Off-Market Real Estate Strategies: April 2026 Panel Recap

Event at a glance

• Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6:00 to 8:00 PM
• Location: 7401 Metro Blvd, Edina, MN 55439
• Format: moderated panel Q&A, followed by open networking
• Cost: free and open to the public

Moderated by Ryan Schroder, host of the Minnesota Real Estate Club and founder and owner of Fuze Real Estate.

The panel

• Paul Gilliam of Minnesota Home Guys, a Twin Cities real estate investment company founded in 2011 that buys houses directly from homeowners.
• Brad Smith, owner of iBuyMSP, a Twin Cities home buying company, and organizer of the Twin City Off Market Deals investor group.
• Travis Johnson, owner of MN Nice Home Buyers, a Monticello company he founded in 2016 that buys houses directly from Minnesota homeowners.

Read full bios on our speakers page.

What the panel covered

• How top operators find off-market deals before they hit the MLS
• Direct outreach and relationship strategies that work
• How to evaluate and move fast on off-market opportunities
• Real deals from operators in the Twin Cities market
• Building a consistent pipeline of off-market deal flow

Watch the session

Recap videos and photos are on the event page.

Frequently asked questions

What is an off-market real estate deal?

An off-market deal is a property bought directly from the owner without being listed on the MLS, usually found through direct outreach, referrals or relationships.

Who spoke at the April 2026 MNREC event?

Paul Gilliam of Minnesota Home Guys, Brad Smith of iBuyMSP, and Travis Johnson of MN Nice Home Buyers. Ryan Schroder moderated the panel.

Is the Minnesota Real Estate Club free to attend?

Yes. MNREC events are free and open to the public, thanks to our sponsors.

Where are MNREC events held?

Events are currently held in the evening at 7500 Flying Cloud Dr, Eden Prairie, MN. See upcoming events for the next date.

Register for the next Minnesota Real Estate Club event.