BiggerPockets Daily

When you successfully manage your property manager, you’re saving time, minimizing stress, maximizing profits, and giving yourself the opportunities to grow as a real estate investor. If you fail to hire a good property manager or establish clear expectations, your investment can quickly become stressful and costly. Whether you’re a newbie, a seasoned investor, or are considering hiring or switching property managers, we’re here to share our insights on managing a property management company. In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of this $114.9 billion industry, share ten tips for managing property managers, and help you determine if hiring a property management company is right for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you successfully manage your property manager, you’re saving time, minimizing stress, maximizing profits, and giving yourself the opportunities to grow as a real estate investor. If you fail to hire a good property manager or establish clear expectations, your investment can quickly become stressful and costly. Whether you’re a newbie, a seasoned investor, or are considering hiring or switching property managers, we’re here to share our insights on managing a property management company. In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of this $114.9 billion industry, share ten tips for managing property managers, and help you determine if hiring a property management company is right for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For some newbies, reading a real estate agreement can seem like reading a foreign language. The contract is typically full of confusing legal jargon that doesn’t make sense. But navigating contracts in real estate transactions is crucial for becoming a successful investor. The term “real estate contract” refers to several types of agreements or contracts to “seal the deal.” So, whether you are buying, selling, transferring, or leasing property, a legally binding document is always part of the sales process. Therefore, it’s vitally important you understand how real estate contracts work and the common terms used in property agreements. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of different types of real estate contracts. Additionally, you will learn common real estate investing terms to help you make informed investing decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you’re building or rehabbing your investment property, the structure will require an inspection during the construction project—and you’ll most likely have more than one. Familiarizing yourself with the building inspection process can help investors better prepare for inspections, ensure compliance with building codes and regulations, and avoid costly mistakes that may result in failed inspections. Building inspectors thoroughly examine the property to ensure that it meets all safety and code requirements, the construction follows the approved building plans, and all necessary permits have been obtained. You’ll need to get their final approval before occupancy of your building takes place. Let’s discuss what a building inspection is, how to choose the right inspector, and what to do if you fail an inspection so you have all the details you need to complete the building permit inspection process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The time value of money states that the money you have today is worth more than the money you’ll have at a future date. The two main reasons why are your potential earning capacity and inflation. It’s why people make investments instead of letting their money sit in their checking accounts. It’s why Mad Men’s Peggy Olson didn’t balk when she was offered $19,000 per year in 1970 (the equivalent of about $149,500 today). As a real estate investor, understanding the time value of money is critical because it’ll help you make informed financial decisions that will impact the profitability of your investments. To help you make these decisions, let’s explore the time value of money, including how it works, how future values, present values, and compounding periods fit into the equation, and include some real-life investing examples to show you how to make your money work for you over time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The time value of money states that the money you have today is worth more than the money you’ll have at a future date. The two main reasons why are your potential earning capacity and inflation. It’s why people make investments instead of letting their money sit in their checking accounts. It’s why Mad Men’s Peggy Olson didn’t balk when she was offered $19,000 per year in 1970 (the equivalent of about $149,500 today). As a real estate investor, understanding the time value of money is critical because it’ll help you make informed financial decisions that will impact the profitability of your investments. To help you make these decisions, let’s explore the time value of money, including how it works, how future values, present values, and compounding periods fit into the equation, and include some real-life investing examples to show you how to make your money work for you over time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Applying for an investment property loan requires understanding the terms used in the lending industry. This is especially important if you are considering taking out a hard money loan. Hard money loans are typically used for short-term financing and are secured by real estate. Let’s take a look at 10 hard money terms to look out for when applying for a loan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real estate syndication can be a lucrative way to enter the real estate investing business. Syndication in real estate gives you a share