Real Estate Rookie

We’d all like to imagine that Ashley Kehr and Tony Robinson are perfect investors. They do perfect deals, have a perfect team, and everything runs smoothly in their lives. While they are two phenomenal investors, they still face the challenges that most entrepreneurs and real estate investors also face off-camera. From shiny object syndrome to letting go of the entrepreneurial reigns, Tony and Ashley squeeze in a lot into this Rookie Reply. If you feel like you’ve been getting bored on your journey or simply are too anxious to take the next step, remember that Tony and Ashley have felt the same way. If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Airbnb Alpha Geek Capital BiggerPockets Rookie Bootcamp BiggerPockets Rookie Episode 125 Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie124 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New construction is an enigma to many real estate investors, and especially to rookies. When building a new house, you need to understand engineering, permitting, construction, and a more complicated funding structure. This didn’t stop Donovan Adesoro, house hacker turned home builder from keeping the investment train going. Although Donovan had a background in engineering, he didn’t have much experience with building homes. He started off buying a duplex property to house hack, which turned out so well that he wanted to buy another. The problem? Not enough cash to make the down payment. So he wondered, “what would it cost if I built one of these?” Donovan discovered that he was able to use raw land as a down payment for a new construction loan. So if he had enough to buy the land, he had enough to build the whole house! Now, at only twenty-four years old, Donovan has twelve lots either ready for a new build, partially through construction, or about to be sold. He’s taken advantage of the huge appreciation we’ve seen in the past two years and makes it clear that even if you don’t have money, you don’t have to give up on a deal. In This Episode We Cover The many costs that go into developing a new construction home Engineering, permitting, contracting, and other key parts of home building Using partners to cover costs when you aren’t able to come up with enough cash House hacking as a way to get your start in real estate investing Always having multiple different exit strategies so you come out profitable Renting your car for extra cash and passive income And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group BiggerPockets Podcast Roomies BiggerPockets Calculator Law Depot Turo Outdoorsy MLS Airbnb Zelle Cash App BiggerPockets Lease Agreements Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie123 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five short years ago, Avery Carl didn’t own ninety-six rental units. She didn’t have her real estate license, she hadn’t founded The Short Term Shop or The Mortgage Shop, and she did not have a book written on short-term rental investing. But now, Avery has all those things, and she did all of them in only half a decade. Avery’s first venture into real estate started by her saving up every penny she could to buy a property in Nashville. After some success, she asked, “what’s the most bang for my buck in real estate?” The answer: short-term rentals. Seven of her units alone brought in over six figures in just July, proving her point that vacation rentals are a necessary part of any investor's asset collection. Now, she manages her own short-term rentals and long-term rentals, she also helps teach others how they too can start investing in short-term rentals and even goes as far as to help them to get financing. All of this was done in a very short time period, and all of it proves that hard work can fuel financial freedom through real estate investing. Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts. In This Episode We Cover What to look for in a short-term rental or vacation rental market Why short-term rentals are far more active investing than long-term rentals Staying up to date on your city’s short-term rental laws and regulations The software and systems Avery uses to analyze a deal 1031 exchanges and using them to massively grow your portfolio (tax-free!) Getting out of the fear of overpaying for a property through detailed analysis And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Podcast 364: Snowballing 6-Figure Short-Term Rental Profits Into Passive Investments with Avery Carl The Short Term Shop The Mortgage Shop Airbnb VRBO Alpha Geek Capital Alpha Geek Capital Calculator Your Porter iGMS Smartbnb Airdna PriceLabs BiggerPockets Publishing Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie122 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marching along Bourbon Street last week was a parade with some of the best real estate investors in the world, celebrating another successful BPCon, ready to take on the world. Throughout the past week, attendees of the conference heard from world-class business leaders, investors, and authors, learning about everything from running a business to short-term rental markets, to self-storage, and more. On this live episode, your hosts, Ashley Kehr and Tony Robinson, are joined by Brandon Turner and David Greene, hosts of the BiggerPockets Podcast, Scott Trench, host of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, and Liz Faircloth and Andresa Guidelli, hosts of The Real Estate InvestHER Podcast, plus special guest Esther, who has a widely impressive portfolio herself. You’ll hear the hosts talk about topics like how to connect with fellow investors, future trends influencing the real estate market, what’s working today (and what isn’t), plus a live version of the Famous Four and Fire Round. If you weren’t able to make it to this year's BPCon, plug into this episode and get on the waiting list for next year! In This Episode We Cover What’s ‘firing up’ the hosts of the BiggerPockets Podcast Network? What investors can do in today’s market to ensure wealth tomorrow Future trends that allow investors to profitably pivot How BPCon helps connect investors, reshape ideas, and build wealth How to vet partners before you go in on a deal with them The top characteristics that contribute to your success as an investor Why you should definitely be at BPCon 2022 And So Much More! Links from the Show NPR (National Public Radio) Kevin Leahy's BiggerPockets Profile Mark Ferguson's InvestFourMore Wendy Papasan's LinkedIn Profile Noah Evans's LinkedIn Profile Rickey Rodriguez's BiggerPockets Profile Your First Real Estate Investment Podcast: How to Recover from the Great Recession and Leverage Creative Financing to Fund Your First Deal Joe Asamoah's BiggerPockets Author Profile AJ Osborne's Personal Website Steve Rozenberg's BiggerPockets Profile InvestHer's Partnership Question Guide Meetup Hal Elrod's Personal Website Dave Ramsey's Personal Website Cashflow The Board Game Matt Faircloth's BiggerPockets Author Profile BiggerPockets Calculators The Real Estate InvestHER Community Connect with the BiggerPockets Hosts: BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast Listen to the BiggerPockets Podcast Brandon's BiggerPockets Profile David's BiggerPockets Profile BiggerPockets Money Podcast Listen to the BiggerPockets Money Podcast Scott's BiggerPockets Profile Mindy's BiggerPockets Profile Real Estate Rookie Podcast Listen to the Real Estate Rookie Podcast Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile InvestHER Podcast Listen to the Real Estate InvestHER Podcast Andresa's BiggerPockets profile Liz's BiggerPockets profile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Robinson has