Sean Katona
Full-Time Commercial Real Estate Investor ยท Founder, Simplified Properties
๐ค Bio
Full-time real estate investor and landlord who has spearheaded 80+ deals ranging from value-add renovations to new construction. His focus at Simplified Properties is revitalizing fixer-upper commercial real estate in greater Phoenix to maximize returns for friends & colleagues who invest alongside them.
Portfolio includes retail, apartments, storage, single family rentals, REITs, and a smattering of stock picks.
Lives in Huntington Beach, CA with wife Brittany, and kids Beckham and Ellie.
๐ท๏ธ Tags
Commercial Real Estate
Value-Add
Shopping Centers
Phoenix, AZ
Huntington Beach, CA
80+ Deals
Ex-Microsoft
Ex-EA Sports
UW Foster School
Landlord
Content Creator
๐ Social & Web Presence
๐ธ Instagram (@seankatona)
- 1,559 followers ยท 752 following ยท 147 posts
- Bio: "๐ฆ Landlord | Commercial Real Estate Investor ๐ I Buy Fixer Shopping Centers in Phoenix"
๐ Career Timeline
University
UW Foster School of Business โ Marketing, Technology & Sales concentrations
Corporate Career
Microsoft & EA Sports โ Sold Xbox Ads to Hollywood studios and automakers
~2009
Started investing in real estate โ residential flips first
Early Flipping Phase
Lost $200K+ flipping houses โ pivoted away from residential fix-and-flip
Founded Simplified Properties
Shifted to commercial real estate โ fixer-upper shopping centers in Phoenix, AZ
Present
80+ deals closed โ retail, multifamily, storage, mobile home parks. Full-time investor & landlord.
๐ฆ Investment Focus
- Primary: Fixer-upper shopping centers / retail commercial real estate in greater Phoenix
- Strategy: Value-add โ buy distressed, renovate (paint, landscaping, signage, white-box units), lease up, hold or sell
- Secondary: Apartments, storage, mobile home parks, single family rentals
- Passive: REITs, stock picks
- Investor model: Friends & colleagues invest alongside ("Friends & Family" rounds)
- Lease-up tactics: CRE brokers + direct marketing campaigns
๐ก Key Story: The $200K Lesson
Early in his career, Sean lost over $200K flipping houses โ inspired by HGTV but hit hard by reality. This became the catalyst for his pivot to commercial real estate, where he found better economics, longer leases, and more predictable returns. He's been transparent about this on multiple podcasts and his blog.
๐๏ธ Podcast Appearances
๐ Content & Blog Posts (simplifiedproperties.com)
- Friends & Colleagues โ How to invest alongside Simplified Properties
- Tax Advantages of Owning Commercial Real Estate โ Paper losses & reducing tax liability
- How I Lost Over $200K Flipping Houses โ Origin story
- Where to Invest Your Money in 2021 โ Sold 3 residential to go bigger in CRE
- How To Buy a Commercial Property โ Deal walkthrough series
- Using Data to Invest Smarter in Retail RE โ With Julie Harris & Jennifer Hill
- Tenant Tips to Lease CRE โ Landlord-side advice
- The Right Way to Use Clubhouse for Business โ Social media strategy
Compiled March 4, 2026 ยท Sources: seankatona.com, simplifiedproperties.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, BiggerPockets, podcast transcripts