in investment properties with all the perks—passive income, tax breaks, and property appreciation. You also avoid the hassle and stress of being a landlord. So, suppose you want to invest in property without spending much capital. In that case, syndicated real estate could be for you. However, as with any investment strategy, there’s much to learn before setting up a real estate syndicate. This ultimate guide to real estate syndication will help you unlock the potential of this potentially profitable investment opportunity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re like many property owners, you want to use your investment property to make rental income. But before you can get to the cash flow part, you likely need to rehab and prepare the rental property for tenants. Rehabbing a home isn’t the same as preparing a home for rental, though. Not all homes require rehabbing, but all rental properties must be prepared for prospective tenants. There’s a lot to know about being a homeowner with rental properties, and landlords must understand their rights and tenants’ rights to meet any legal requirements when preparing a home for a new renter. These details can guide you through rehabbing your rental property and getting it ready for new tenants so you can get your home onto the rental market sooner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Water damage and moisture issues can be anything from a pipe leak to a foundation issue. However, if not taken care of promptly, it can lead to mold growth and cause further structural damage. If the home inspection report finds water damage or moisture issues, it’s not usually a deal breaker. Once the homeowner hires a water mitigation company to address the damage and prevent further problems, the issue is usually resolved. The cost of water damage varies significantly based on the extent of it. Even if it’s a hefty price tag, it’s worth paying for if it means your health is at risk and circumventing your real estate transaction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Home inspections are crucial in identifying potential property issues that may not be visible to the naked eye. By providing comprehensive information about the property’s condition, home inspections help homebuyers make informed decisions about whether or not to purchase the property. Home inspectors will generally cost you between $300 and $500. However, owning a larger home or requesting additional inspection services may cost you a little more. The cost also differs based on the property’s location. Whether you’re a real estate investor or an aspiring homeowner, you should consider a home inspection a necessary expense. Research shows that 86% of buyers who got their desired home inspected learned of at least one problem that required attention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Several days ago, the Wall Street Journal published an article about real estate syndicator Applesway Investment Group (owned by real estate entrepreneur Jay Gajavelli), which lost more than 3,000 apartments across four rental complexes that went into foreclosure. What led to one of the largest commercial real estate bursts since the financial crisis of 2008? In a nutshell, Gajavelli’s company held floating interest rate loans where payments ballooned. Inflation brought higher expenses, but rental revenues could not compensate for the difference. Thus, bills became overdue, ultimately leading to these properties’ foreclosures. Thousands of individual investors looking to generate passive incomes (without being a landlord) have now been left empty-handed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rent prices tend to increase in spring and summer as more people seek new rental homes, but lower demand alongside new inventory keeps rent prices nearly flat nationally. In some states, however, an influx of new residents is causing median rents to grow, according to a May report from Rent.com. The trend is clear: People are moving to areas with strong economies that still have affordable rent and housing prices. In the states where rents are rising the fastest year-over-year, the median rent is still relatively low compared to the national median. Nationally, rents were up just 0.29% year-over-year in April. The month-over-month decrease from March to April was -0.23%, following a 1.77% uptick from February’s low to March. The national median rent now sits at $1,967. Monthly declines have slowed, but that may be due to the season—there’s no telling whether the national median rent has ended its descent. In nearly 79% of markets, however, rents are still growing year-over-year. And in some Southern and Midwestern states, rents are rising at double-digit rates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forget basketball and even the weather—when anyone mentions the Miami “heat” in recent years, it’s more likely to be real estate talk. But in 2023, when interest rates have spiked, and the markets are showing signs of slowdown and seasonality returning, is Miami still the hottest place to own a residential investment property? What about Central Florida’s boom cities Orlando and Tampa? Or are the better deals up north in Jacksonville? In our third and final installment of market snapshots, BiggerPockets has teamed up with Belong to look at the Sunshine State. If you want guaranteed rent every month in popular cities like Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville—check out if you qualify for BelongX, the new app changing the way residential investors manage their rental homes. Only you know your financial situation and what you can take on, so this report is designed to support your research by presenting stats on median pricing, rents, and the current state of the market in