some great ideas, like creating a short-term rental empire in both Joshua Tree, California, and the Smoky Mountains over in Tennessee. Tony talked so highly of the latter investing region, that today’s guest, Cale Delaney decided to pack his whole family into the minivan and make the 10+ hour drive to check out the area. Shortly after, Cale was under contract for not one, not two, but three cabins! This wasn't Cale’s first experience with real estate investing. Back at the beginning of 2020, Cale had a mental shift where he realized that real estate could be the key to setting him financially free. He scoured homes all over his area of Florida until he came across a fourplex which rejected one offer from him but later accepted another. He made three of these units long-term rentals, and the other one a short-term rental. Cale went from zero to ten units in only a year and a half or so, without a ton of management experience of extravagant funding. If he can do it, you can too! In This Episode We Cover How to get your first property under contract, even if you keep getting rejected Managing locally before stepping into long-distance investing How a quick closing can lead to more deals in your pipeline Getting off-market properties under contract even in a competitive area Financing real estate investments using conventional loans, HELOCs, and more Scheduling time now to plan for freedom tomorrow And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group Airbnb Google Maps Zillow MLS BiggerPockets Podcast Hospitable PriceLabs Stessa Quickbooks RUBS Host Financial Visio Lending LendSimpli Rookie Podcast 51: 18 Deals in 2 Years AND a Full Time Job with Kevin Christensen BiggerPockets Forums Facebook Marketplace Craigslist Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie121 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Vince on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Vince is asking: After a 1031 exchange, can I refi/cash-out most of the funds and use it to purchase other property? Will I still be liable for taxes? While neither Tony or Ashley are tax specialists, they have had some experience in the past with 1031 exchanges. Firstly, make sure you understand the rules of a 1031 exchange and use an intermediary to perform one, after that you may be in the clear to refinance! Here are some suggestions: Use the entirety of your 1031 profits to purchase (or subsidize) a new property to limit taxes Harness the power of appreciation to “swap til you drop” Use the same entity to 1031 exchange your property and hold it for at least two years Use a trusted intermediary to complete the exchange And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie120 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan Reehill has defied the odds time and time again. She was a teenage mother, having her first son at the young age of sixteen. For most young and single mothers, the chance of becoming a homeowner, let alone an investor is slim, to say the least. At forty-two years old, Susan decided to make two big jumps in her life and career: graduate from college and buy her first home. She succeeded at accomplishing both. As the years passed by, Susan wanted to be a closer distance to her local downtown area. So, she decided to look at buying a new home. When her old home was having a hard time selling, she decided to try and rent it out, which she did with very little property management knowledge or landlording skills. Her tenant brought in ten different individuals to live with her, half of which weren’t authorized on the lease. In only six months, her tenant did more damage to her house than Susan had done in the several years she lived there. But, this didn’t stop Susan’s will to create long-lasting wealth. She began listening to more real estate podcasts, one of which was the Real Estate Rookie podcast. She ended up joining Ashley’s first round of the Real Estate Rookie Bootcamp, where after 90 days Susan was able to score a phenomenal deal, over $100k+ under the asking price! In This Episode We Cover Breaking through the societal norms of who you’re supposed to be at a certain age Becoming an “accidental landlord” and what everyone should know before they rent their home Making it known that you’re an investor who is actively looking for good deals Why a deal is still a deal even if you have to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) Finding contractors through meetups, fellow investors, and Facebook groups Why you don’t need to be rich to start investing in real estate And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group Real Estate Rookie Bootcamp Rookie Podcast 109: From Sleeping in His Car to Multi-Unit Landlord & The “Nomad” Strategy Investor Girl Britt's Instagram BiggerPockets Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie119 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social media investors are becoming the new normal. Whether you’re on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Clubhouse, or Twitter you can find successful entrepreneurs giving tips on real estate, stock trading, or investing in general. So, as an aspiring real estate investor, it would only make sense for you to use these platforms to lock down more deals, find more partners, and maybe even entice some private investors. Katie Brinkley from Next Step Social Communications is a master of optimizing social media posts for her clients. As a real estate investor herself, she understands why it’s so crucial to not only post consistently, but with the highest possible quality content. She also encourages investors on social media to start engaging with their customers, allowing relationships to grow organically. Even if you’re just getting started in real estate investing or if you haven’t even got a deal under your belt, it can be a phenomenal future-proofing strategy to get your social media profile started now! In This Episode We Cover The benefit of using social media as an investor What platforms work best for real estate and which to avoid Planning out a content strategy for maximum engagement with your followers How to automate your posts, interactions, and more The rise of video-only platforms like TikTok and who should use them Sharing your struggles, wins, and client stories with the world And So Much More! Links from the show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group Myspace Linkedin Facebook Twitter Clubhouse Instagram Loomly Tiktok Gary Vaynerchuk's Website InShOt Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie118 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Bolan, like many of us, had a “pressure cooker” moment where she realized that becoming a real estate tycoon was part of her future. At the time, she was working in the oil and gas industry without real estate investing experience. She took a leap of faith and decided to flip her first house in 2018, then flip another in 2019, then buy a 12-unit apartment in 2020, and another in 2021. Did we mention she was buying a 61-acre land development deal in between these time periods? While Amanda was searching for rentals she saw more and more expensive multifamily deals come up. At first, she had “sticker shock”, but ran the numbers and realized that a good deal in real estate is a good deal for her, no matter the price. She got to work underwriting, financing, and partnering to close on this seven-figure property. Even with some hiccups along the way (financing falling through, environmental flags going off), she was able to close on the deal and became a commercial real estate owner. Part of her fearlessness in taking on these big, and often unconventional