Howie Mandel reveals his ‘best investment’ outside of showbiz, took 2 acres of dirt and turned it into a goldmine. How to copy his get-rich formula

“I would have to say this building that we're sitting in,” Mandel said. “I made this little man cave that happens to be inhabited by other people who are creative, and tech companies, and other creations which cohabitate together.”

He noted that this commercial property, which he rents out to other creatives, “happens to be a good investment from a real estate point of view,” while also being a positive career and creative investment.

But that building is just one of many Mandel owns, and he noted gas stations really “became the big business” in his portfolio.

Building a gas station empire

He also told Bensinger about the real estate empire he built in Las Vegas, starting in the 80s, when Vegas was still growing at a rapid pace. Initially, he invested in warehouses, but soon realized there was a larger opportunity in front of him.

“I couldn't build fast enough to sell them out because all this building was going on, and because of the tax benefits of Nevada, people started moving there,” he said.

Noticing that home developers in the area were buying dirt to build on, but that the surrounding area wasn’t developed, he decided to focus on commercial real estate in the same area.

“I'd go see where the land was subdivided before the houses were built,” Mandel said. “I'd buy two acres of dirt that would lead into whatever the main artery into this new subdivision was — and people would say, ‘For what?’ And I'd go, ‘These are 2,000 families. Where are they going to get gas? Where are they going to buy their groceries?’”

The potential was obvious.

“So, I'd put a little strip mall of a gas station, a little AMPM store, a car wash, and this became — I knew that I was going to be serviced by 2,000 homes.”

After developing eight successful gas stations in the area, he was eventually bought out, but real estate has remained an essential part of his portfolio ever since.

How to invest like Howie

If you find Mandel’s gas station empire interesting and want to make commercial real estate a bigger part of your portfolio, there are ways to do so without the complications of being a landlord.

Platforms like First National Realty Partners (FNRP) allow individual investors access to commercial real estate opportunities similar to the ones Mandel used to help build his wealth.

Through FNRP, accredited investors can own a share of properties leased by national brands like Whole Foods, CVS, Kroger and Walmart — a minimum investment of $50,000 is all you need to get started.

Another option you can consider is mogul, a real estate platform offering investors fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties. Mogul provides investors with monthly rental income and real-time appreciation alongside useful tax benefits. But unlike traditional real estate investing or homeownership, no large down payment is required.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide, while providing a cash-on-cash yield average of between 10% to 12% annually.

Just sign up for an account and browse available properties you might be interested in to get started. Once your information is verified with the team, you’re set up to invest like a mogul.

And if you’re already managing multiple properties, you’re probably dealing with a headache come tax time. Keeping track of every deduction isn’t easy, but it is essential if you want to ensure your profits remain as high as they can be.