Florida. The data published is accurate as of April 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you were to ask most investors who they thought the biggest player in the real estate industry would be, the name Sam Zell would be many’s first thought. The legendary real estate investor and entrepreneur passed away recently at the age of 81. His legacy is vast. Many have referred to him as the “grave dancer” because Zell took seemingly dead assets and breathed new life into them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Institutional investors (those who own 1,000 or more homes) have been selling off their inventory in 2023. These big investors have reduced their buying activity by nearly 80% from Q4 of 2022 compared to Q4 of 2021, according to John Burns Research and Consulting. This change in activity has led to 90% fewer purchased homes in January and February of this year than in the first two months of 2022. This is a sharp contrast to the pandemic purchasing of houses in the U.S. These were times when it was easy to borrow money and interest rates were at rock bottom—coupled with rising rents and soaring home prices making it a perfect storm for institutional homebuyers to add to their portfolios. So, why has the trend reversed? We’ll take a closer look at the trends of institutional homebuyers, the reasons why they are backing out, and what this means for individual investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s difficult to predict what will happen in the housing market, even during normal times. Given that the economy is anything but normal right now, predicting what will happen in the housing market over the coming months is pretty much a fool’s errand. But it’s important to have an investing thesis, and it’s also fun, so I will try anyway. Below I will share my five predictions for the housing market in the summer of 2023 and three important indicators to watch that could change my predictions completely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, when investment advisors talked about “diversifying your portfolio to include real estate,” they typically meant adding REITs to your stock portfolio. Don’t get me wrong, real estate investment trusts (REITs) have their advantages. They’re extremely liquid and easy to buy or sell with the click of a button in your existing brokerage account. And you can invest for the cost of a single share, which could mean investing $15 instead of $50,000. But do publicly-traded REITs offer true diversification from the stock market at large? Perhaps not as much as you’d like to think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The financial press is abuzz again about the debt ceiling deadline and the risks of another government shutdown and perhaps a catastrophic default on U.S. debt if an agreement cannot be reached. The ceiling (currently sitting at $31.4 trillion) is set to be hit on June 1. The Washington Post is particularly apoplectic, “Federal workers furloughed. Social Security checks for seniors on hold. Soaring mortgage rates. A global financial system sent reeling… “Leaders from Congress and the White House are trying to forge an agreement to lift the federal debt ceiling, with only a few weeks before the Treasury Department may no longer be able to avert an unprecedented U.S. default. If they fail, and the government can’t meet its payment obligations, economists and financial experts predict chaos. “’It would be a lethal combination,’ said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s. ‘You can see how this thing could really metastasize and take down the entire financial system, which would ultimately take out the economy.’” Well, that sounds rather bad. So, is this something real estate investors should be concerned about, and if so, how should one prepare? Let’s first start with a quick overview of what’s going on and how such “fiscal cliffs” have gone in the past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tampa, Florida, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. and boasts a strong housing market that’s held up to correction pressures through this point. With a diverse economy, large tourism sector, and growing population, investing in the Tampa Bay area is a no-brainer for anyone looking for long-term growth. Population and Labor Market Located in the southwest portion of Central Florida along the “I-4 Corridor,” the Tampa Bay metropolitan area consists of three cities: Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. As of 2021, the total population tracks at just over 3.2 million, making it the 18th largest metro in the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You never know when you might change your business for good. One day at breakfast, I met with a builder with almost $100MM on the street. He had incredible development ideas, with joint venture potentials that promised amazing opportunities for my business. Then, I hopped on a phone call with my partner on developing our client strategies for investors in the United States and internationally. And just before noon, I ate lunch with an entrepreneur who created, built, grew, and sold his business it to a multi-national company in the hundreds of millions. He is now finding ways to connect people with ideas all over to help change the world. Talk about the meeting of the minds. There were enough ideas talked about just that day to create a gazillion new businesses, rabbit holes, and crazy plans. I was able to connect, learn, and find ways that we could both help each other and take action at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Setting great goals is hard. Achieving them is even harder. How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution (aka goal) and abandoned it by February? Maybe you intended to do one of the following: Lose 30 pounds Start eating healthy Spend more time with family Buy your first investment property But all too often I see newbie—heck, even seasoned!