deals is looking at what could go right, not just what could go wrong. Instead of being stuck in analysis paralysis, Amanda made moves to secure properties that would scare rookie investors and made them her own. In This Episode We Cover Buying a large multifamily property as your first rental What to do when financing falls through at the last moment Running the numbers before you run away from a potential deal Learning to self-manage at scale without any experience Buying farmland and holding land for future development Pushing past fear and making large deals work in your favor And So Much More! Links from the show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Buildium Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie117 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Mel on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Mel is asking: When working with agents, do your agents help in finding off-market deals, or do you mainly look for those as they send you on-market deals? While it isn’t uncommon for agents to have “pocket listings” (pre-market listings), most agents deal solely with on-market deals, working with buyers and sellers based on MLS listings. If you’re looking to find more off-market deals, you may have to incorporate some deal hunting strategies like driving for dollars, sending out direct mail, cold-calling, and door-knocking. Here are some suggestions: Look for investor-friendly agents who can bring “pocket listings” to you Even if you find your own deals, agents can help draft up purchasing documents Find agents who may have new construction contacts that can bring you pre-market offerings Ask buyers to split commission payments or offer to pay in full to sweeten the deal And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel BPCON2021 MLS Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie116 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could own rental properties without the responsibility of landlording? Not only that, what if you were paid a hefty, non-refundable deposit for your home, minimizing your risk? Would you start investing under these circumstances? If you like the sound of that, you’ll love the rent-to-own strategy, or as Today’s guest Jessica likes to call her framework, the BRRTOR (Buy, Rehab, Rent-to-Own, Repeat). Most landlords won’t offer rent-to-own to their tenants, not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t know it’s a possibility. This type of seller financing is what Jessica’s entire portfolio is built off of, and it has some major benefits for not only the landlord but the tenant. Jessica also gives some great advice in our mindset segment, specifically relaying that a big part of real estate is making mistakes. Jessica has had some great deals in her real estate investing career, but not every one of them has turned out to be a superstar. The big takeaway for investors should be to start, make mistakes, learn from them, and do better! In This Episode We Cover Combining the BRRRR strategy and the rent-to-own strategy How to vet tenants to find the best candidates for seller financing The importance of putting ownership in the hands of a tenant Finding homes that will profit in this highly competitive market What to look out for when interviewing hard money lenders Understanding that the first deal probably won’t be a home run And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group BPCON2021 Facebook Craigslist MLS Zillow Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie115 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Roosevelt on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Roosevelt is asking: I’m currently preapproved with one lender but another lender has a loan option my current one isn't offering. Can you be preapproved with multiple lenders at once? And are there any issues I could run into with this? It’s commonplace in the real estate investing world to be preapproved by multiple lenders, that way, you’re never stuck without an option to finance a deal. Many investors also opt to use a mortgage broker that can help shop for loans on your behalf. If you’re worried about your credit score dropping because of preapprovals, try to apply for your loan applications within thirty days so credit bureaus count the multiple hard credit pulls as a singular instance. Here are some suggestions: Get preapproval from multiple banks (small, local, national, etc.) Apply within the same thirty day period to minimize effects on your credit Use a mortgage broker to save time when applying for loans Ask what the lender has to offer, they may have custom loans for investors And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Airbnb BiggerPockets Calculator Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie114 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you get started in real estate investing, you often don’t know what you’re doing. Is this deal going to work out? Am I choosing the right materials for my flip or BRRRR? Will this appraise at what I need it to? All these types of questions can flow through a rookie investor’s mind in the first months or even years of investing. But, if you’re making the right progress and doing what needs to be done, you’re probably miles ahead of the competition. Today we talk to Brian Davila, a real estate investor and coach who helps his students answer the same questions like the ones above. Brian has identified the six key traits of a successful real estate investor. You may have been born with some of these, but almost every real estate investor needs to make a conscious effort to become a master of all six. If you’re able to capitalize on the advice from Brian, you’ll score more deals, connect with more investors, raise more money, and maybe make an extra few hundred thousand dollars a year! In This Episode We Cover Why every investor needs to take calculated risks frequently Becoming a problem solver so you can get deals others will pass up Using resources like BiggerPockets and Facebook Groups to find deals Choosing the activities that will set you closer to your goal Having faith even when you’re low on energy (or money) Building relationships and developing basic sales skills And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group BPCON2021 BiggerPockets Podcast 407: Buying 100+ Houses/Year in 4 Hours/Week Using Teams, Traction, and (Get this…) TikTok with Ryan Pineda BiggerPockets Google Yelp BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Calculator Podio Rookie Podcast 91: 8 Units, 10 Wholesale Deals, and $0 Spent on Marketing w/ @Liliinvests MLS Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie113 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Scott (@hotdads1) through Tony’s direct messages on Instagram! Scott is asking: How are expensive properties profitable? Is it a mindset shift to buy expensive properties, or should I look in cheaper areas? Should I purchase in a quickly appreciating market? This is a very 2021-type question. We’ve seen numerous markets around the United States (and the world) see massive appreciation over the past year and a half. Now, real estate investors wonder if it’s even worth pursuing deals on the market. Although prices may be higher than they were before, you still have numerous options when trying to purchase a profitable rental property. Here are some suggestions: Price becomes irrelevant when looking at cash on cash return and true cash flow Look at creative financing solutions (like FHA loans) to close on a home with low money down Calculate your numbers for the long term to get rid of any short-term price dropping fears Stop looking at past prices