for this project, even though we didn’t quite have all the pieces done yet.
This is what it is like working with a proactive professional team that is aware and wants us to be successful as they know that they will also be successful. Before I even brought the concern to him, he had already solved it!
I said last newsletter that I was actively seeking other investments in Edmonton as I was going to be attending another Trust Your Talent Field trip. Well, I was successful, and while the properties that we saw on the trip were not quite what I was looking for, taking action and being in the room gets success. Two other 8 unit infill projects were brought to me and I jumped at the chance as they are with the same builder mentioned above. I had partners waiting to invest with me so they were also very excited about this.
Infill #3 and Infill #4 are both ready with development permits and will start demolition soon. We are very excited to be helping provide great homes for people to live in as Edmonton is growing.
Infill 6-8 news (read here)
Dollhouse update:
If you are new here, the “Dollhouse” is our incredibly challenging gorgeous property – one that keeps surprising us. We had completely renovated her, refinanced, pulled out all our initial investment, and were cash flowing nicely. Then we discovered a leak which led to us discovering part of the building didn’t have a proper foundation. You can see previous updates here.
The unbeliveableness (not sure that is a word however it fits this project) continues. We have demolished the main floor unit and jacked up the upper unit. The garage was attached to the main floor unit and once we were able to get in it, my contractor discovered that the floor was a disaster. This part of the building is perpendicular to the main house and there were (key word being were) large wood beams that ran from the main house under the garage. Someone in their wise wisdom, decided to pour cement on top of the beams, followed by 3-5 inches of crushed gravel, covered by pavement and then cement. Say what?! Why? I am not a builder and I can tell you that is not a good idea. Obviously when he touched the beams, they fell right off as they had had so much weight on them. So now we also have to completely remove the garage and fix a small room on the main floor unit in the main part of the house.
I did a big reframe on this project recently as I was getting into the “muck” and “why is this happening to us”. I reframed it to thank goodness the leak happened to us as we are able to fix this before it collapsed with our tenants inside. That would be devastating to live with. I also feel like this house, has been waiting for decades and decades for owners like us. She finally feels safe enough to show us all her wounds as she knows we will take care of her and fix her properly. This is investing with integrity and care for the people who live in our homes. This is how we operate at Correa Equity Partners.
InvestHer Con 2025: A conference full of Women Real Estate Investors
One of my business partners (and friend) and I, went to Orlando Florida at the beginning of June for InvestHer Con. The 3 day conference was packed with business strategy, financial analysis and the importance of focusing on self care strategies. Real Estate Investing is still a male dominated space, so it was powerful to be surrounded by women who are growing wealth, creating change, and building financial legacies.
My top 3 takeaways:
Less is More
Focus
Stop being a Lone Wolf.
I am energized and inspired as we gear up to expand into the US market this fall with our first Short Term rental in the Phoenix area coming soon.
If you’ve been thinking about putting your money to work in real estate – and don’t want to go it alone – reach out. We’re actively building our investor network as we expand into the US.
Renovation Highlight – Our Personal Home
Our personal home renovation is starting to look like a renovation as now we are seeing the visible parts of it, not just the plumbing, electrical and drywall. Our main bathroom is all tiled, the beautiful tub with the heated back is in, and our cabinets are starting to be installed.
Our finish date is August 3rd and we can’t wait to be out of boxes, dust and washing our dishes in our shower downstairs lol. This renovation is going to be beautiful and I can’t wait to share the finished results with you.
Ireland and Milwaukee
My family also took two great trips in June. We flew to Ireland and spent 9 days driving around the island. The scenery was gorgeous, the people were so friendly and many of the “Two lane roads” are what we would call a narrow one way alley here lol. We saw castles, and ocean, sheep, sheep and more sheep, museums and quaint pubs, and learned so much about the Irish history. We also purchased Claddagh rings at the original Claddagh store which was quite the experience – in and out so quickly, they have a process lol.
We also flew to Milwaukee for a weekend to celebrate the 79th birthday of one of Doug’s Aunts, who is like a second mom. It was so fun hanging out with his relatives that were able to make it and also spend a day on the lake where one of his cousins lives. Being able to take off at a moment’s notice and be with those we love is such a blessing.
What I’m listening to on Audible:
This book is about how we think about money. Morgan Housel dives into the emotions, habits, and behaviors that shape our financial decisions. It goes over the major events that have happened in history and how that often affects our perception of money. It’s a smart, insightful read that reminds us: building wealth isn’t just math, it’s mindset.
Top 5 Takeaways:
Smart ≠ Wealthy
Doing well with money isn’t about how intelligent you are—it’s about your habits. Patience, self-control, and consistency win over time.
Save Like a Worrier, Invest Like a Believer
Plan for the “what ifs” (because life happens), but keep investing like the future is bright—because historically, it is.
Wealth is What You Don’t See
That person driving the fancy car? Might not be wealthy. Real wealth is hidden—it’s in the money you don’t spend.
Time is the Superpower
Compounding is the quiet force behind wealth. Starting early and staying the course beats big wins and flashy moves.
Your Path is Your Own
Your money journey is personal. What’s right for someone else might not be right for you—and that’s totally okay.
If you want to build lasting wealth this book is a powerful reminder that how you behave matters more than how much you know.
Useful Tool of the Month
This one isn’t real estate related, however is one of my favourite products in our home. I was so happy to come home and iron after travelling so much the last few months and using cheap hotel irons that don’t remove wrinkles well, that I was inspired to share it with you. Trust me on this, that if you iron or need to steam clothes on a regular basis, this is totally worth the investment and will be the last iron you buy. We have had ours for many years.
It irons in less time and way better than a conventional iron, getting out the toughest creases and handling the most delicate fabrics. It glides effortlessly and it delivers powerful steam. I use this to also steam fine wearables that can’t be ironed. The base stores water so you don’t have to keep filling the iron to get steam and warns you when it is time to refill. It is a time saver and you will wonder how you managed without it.
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Let's Stay Connected
That’s a wrap for June! What’s one thing you’re working on in July? Just hit reply—I’d love to hear from you.
Ready to explore investment opportunities with us? Let’s chat about how you can be part of our next project.
We’d love to hear from you!
If making your money work harder for you by investing in real estate without all the hassles is something that interests you, or if you want to partner alongside us and learn as you participate, reach out to us at michele@correaequitypartners.com.
We can discuss your goals and see if we are a fit to work together and invest with purpose.