—investors set less-than-stellar real estate investing goals. They might be something like: My goal is to buy 10 homes this year (meh…) My goal is to buy 10 $100-$150K homes this year (better!) My goal is to buy 10 $100-$150K homes in Kansas City / Indianapolis / Birmingham that each yield $200/monthly in cash flow after all expenses (good… but still lacking) I’ll tell you a secret. If you’re failing to achieve your goals, it’s probably because you didn’t set the goal correctly in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When did we stop growing like we used to when we were kids? Remember being young and absorbing knowledge like a sponge? Growing both mentally and physically like anything is possible—believing the future was limitless. This growth doesn’t have to stop. Our future can still be limitless. The truth is: we all limit ourselves by our own imagination to some extent. Luckily, there’s a way to break this bad habit! By setting goals and focusing on them day after day, you’d be surprised how much you can progress year after year. Here is how to set proper goals in order to achieve your dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of all the rental properties I’ve ever owned, there is one utility bill I’ve always gotten stuck paying out-of-pocket. The water bill. There are a few reasons why the water bill always ends up being my problem. In my area, unpaid water bills go as liens on a property (instead of collections to tenants), so if my tenants ever stop paying—it hurts me, not them. Water bills in my city are read quarterly (not monthly like gas and electric), which makes it very difficult to track which tenants should be paying which portions of the bill when one moves out and another one moves in. Most cities don’t have the infrastructure to deal with “landlord situations” very well. Frequent tenant transfers, notifying landlords if water is shut off, transferring to landlords when a tenant move out—it’s a hassle to make tenants pay this bill directly. A lot of multifamily landlords have to deal with this issue. Water is one of those ever-present utilities that is always needed, no matter who your tenants are, what time of year it is, or what region of the country you’re in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October is the perfect time for snack-size candy, questionable costumes, and entertaining your own worst fears. And for those of you (my mother) who love a good horror story, Airbnb news may definitely feed those fears (more on that later). But for those of you curious about Airbnb-ing—but aren’t sure—who would like to hear about all the stuff that doesn’t make the news (but could potentially be a nightmare), we’ve listed our personal worst Airbnb stories below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It all started when a nice gentleman called my office and asked me if the long-term rental advertised on Craigslist was legitimate or not. I explained to the gentleman I had no idea what he was talking about and that my company did not advertise anything on Craigslist. He went on to tell me what the ad said and even showed me where I could view it for myself. When I went on Craigslist, I was shocked to find that a rental house my wife and I owned was being advertised on Craigslist. A scam artist was offering the house for $1,000 a month (we rent the house out for $2,800 a month). He wrote in the article that he received a really nice promotion at work, and he was not going to be back in Orlando for a couple years. He wanted his good fortune of landing such a good promotion to help another family out… what a joke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am a member of the National Association of Realtors. My local association offers classes to help keep us up to date on all the latest real estate happenings. When a class about real estate scams was listed, I jumped at the chance to sign up. This particular class was sponsored and taught by Heritage Title Company, so the stories are coming from the title company point of view. They also illustrate why title insurance is so important and how an owner’s policy in addition to a lender’s policy can help protect you and your investment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a dozen years in the real estate investing business, one thing I have learned is that mistakes will be made. I made some pretty good ones when I first started out, and I am still making and learning from them today. Mistakes are a part of life and are something we all have to learn to deal with. Looking back over the years, I see that many of these mistakes were actually good things, as they taught valuable lessons and offered even more valuable experience. Newbies to this business are unfortunately more prone to making mistakes simply because of their lack of experience. These mistakes can cost them a lot of money and put a bad taste in their mouths for real estate investing. I have seen more than one person make a serious mistake that they really are never able (or want) to recover from. Hopefully this post can save some of the newbies out there from making a serious mistake that kills their dreams of being a successful real estate investor. There are many types of mistakes that can be made, but in thinking about it, they seem to fall into six general categories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind housing and transportation, food is an American’s third largest expense at 12 percent of overall spending. In other words, a person who makes about $50,000 per year will spend approximately $6,000 on food. This number will vary based on the amount