and ask: “Is it a good deal today?” And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Scot Morris's Instagram Rookie Podcast 109: From Sleeping in His Car to Multi-Unit Landlord & The “Nomad” Strategy Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie112 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Purchasing one rental property is an accomplishment in itself, but what about purchasing 26 units in your first year of real estate investing? Not many do it, but someone who has is Amelia McGee. Amelia didn’t have any formal training on real estate investing. She wasn’t a broker, an agent, or a contractor; none of her family invested in real estate either. You could say that Amelia had to take a ‘’leap of faith” to begin her real estate investing career, a leap that has paid off quickly. Amelia had exhausted much of her funds after investing in her first deals, but through leveraging her social media she was able to find partners who funded the down payment for an 11-unit apartment complex. She received equity for her hard work and her financers received equity for their risk, a true win-win! Now, Amelia is helping others purchase their first deals by TA-ing for Ashley during BiggerPockets Rookie Boot Camp. If you weren’t able to get in on the Bootcamp this time, fill out this form to be notified when sessions open up next! In This Episode We Cover How to acquire deal #1 without any background in real estate investing The best resources rookies can use to get a home-run deal on their first try Partnering with family to flip or a BRRRR a property Why local banks may be an underappreciated way to affordably finance your deals Using social media as a way to generate property leads, partnerships, and more The systems and software you need to scale FAST as a rookie And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie FaceBook Group Rookie Bootcamp David Greene BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast 476: Using Partners to Scale & Killing it With Airbnbs w/ Tony J Robinson Apartments.com Stessa Monday.com Instagram Iowa Courts biggerpockets.com/forums Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie111 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Rhett on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Rhett is asking: How do you inform an inherited tenant of changes in ownership after you close on a property? When you inherit a tenant, you often inherit a lease as well, so it’s important to know exactly what the tenant is paying for rent, their security deposit, and their lease terms during your due diligence period. If you want to notify your new tenants of an ownership change, make sure you do so professionally, so they reach out to you on your business phone, during the hours you’ve set availability at. Here are some suggestions from Ashley: Send an estoppel agreement to the tenants so you can verify the lease Give your new tenants a welcome package with all the needed information Check your local laws about rent increase timelines Prepare for the potential of vacancy in case a tenant disagrees with the rent change/ownership change And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel BPCON2021 Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie110 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Cooley was driving through Texas as part of his medical device sales job. At the time, he didn’t have much money on him. He pulled over to fill up his company car with gas, scraped every nickel and dime from the seats and cup holders, and came up with just over one dollar in change. This was Nick’s meal budget for the night. He settled on an ice cream sandwich before getting ready to spend another night in his car. This was a position Nick never wanted to be in again. He knew what it was like to be broke and borderline starving due to financial scarcity. Nick then decided it was time to jump into real estate investing and make a change for the better. As Nick made more money, he saved up everything he could to start buying primary residences, only to rent them out a year later using his coined “nomad strategy”. He’s done this multiple times and has been lucky to buy all of them in the growing Denver market. That being said, this wasn’t a completely smooth transition. Nick had a property that put a $50,000 hole in his pocket right after closing. If you stick around for his story, you too will be able to avoid this type of mistake in the future! In This Episode We Cover Developing your “why” behind investing in real estate The “Nomad” strategy for buying a new primary residence every year Wholesaling a $2M, 8-unit property as his first wholesale deal How to get your partner on the real estate investing train Finding deals in expensive, competitive markets like Denver, Colorado Whether or not investors should become real estate agents Losing $50k on a bad deal, but creatively making a profit from it And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram BPCON2021 Rookie Bootcamp BiggerPockets Podcast MLS Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Rookie Podcast 81: David Greene on Where Rookies Go Wrong When Looking for an Agent Facebook Marketplace Airbnb Brandon Turner's Instagram BlackRock Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie109 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Steven on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Steven is asking: I’m about to try to make an offer on a house but the property is on market, so I’m talking with the agent. When I make the offer, is there any official document I need to submit, or do I just give them the price I want to offer? Many rookies have this question, especially when trying to purchase their first rental property. You have a few options when trying to make an offer, and they will differ based on whether the property is on market, off-market, commercial, or residential. Here are some suggestions: Call the listing agent and ask if they will represent you (this is called a dual agent) If a listing agent can’t represent you, ask if anyone on their team can You don’t need to submit any documents, just tell your agent your offer and they’ll take it from there If you’re working on an off-market deal, you may be able to negotiate directly with the seller and sign a purchase agreement For bigger properties and commercial properties, you can submit an LOI (letter of intent) If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel BPCON2021 Rookie Podcast 98: Rookie Reply: Lessons Learned from Our First Real Estate Deals MLS Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie108 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have lots of fun phrases in the real estate community, phrases like house hacking, live in flipping, and BRRRRing. Now, we may have one new phrase to add...land hacking. Kai Andrew describes land hacking as extracting as many income streams as possible from one piece of property. That means having the main house for long-term rentals, a small ADU for short-term rentals, a glamping tent in the back, and potentially some farmland being rented out as well. Only someone as creative as Kai could come up with this sort of strategy. In fact, Kai started out house hacking for his first real estate investment at the age of 21. He rented out to family members and friends before he saved up enough cash to start buying short-term rental properties around his local area of Portland, Oregon. As his short-term rental portfolio began to grow, Kai started investing in more “unique” opportunities, like shipping container homes, glamping, or A-frame builds. He also set up criteria that he terms “the golden triangle” for