What if a single-family home could become both a real estate investment and a place where seniors receive personalized care?
Residential assisted living offers an alternative to large senior living facilities by providing care for a smaller group of residents in a home-like setting. For investors, however, the opportunity involves more than buying a house. Property selection, renovations, licensing, staffing, financing, and resident occupancy all play a role in making the business work.
In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich and Isabelle Guarino explore how investors can turn single-family homes into residential assisted living properties. Isabelle shares how her family entered the business while searching for care for her grandmother, what she learned working alongside her father, and how she now helps others understand the residential assisted living model.
They discuss what makes a property suitable for senior housing, how an owner can work with a licensed administrator, and why attracting residents should begin long before a home opens. Aviva and Isabelle also examine how an aging population is influencing demand for senior housing and what real estate investors should understand before entering this specialized business.
Key Topics Discussed
- How residential assisted living differs from traditional senior living facilities
- What investors should look for when buying single-family homes for assisted living
- Why neighborhood demographics and proximity to residents’ families matter
- How square footage, private bedrooms, bathrooms, and renovations affect property selection
- The differences between purchasing an operating home, converting an existing house, and building from the ground up
- How licensed administrators and caregivers manage day-to-day operations
- Financing approaches discussed in the episode, including SBA loans, private capital, and syndication
- Why marketing during construction or renovation can help attract a home’s first residents
- How residential assisted living combines real estate ownership with an operating business
- What an aging population could mean for future senior housing demand
About the Guest
Isabelle Guarino is the Chief Executive Officer of Residential Assisted Living Academy and a residential assisted living investor, operator, and educator based in Phoenix, Arizona. Her family entered the industry after struggling to find a suitable care option for her grandmother, an experience that led Isabelle to work alongside her father and learn the business firsthand. Today, she draws on her experience operating residential assisted living homes to educate real estate investors and entrepreneurs about the business model, including property selection, operations, and the opportunities and challenges of providing residential senior care.
About the Host
Aviva Sonenreich is the Managing Broker and Owner of the Warehouse Hotline, a Denver commercial real estate brokerage specializing exclusively in industrial properties. She leads the firm’s brokerage operations, negotiates industrial sales and leasing transactions, advises clients on acquisition and disposition strategies, and oversees the company’s marketing and business development efforts. Through Commercial Real Estate Secrets, she interviews leading investors, brokers, developers, and industry experts to provide actionable insights on commercial real estate investing, brokerage, leasing, development, and market trends.
Looking for Your Next Industrial Real Estate Investment?
Every real estate investment starts with understanding the property, its potential uses, and how it fits your goals.
The Warehouse Hotline helps investors and property owners buy and sell warehouses and other industrial properties throughout the Denver metro area. If industrial real estate is part of your investment strategy, we can help you explore available properties and evaluate opportunities in the local market.