of people you are supporting. But for the average, single American, let’s assume $6,000 per year, or $500 per month. This article is going to show you a way to slash that in half. Yes, $3,000 per year, $250 per month, $8 per day, or $2.67 per meal—all while eating healthy! Although this article has been crafted with the 20-something-year-old American in mind, I believe that anyone in pursuit of financial independence, regardless of their familial status, can benefit from a few of the tips in this post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are literally thousands of real estate books on the market today, and trying to separate the best from those that can easily be passed on can be tough. To help, BiggerPockets has compiled a list of our top books in the real estate genre, based on popularity from our members throughout the BiggerPockets Forums, Blog, the BiggerPockets Facebook page, and more. Many of these books have changed lives (and many have even changed mine)—and we hope they will do the same for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we approach the new year, I’ve come to realize that in my own life, there have been several things throughout my past that have been extremely toxic to my health and well-being—and to the health of my business. It’s in my heart to share some of these because I know a lot of the readers here on BiggerPockets are new, and I want you to be able to spot these things a mile away! It’s my desire to help you avoid the many mistakes that I’ve made because I want you to be far more successful than I have been. What good is life experience if I can’t share it with those who need it most? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a diverse community as big as BiggerPockets, it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed by the amount of Forum posts, blogs, people and information being shot at you as if out of a howitzer cannon. It can be daunting! I want show that it’s easy to attack BP with a strategy to get the most out of the time you spend here and make a TON of money in the process. Why just aimlessly surf if you can implement some tips below and start connecting with players in your market and start doing deals (or do more deals!)? For everyone from the newbie sitting on the sidelines to the old veteran who has 100 deals under his belt, there are many ways you might not be using BP to its fully powerful potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cultivating a network of professional contacts is arguably one of the best things you can do for your business — and for yourself. Working in real estate, my sphere of influence is what drives my business. Whether you are a wholesaler, flipper, or buy and hold landlord, the better you are at networking, the more your business will thrive. Here are some tips I’ve put into practice to build my network. As with anything worth doing, it takes time, but you will begin to reap the benefits before you know it — I definitely did! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has their own unique experiences in real estate investing and building a portfolio of properties. Some of us develop a thriving local (or not so local) real estate empire, while other investors fail to complete their first real estate investment. Many times we sabotage our own businesses. Ultimately, you are in charge of your successes and your failures. As I write this, I understand that I do not speak for the entire human race or even other investors. However, I have most definitely changed as a human being (and real estate investor) over the past 15 years. Below are five traits that I have attempted to cut from my life. I use the word “attempted” because this is an ongoing process, and sometimes I still make mistakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes someone successful? Skill? Talent? Right place, right time? What if I told you that I believe “luck” is one of the most important traits. Crazy, right? Hear me out. It seems that many of the most successful people of all time attribute their success at least partially to “luck,” to being “blessed,” or to having great fortune in one or many key parts of their lives or businesses. And they are right! Key connections, funding, inspiration, and breakthroughs often come about by chance, rather than through the direct planning or efforts that we take to get there. In fact, luck is defined as “success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve spent any length of time trying to “succeed” in life, then you’ve probably turned to self-help books at some point. Most real estate investors have sought out lists of recommended self-development books. Many titles appear on list after list. Once you notice those titles, you might be tempted to read a good chunk of these suggested books and to take the advice of these authors. You’ll find yourself motivated and confident—but more than likely no closer to your goals than before reading them. Why is that? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I start reading a book, I don’t try to internalize it line by line. It’s too overwhelming to attempt to retain every bit of wisdom packed inside the pages. Instead I simply try to take note of one big concept from each book and make a point of implementing it in my life. I’ve found this approach of focusing on LESS actually allows me to retain MORE—and therefore effect a greater amount of real change in my life. Here are three impactful productivity-related books, as well as the one big lesson I took away from each and put to use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I can already feel the hate mail coming my way. The “you have to live” talks. The “you’re missing out on the best times of your life” talks. That’s OK, though. I like those talks. In fact, I love those talks. Each time someone tells me, “You have to live,” it reassures me that I am living like no one else now, such that I can live and give like no one else later. A couple of years ago, my buddy Scott Trench posted an article about a few seemingly harmless habits that many Americans have. Because I 100 percent agree with Scott—and because I’m a numbers guy—I have taken many of his harmless habits and done my best to attribute a dollar value to show the impact of each of these activities. Think of the dollar values below as a unit of comparison; the actual amount may be more or less for you. Before we get started, let me preface with a disclaimer that I am no angel. I take part in almost all of these activities and don’t expect you to cut them out of your life either. However, I am keenly aware of the impact of these activities and practice them significantly less than the average American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One last time I will delve into the amoral and borderline sociopathic book 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene with a lesson that every half-decent politician knows: “Work on the hearts and minds of others.” As Greene notes: “Coercion creates a reaction that will eventually work against you. You must seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you” (Greene 367). You know, there would be a fairly easy way to rephrase this into something that normal, decent, and totally not-power-hungry freaks would find helpful. The key lesson is that every person is the hero of their own story. And while you can force someone to do something (at least you can sometimes), you can never truly get someone to buy into a course of action unless they want to do that thing themselves. And the more you personalize your approach to that specific person, the better. (For example, using sports analogies around people who hate sports isn’t going to help.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over my 16 years of investing in mobile homes, I’ve heard a similar nasty story to the one below from two other active mobile home investors. If we don’t learn from our own mistakes—and more importantly, the mistakes of others—we are doomed to repeat them. Disclaimer: This story gets a little gross. Maybe don’t eat while reading this. The Story It was November 2002. I was investing in my fifth mobile home deal. This particular home was a three-bedroom single-wide from the 1980s located in a pre-existing mobile home park in a small town outside of Tampa, Fla. I liked the area the park was located in, and the park manager liked me. The seller was asking less than $4,000, and I thought the home was a bargain. After quickly walking through the home and poking my head inside every room, I convinced myself that I must buy this home. I shook the seller’s hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have a proposition for you. You give me $20,000 and I’ll give you… nothing. In fact, you’ll give me another $50 to $200 per month until you go crazy or broke. Sound like a good trade? No? Unfortunately, many rental property investors make this same trade with every purchase—because they didn’t properly calculate rental property expenses. The end result? Negative cash flow. Losing money. And unfortunately, it happens all the time in real estate investing, and it leads to financial ruin. I should know—90 percent of the deals I have purchased have been from “failed landlords.” But why do so many landlords fail? Simple. They don’t do do the math. They buy properties based on emotion, gut feelings, or bad calculations and then wonder why they lose money. And there’s one calculation that trips most people up: estimating the costs required to own rental properties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you believe me if I said you didn’t need a massive buyers list to successfully wholesale properties? So many times, real estate gurus emphasize the importance of growing your buyers list to contain thousands of names. Now, I know sending properties to thousands of people sounds much more appealing than sending a property to a small handful of individuals. I mean, the chances of selling your property are much greater if you send it to thousands of people, right? Yes, it’s very possible, but let me ask you this: Are you currently on someone else’s buyers list? If so, do you actually click and view those spammy emails? Me neither! So, I want to encourage you guys to spend less time sending blanket emails to thousands of people you don’t know and focus your energy on developing relationships with buyers you can truly count on to buy your properties. Today, I’m going to show you why a small list of names is more valuable than thousands of names on a buyers list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you curious about investing but not sure if it’s right for you? I used real estate investing to pursue financial independence, but I had some doubts along the way. Personally, I have only done flips and buy and holds, but here’s what helped me figure out if real estate was the way to go: 1. I Laid Out My Intended Role A fantastic first question to ask yourself is: How much or how little do I want to be involved in my investments? Real estate can serve many purposes in many different ways. For example, real estate investment trusts are almost entirely passive. No middle-of-the-night phone calls, no managing, no nothing. You can also hire (competent) property management companies to take care of your properties. This way, you can stay as involved or uninvolved as you prefer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A popular topic I hear a lot about is LLCs. It’s talked about all over BiggerPockets and my YouTube channel. People pose questions like, “Should I set