all his unique experiences. These unique homes have helped him grow his portfolio, his profits, and take home a sizable amount of equity between his 12 doors. In This Episode We Cover Why house hacking is still a relevant strategy in today’s market How to convince your partner/parents/friends to invest with an investor presentation Airbnb arbitrage (rental arbitrage) and building your business with no home purchase necessary Land hacking and using a single property for many income streams Creating a “golden triangle” for your unique short-term rentals Setting up safety nets so you never have to realize your “worst-case scenario” And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram BPCON2021 Craigslist Zillow Airbnb Vrbo TONY ROBBINS Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie107 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last episode, we had Brian T Bradley, Esq on to talk about all things related to wealth and asset protection. Now, he’s back to answer questions from the BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie community. We’ll go over a handful of questions from different rookies in the community, questions like: Can I create an LLC and sell my property to it? Will converting a property from my personal name to an LLC trigger a taxable event? Can I put two properties in two different states in the same LLC? Will renting out a side of my duplex as an LLC protect me? How do I stop the commingling of funds when using many LLCs? Should short-term rentals be put under an LLC? How will financing change if my properties are in LLCs? And more in the episode… If you’re finding yourself at the $1M net worth mark and you’d like to protect your assets, check out Bradley Legal Corp or shoot Brian an email at [email protected]! In This Episode We Cover Which LLC structure makes the most sense for landlords How to protect your assets during your different stages of wealth How to set up limited partnerships when you have too many LLCs Protecting yourself when you are house hacking a property How your financing options may change when you buy properties in an LLC Where to hold short-term rentals so they stay protected And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Rookie Podcast 73: Partnerships: What to Do Before You Jump in With Another Investor BiggerPockets Calculator BiggerPockets Conference Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie106 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a rookie, you’re in the best position possible to start protecting your growing empire of rental properties, but what’s the best way to legally shield yourself from liability and litigation? We talk to awarded asset protection attorney, Brian T Bradley, Esq, who answers questions ranging from when to buy umbrella insurance, how to set up LLCs, and whether or not S-Corps are worth forming. If you’ve ever worried about protecting your personal assets from business-related liability, this is THE episode to watch! The most important point discussed throughout this episode is how you need to start planning for protection early. All too often, investors start building their rental property portfolios without the correct legal setup behind them, only to have one bad lawsuit wipe out decades worth of work. Even Ashley and Tony had some questions on whether or not they needed to shift their portfolio structures! We’ll also have Brian back this Saturday to answer Q&As from listeners, so stick around for that show to minimize your risk when getting into this profitable industry of real estate investing! In This Episode We Cover Why everyone needs a “base layer” of protection when owning real estate What asset protection is and how it benefits investors When and how to set up your LLCs for different properties How many properties should be housed under one LLC Disregarded entities, charging orders, and anonymity Designing a blueprint for your real estate portfolio How to find the best CPAs, attorneys, and legal professionals for your real estate business And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group LLC or Umbrella Insurance: Which Is Better for Investors? BiggerPockets Calculator BiggerPockets Conference Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie105 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Dan on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Dan is asking: For those of you that have gone through the eviction process, did you go it alone in small claims court or did you hire a lawyer? While Tony (thankfully) doesn’t have experience evicting any tenants, Ashley has had to evict multiple out of her personal investment properties as well as from properties she managed when she was a full-time property manager. She describes the multiple ways you can evict a tenant, all of which will rely on the situation the tenant presents you with. Here are some suggestions: Hire an attorney if you are inexperienced with tenant evictions Use small claims court to get back rent or payment for damages Offer cash for keys if you are unable to legally evict at this time Understand that many tenants will pay or leave once they receive an eviction notice And Much More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show BiggerPockets Podcast Real Estate Rookie Rookie Facebook Group Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie104 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derrick Acuff was hungry for success in real estate. So hungry for success, that he would be picking up calls from sellers in the middle of performing his job as a waiter. He was trying to do everything he could to get his first deal; sending out direct mail, texting probate listings, and meeting with potential sellers. Finally, he scored his first wholesale deal, netting him and his wife a combined assignment fee of $8,000. Now, four years later, Derrick Acuff has built a business around wholesaling and flipping. He and his business partner Ben have done over 100 deals in the Houston, Texas area. He also has a team of VAs (virtual assistants) to help him scrub lists, call potential sellers, and follow up whenever possible. A lot of his success derives from him and his team members treating sellers like people, and not going for the quick and easy sale or selling white lies. Derrick’s mindset has changed throughout this process and there were times when he felt like giving up. Through perseverance, business optimization, and the will to succeed, he’s built a business that produces not only large amounts of profit but a trail of happy customers ready to give him more deals. In This Episode We Cover Choosing to forego college when it may not be a good option for you Knowing that rejection and failure is part of the process Staying motivated even when deals become hard to close Treating sellers with honesty, integrity, and sticking to your word Finding the “traction” your business needs to grow and succeed Building rapport with a seller and letting them talk 90% of the time And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Podcast Screencast-o-matic Mojo Google Voice TTP Loom BiggerPockets Conference Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie103 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heather Blankenship was on a road trip from Florida to California, stopping at RV parks and campsites in between driving. She saw how busy these parks were and thought it would be interesting to own one. On her way back to the east coast, she ended up buying a campground in Tennessee for over three million dollars. She had no experience, no team, and no money. Now, that campground is worth over thirteen million dollars! Although