Yuval Shram, founder and CEO of TAY Investments, recently appeared on the Mr. Deed Podcast, sharing over 15 years of experience building a multifamily real estate portfolio across New Jersey and beyond. The conversation highlighted his patient, principled approach to development and his vision for the future of rental housing.
Shram's entry into real estate came during the 2008 financial crisis, when he saw opportunity amid the wreckage. Starting with small residential properties such as duplexes and fourplexes, he grew his portfolio step by step. Today, TAY Investments is a private equity real estate company with over 1,550 residential units and a market value exceeding $475 million across North America and Europe.
One of Shram's key pieces of advice is to stop trying to time the market. 'Sometimes the waves are high, sometimes the waves are low,' he said. 'You just got to be in the water. If you're in the water long enough, you'll catch the right wave.' He believes that if a location is desirable and the unit is affordable relative to the market, that's enough for long-term profitability.
Central to TAY's strategy is a 'forever hold' mentality. Unlike private equity firms that operate on five-to-seven-year flip cycles, Shram evaluates every acquisition through a multigenerational lens. He asks himself whether he would be comfortable leaving a building to his children and grandchildren. This mindset shapes how TAY builds, investing in quality materials and proactive maintenance to avoid short-term cost-cutting that erodes value over time. 'When you're building for yourself,' Shram noted, 'every corner you cut is going to bite you eventually.'
Perhaps the most forward-looking element of TAY's recent work is its 'Sanctuary' amenity concept, featured at Hue Soul, a 116-unit development in East Orange, New Jersey. Inspired by a hotel experience in Thailand, Shram envisioned a ground-floor wellness hub combining a state-of-the-art gym, dry and wet sauna, cold plunge, and outdoor pool. The idea is to give tenants everything they need for physical and mental health without leaving the building. Shram believes that healthy, happy tenants are long-term tenants, and that community-building through shared wellness spaces reduces turnover. 'You wake up, you take care of yourself, you go to work as a better version of yourself,' he said. 'Everybody wins.'
When asked for advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, Shram urged them to walk their own path, resist copying competitors, and trust that consistency compounds over time. It's a philosophy that has served him and TAY Investments well.
