Key Points from Robert Crager’s Exclusive Interview with Michael Ruge
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Land Assembly & Strategic Development: Michael Ruge assembles land in pre-zoned, government-preferred areas and partners with large developers for multifamily housing, avoiding rezoning battles and streamlining approvals.
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Joint Ventures & Investor Returns: His model involves investor loans with 10% compounded interest, plus a profit share and long-term equity in the development—without the investor needing to manage the build.
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Tenant-Centered Transitioning: During land assembly, current residents are allowed to stay in the homes, often as tenants, with generous offers and long transition periods, avoiding displacement and conflict.
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Handling Holdouts Respectfully: Outlier property owners are offered above-market prices and time to relocate; Michael ensures the deals benefit them and the broader project equally.
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Massive Housing Crisis Context: Operating in southern Vancouver Island, Ruge highlights a 0% vacancy rate for over 5 years and focuses on “missing middle” housing to help address the crisis.
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Scaling Through Partnerships: By focusing on what he’s best at—assembling land and structuring deals—Ruge has built over 888 units and has 2,000+ more in development, including a 30-acre master-planned community near a $1.6B hospital.
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Government Support & Green Financing: Canada supports his developments with 95–100% financing, 50-year amortization, and 2.5% interest—if the buildings exceed energy efficiency codes.
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Legacy Projects & Investor Access: Ruge invites investors to email him directly to participate in deals that generate income, long-term equity, and a share in large-scale, legacy developments.
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Philosophy on Housing & Capitalism: He believes that building housing at any level helps all levels by increasing supply and enabling people to “move up”—and that ethical capitalism can lift people out of poverty.
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Practical Real Estate Wisdom: After 44 years in real estate, Ruge focuses on scalable, sustainable, community-supported development—backed by smart financing, strong partnerships, and tenant-first ethics.
More on Michael Ruge:
Michael E Ruge – Author – Self Storage & Record Adviser – Head Trainer at Storage File Experts |
Michael Ruge – Multifamily Real Estate Development Manager |
Michael Ruge – Business Consultant, Eco-advisor, Author