Heather was just 26 at the time, she was able to quickly adapt to the learning curve that the campground presented her. She grew her knowledge and skill set and now oversees around thirty million dollars in RV parks and campgrounds. We talk about the many different streams of income that a campground or RV park owner can cash in on, how to score financing when buying commercial properties, what to look for in your due diligence phase, and how to underwrite these massive deals. For beginner investors, this can seem like a huge task, but Heather proves that even with no experience, you can put in the work to make massive financial leaps like she did. In This Episode We Cover The benefits of owning a campground or RV park How commercial real estate differs from residential real estate Financing big deals through bank loans and seller financing Looking for commercial BRRRRs and value-add opportunities Long-term parks vs. short-term parks and the benefits of both Developing systems that leave you less reliant on third-party businesses And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Calculator Rookie Podcast 100: Why Brandon Turner Encourages Rookies to “Start Small and Scale” Rookie Podcast 101: Campgrounds: The Investment You’ve (Probably) Never Thought About Google Ads Biggerpockets ARVC Campspot Software Airbnb Vrbo Slack Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie102 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a successful real estate investor, you may be looking for bigger and better deals to take on, but sometimes those deals may come in a different shape and size. Kier Vogt had mastered buy-and-hold rentals, house hacking, and flipping. She wanted to take on a bigger challenge, something that would give her more responsibility with even more upside. After taking a cross-country drive, she found the asset class she was looking for: RV parks and campgrounds. If you’re a rookie investor, you may have never thought about investing in an RV park or campground, but there are some serious benefits to them. Since these are commercial properties, your ability to obtain seller financing is far more likely and you can build out multiple streams of income from one property, as opposed to solely collecting rent. Now, Kier is in the stage of analysis. She already has a private-money lender, but has to find a deal that fits her purchasing power and her criteria. Kier shares the mindset behind going into this completely new asset class, and how you have to push through fear to cold call owners, send in offers, and finally get an RV park or campground under contract. In This Episode We Cover The difference between RV parks, campgrounds, and mobile home parks Analyzing larger commercial deals and performing due diligence The benefits of seller financing compared to bank financing Submitting a letter of intent (even if you’re scared to do so) Self-managing a property to learn about the business The many different revenue streams an RV park or campground can offer And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Like Minded Investors BiggerPockets Rookie Podcast 102: $10M Profit On Her First Deal?! It's Possible with Campground Investing BiggerPockets Calculator ARVC Outdoorsy BiggerPockets Podcast 157: A Simple Morning Ritual to Help You Dominate Every Area of Your Life with Hal Elrod BiggerPockets Conference Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie101 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Turner owns a lot of real estate. Some are single-family homes, but much of his portfolio is small and large multifamily properties. Why did he go into this niche and does he see value that many investors simply overlook? Brandon hits on some key aspects of becoming a successful multifamily owner, diving deep into topics like why rookies should start in small multifamily, how to find a mentor and build partnerships, what to do before you jump into multifamily, and looking for value-add opportunities. One piece of advice he is very adamant about is that multifamily isn’t that much harder than single-family. If you already own a single-family rental property, buying a duplex, triplex, or quadplex won’t be that intense of a learning curve for you. If you’re a rookie who has been successful in small multifamily, it may be time for you to start tackling those 10+ unit deals. Brandon also touches on this and shares stories from his fund, Open Door Capital, where they’re pursuing VERY large multifamily deals. Ready to learn more about multifamily investing? Grab The Multifamily Millionaire Volume I and The Multifamily Millionaire Volume II today! In This Episode We Cover How Brandon got his start in real estate and Why multifamily investing rookies should start in small multifamily before transitioning into large multifamily Finding mentors, adding value, and creating partnerships to tackle bigger deals What to do before you dive into multifamily investing Deal analysis and underwriting, plus finding value-add opportunities Where to find small and large multifamily deals (off-market, brokers, MLS, etc.) And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Forums Craigslist MLS Zillow Realtor LoopNet Open Door Capital Deal Machine Propstream Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie100 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes most real estate investors a while before they make the jump from single-family homes to commercial properties or large multifamily properties like mobile home parks. Edwin Byler isn't like most real estate investors. After successfully flipping his first home, he decided to throw the profits into a rental property. For the first month, everything was going well, then the tenant stopped paying. After 6 months of no rent payments, Ed had to make the tough decision to evict the tenant. Now with some experience under his belt, Ed was ready to take on bigger deals. Thankfully he was friends with an older gentleman who was looking to offload a 6-unit mobile home park, and Ed turned out to be the perfect buyer. He acquired the park with 20% down over a 15-year amortization schedule and ended up DOUBLING the park's revenue with some simple value-add. Now, he’s taking on a 51-unit mobile park with his brother as a partner. Did we mention he’s acquiring this property with no money down and paying 0% interest? If you’re wondering how he did it, take a listen to Ed’s story! In This Episode We Cover Partnering on your first deal to mitigate risks and learn more about real estate Getting tenants to move out (without having to formally evict them) Purchasing mobile home parks without prior experience Looking for “value-add opportunities” when viewing potential investments Using owner financing to purchase investments like mobile home parks How to find out the “why” behind a seller’s listing And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group MLS BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Propstream BiggerPockets Webinar Zillow Realtor TenantCloud Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie99 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week is a special Rookie Reply, Ashley and Tony are in the same physical location! They both stopped by Denver, Colorado to record some future episodes of the Real Estate Rookie Podcast! Ashley and Tony are both talking about the first deal they acquired, the mistakes they made as rookies, the lessons they learned, and why you should never be afraid to fail. They walk through things like finding the deal, financing the deal, misconceptions they had before they jumped into investing, and how BiggerPockets was a huge help to both of them in their early