up an LLC? What Should I name my LLC? In what state should I set up my LLC?” …Just to list a few. People think of the LLC as overly complex. But in reality, it’s not. I’m going to boil it down for you in a step-by-step process —as well as a crash course on what an LLC is. Disclaimer alert! I’m not an attorney and I’m not a CPA (nor is BiggerPockets). I’m just a real estate investor dude, and the advice I’m giving you is my personal opinion on LLCs based on my own experience. Before we dive into the steps, let me break down what an LLC is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations If there’s been one theme to my writing as of late, it’s been economic volatility, be it real estate prices skyrocketing, coming back down, rents skyrocketing then falling like a rock, rampant inflation, banks failing, the office real estate market falling apart, or the specter of another 2008-like real estate collapse and deep recession. Volatility has been the name of the game since at least the beginning of the pandemic. Indeed, most economists have been predicting a recession for some time in 2023, while consumer confidence is significantly below where it was in early 2022. Even prior to Covid, rates of anxiety had been increasing substantially in the United States. One paper found that whereas 5.12% of American adults experienced persistent anxiety in 2008, 6.68% experienced it in 2018. And that was before Covid. The American Psychological Association found that in 2022, “Inflation was reported as a source of stress for the vast majority of adults (83%), and the majority of all adults also said the economy (69%) and money (66%) are a significant source of stress.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So far, throughout 2023, we have published several articles on DSCR loans, a loan product that continues to grow in popularity among real estate investors. These included an overview of how to get the best rate and terms, how to use advanced strategies to maximize returns, and an overview of the new small multifamily DSCR loan niche, which expands the loan product to properties with up to 10 units! As many seasoned real estate investors know, while investing in real estate and obtaining loans is a generally straightforward process, there always seem to be unique situations and wrinkles to every deal! The BiggerPockets forums routinely include questions related to DSCR loan qualifications. This overview will help consolidate helpful information for investors curious about this loan option! This article will walk through many examples of frequently asked questions on all things DSCR loans and provide all the answers you will need to navigate the lending process and scale your portfolio on the road to financial freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Housing activity often picks up in the spring, but this year, housing affordability concerns and recession fears are impacting seasonal trends. While mortgage rates dipped enough for housing transactions and building activity to surge in February, these metrics looked sluggish for March. Many homeowners and renters are staying put, waiting out a potential recession, while those looking to move are seeking more affordable areas. As of January, almost 30% of all work was performed out of people’s homes, a six-fold increase from before the pandemic. In busy urban areas, the share is even higher. The availability of work-from-home positions coupled with sky-high prices in the busiest metros is causing people to move further away than ever before. They’re choosing smaller communities with more affordable home prices and a lower cost of living to combat budgetary pressures while also aiming for desirable locations with booming economies that haven’t yet grown too crowded with transplants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you thought of the cast of “Friends” (but poorer), you weren’t wrong. Historically, renters have been young and single, with low to mid incomes and typically less education than their homeowning counterparts. But, over the past decade, while the rest of the world was busy hyper-focusing on millennials, something happened. The demographics among renters shifted, and not how you’d expect either. Here’s how the face of American renters has changed over the past decade, and what it means for real estate investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the process of finding a new tenant can be relatively straightforward, the tricky part is familiarizing yourself with landlord-tenant laws. And, even if you are familiar with them, rental laws are constantly changing. That’s why regularly keeping tabs on local regulations can help you better manage your rental properties. While the best way to familiarize yourself with rental laws is to consult a qualified legal expert, this article offers a closer look at ten landlord-tenant laws that all landlords should research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real estate is considered one of, if not, the best investment you can make. Housing has been very consistent throughout history, more so than any other type of investment, and outpaces inflation and the stock market. However, many people don’t invest in real estate because they assume it’s complex and requires a massive down payment to get started. It turns out that this is entirely false! Real estate can be pretty easy to get into! Whether you’re looking to go the traditional route of buying and renting out properties, renting out rooms, or buying multifamily units the same way you do stocks, there’s no shortage of investment opportunities for which you can take advantage. In this article, we’ll go over seven simple ways that you can become a real estate investor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices