From PhD to 20-Unit Investor: Nana Hong’s Analytical Approach to Purpose-Driven Real Estate in Pittsburgh

This episode of the Built For This podcast features Nana Hong, a former PhD student turned full-time real estate investor with a 20-unit portfolio in Pittsburgh. Co-hosts Alissa Bickar and Andrea Lane dive into Nana’s inspiring transition from academia and biotech sales to building a purpose-driven real estate business. Nana shares how her analytical background, experience in sales, and deep personal values shaped her investment approach—from SOPs and deal analysis to creating true homes for tenants.

You’ll hear how Nana leverages mid-term and short-term rentals to adapt to market shifts, manages properties under various entities, and collaborates with co-hosts and tenant-facing teams. She also opens up about the challenges of deal flow, building a personal brand, and why community and mentorship (especially through local organizations like ACRE and Toastmasters) have been central to her success.

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