investing journey. If you’re still waiting to close on your first deal, here are some key points discussed. How to finance a property and rehab costs with $0 down What to do if your first property ends up losing you money The importance of partnerships when getting started Why you DON’T need to buy your first rental in cash And Much More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie98 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Schwartz didn’t plan on getting into real estate, he was keen on becoming a private pilot. He figured he’d make $200k-$300k per year and that would be enough money to help him retire. That was until he talked to a real estate investor who told him about the potential to make 7-figures in a month. Greg knew that the investor was on to something and he took some time convincing his wife, Rachel, to start investing in real estate. They both went in on a rental property in Alabama, but after some initial stumbles with long-distance investing, they switched their strategy to house hacking in College Station, Texas. Now, only a year into their investing journey, they have 19-units under their name, one of which is a “luxury house hack”. Greg and Rachel have had to be diligent while building and systematizing their real estate. Rachel has already become an expert property manager and has learned through her job how to prioritize, systematize, and organize their business to the best of their abilities. This is a great interview with two rookies who chose to pivot and keep building better with every new property they got under contract. In This Episode We Cover What to know before you try your hand at long-distance investing How to convince your partner to make the jump into real estate Investing in your local market and knowing the small nuances of your area House hacking in a quadplex and dealing with vacancy/troublesome tenants Financing your deals using partnerships, retirement savings, and more Systematizing your business so it can run without you And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group MLS BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Propstream BiggerPockets Podcast 476: Using Partners to Scale & Killing it With Airbnbs w/ Tony J Robinson Airbnb KellerWilliams Rookie Podcast 91: 8 Units, 10 Wholesale Deals, and $0 Spent on Marketing w/ @Liliinvests Rookie Podcast 33: A Marine (and his Mentor) Buy a BRRRR: Step-by-Step with Joe Roberts and Steve Rozenberg Grant Cardone Website Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie97 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Lisa on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Lisa is asking all about property management this week: I’ve never had a property manager, what are the responsibilities of one? I was recommended a manager and was told he charges 10%. What is the average pay for a manager? What questions should I ask when I speak with him? While there is no standard on fees or responsibilities across all property managers, they tend to follow certain averages. Both Tony and Ashley have hired property managers as well as self-managed, here’s what they’ve found through their experiences: Use your property managers as a means to find out more about a market Property managers not only are in contact with your tenants, but they’ll also issue repairs and contractor bids when needed If you’re new to real estate, it’s useful to have a property manager who can help educate you Property management fees are around 10% (of rent) a month, but can be as low as 5% Property managers will also charge fees for filling vacant units or performing maintenance Ask about fees, thresholds for maintenance, and their experience with local investors And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie96 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When most people think of USDA loans, they tend to think of farmland or some very, very rural house in the middle of nowhere. While this can be the case for many USDA loans, it isn’t the standard for all of them. As today’s guest Holly Barrett describes, USDA-applicable properties can be outside city centers and just a bit rural. Not only that, these loans provide homeowners with the chance to get a 0% down loan! This is exactly what Holly did with her first home, later turning it into a rental and finally selling it to make room for some higher cash-flowing properties. She’s also used SBA loans to purchase a commercial property, which has helped her lower the upfront costs needed for acquisition. Now, Holly has properties close to Chattanooga, centered around a “cool area” as she likes to call it. She’s making her transition from long-term rentals to short-term rentals and is excited to see what her new profit margins are like once her properties go live on Airbnb. In This Episode We Cover Using USDA maps to see whether or not a potential home is eligible for a 0% down loan Live in flips and using them to get tax-free flipping gains When you should use a 1031 exchange intermediary Switching from long-term rentals to short-term rentals Funding a commercial property acquisition with SBA loans What investors should look for in an agent and the top questions to ask And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group MLS USDA Maps USDA BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Real Estate Rookie Podcast BiggerPockets Calculator Airdna Vrbo Airbnb Zillow Loopnet America's SBDC SBA Loan Realtor Rookie Podcast 81: David Greene on Where Rookies Go Wrong When Looking for an Agent Relay Clubhouse The US Chamber of Commerce Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie95 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Ben, who actually direct messaged Ashley and asked her a pretty personal question. Ben is asking: As someone with student debt, should I start investing in rentals or wait until I’ve paid off my student loans? It goes without saying that this is a very personal question, especially since it has to do with personal (not business related) debt. Everyone is different in their willingness to take on debt. While some people don’t mind having lots of low interest debt, others want to get rid of it as fast as possible. Both Tony and Ashley have had student loans while building a rental portfolio, so they’ve had to ask themselves this question as well. Here are some suggestions: Make sure you pay off all high-interest debt first before you start investing Use methods like partnerships, BRRRR investing, and other low/no money down options Ask yourself whether or not the future cash flow can help you pay off your debts Never put yourself in a position where you’ll feel anxious while investing And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie94 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this hot housing market, it seems like almost everyone is telling you to make offers on anything that could be a potential deal. But Erik Wright, founder of New Horizon Home Buyers, poses a different strategy. Erik has been getting more and more off market deals in Chattanooga, Tennessee without offering a single dollar to potential sellers. He has a specific way of negotiating that allows him to get tens of thousands of dollars off of properties, making the deals even sweeter for him. Erik didn’t always have the gift of negotiation. He started his real estate journey at 23 years old, buying an accidental house hack property, then buying a HUD foreclosure, a couple of duplexes, and some more single-family homes. Over the past decade, he has amassed a 7 unit portfolio and is currently transitioning into having New Horizon Home Buyers become his full-time job. Through the use of search engine optimization (SEO), Erik’s company has become the top-ranking result when searchers type in “Chattanooga cash home buyer”. This proves that even in a business like flipping, BRRRR-ing, or wholesaling, you can still find new ways to optimize and upgrade your lead generation efforts, even if you have ZERO experience in something like SEO! In This Episode We Cover Why house hacking is a rookie investor’s best friend Buying a HUD foreclosure and how it differs from regular home sales Financing a growing real estate portfolio without a W2 Using referrals of other investors to find the best contractors around How to rank #1 on google so you can get more off market deals Getting below-market prices without ever making an offer on a house And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram REI Reply Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group MLS BaseCamp BiggerPockets Podcast 470: The 7 Tips @investorgirlbritt Used to Go from Amateur to Pro Investor BiggerPockets Podcast 423: Who Not How: Stop Doing the Things You Hate, Free Up Time, Be Happier and Richer with Dan Sullivan InvestorGirlBritt's Instagram Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie93 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Shantay on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Shantay is asking: We are about to close on a duplex. It is going to need a $6k-$10k upgrade. What are some options for funding the rehab cost? Different investors have different preferred methods of funding rehabs of this size/price point. Both Ashley and Tony have renovated numerous properties and used the below methods to raise the funds they needed without dipping into their own pockets! Here are some suggestions: Find a 0% interest credit card so you can buy material for the rehab Partner up for equity with another investor so you can split the costs Raise private capital from family and friends by delivering a solid investment presentation Take out loans against your stock portfolio, 401(k), or other assets And more in the episode... If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie92 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lili Thompson didn’t plan on getting into real estate investing, she was supposed to be a WNBA prospect. After tearing her ACL in college, she was brought onto the Harlem Globetrotters to showcase her skills across the country. One of her teammates started talking to her about real estate investing, specifically wholesaling. This happened at the perfect time since she was closing on her house hack around the time COVID-19 lockdowns began. But now Lili was stuck with a house hack property and no income from her Globetrotter job, this is when she really began exploring wholesaling. She started driving for dollars with her mom, sent out some direct mail, did some cold calls, and received a few expletive-filled phone voicemails in the process. Lili knew she didn’t want to speak directly with the sellers, so she started chasing on-market wholesale deals. Now she communicates with agents, promises them double their commissions, and assigns the contract for a fee to her flipping contacts. She’s done 10 deals so far this year, paying $0 out of pocket for marketing, AND securing 8 rental units for herself in the process! In This Episode We Cover How to wholesale when you have a $0 marketing budget Driving for dollars, direct mail, and other wholesaling tactics House hacking with a duplex or a single-family home Finding on-market deals with enough profit to wholesale A very colorful voicemail that Tony received recently And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Propstream Zillow Rentredi The Real Estate Robinsons Youtube Channel Redfin MLS City-Data BiggerPockets Insights Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie91 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Joey on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Joey is asking: Was driving in a new part of town and came across a house that had a yard that hasn’t been maintained in months and the house looks unkept. Any suggestions on how I should go about finding the owner and asking if they would be interested in selling? We had a ton of great responses in the Facebook group, but Ashley and Tony will do their best to answer based on their own experience and their preferred style of skip tracing. You can do this both for free or for a fee, it all depends on which information you need! Here are some suggestions: Look up your city’s GIS mapping website and find the owners on the title You can also use Propstream to skip trace the owners for a small fee Reach out to neighbors and ask them if they know anything about the owner If the owner is an LLC, go to your Secretary of State’s website to look up the LLC owner And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Propstream Realtor Airbnb Real Estate Rookie FB Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Kyle and Lauren Instagram Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/rookie90 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes, new real estate investors tend to forget about the other types of real estate investing outside of single-family and multifamily homes. What about self-storage, or commercial, or in Matt Racker’s case, warehouses? All these options can make you passive income, sometimes with far less hassle than managing residential properties. Matt caught the real estate bug doing his first live in flip. He saw a house being remodeled, took a look inside, and decided he could finish the job. Just like that, he called the contractors, found the flippers, and offered to take it off their hands. With some sweat equity, Matt was able to completely renovate his primary residence off of a construction loan, while leaving $0 in the property. I think it’s safe to say we’d all like a new house for free! Then, Matt started thinking about what else he could invest in. Since he runs his own office furniture and cubicle system business and had a pretty good handle on warehouse leases, he decided to use his expertise to start buying commercial warehouses as rental properties. Matt walks through exactly what you need to analyze a warehouse, which metrics matter most, and how to structure your leases (triple net, single net, etc.). In This Episode We Cover Putting in sweat equity so you can 100% finance your home How to analyze commercial warehouses depending on their square footage Partnering with family and how to create an org chart Bidding on duplexes at a virtual auction Triple net leases and why they’re common in commercial real estate And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Podcast Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Wrike Monday Sonar The OG Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast 388: The 7-Step “Playbook” for Scaling Your Real Estate Business With AJ Osborne Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie89 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we have a question from Ashley to Tony, on a subject he has a lot of experience in. Ashley wants to know: How do you analyze a market for short-term rentals? Which factors come into play and how can you stay away from the markets that won’t work for short-term rentals? This is a perfect time to ask Tony, especially since he’s looking to find a third market to invest in (outside of Joshua Tree and the Smoky Mountains). Here are some suggestions from Tony: Make sure you aren’t buying in an area that heavily relies on seasonality Focus on mature vacation rental markets that have the infrastructure for short-term rentals Double check regulations and zoning laws so you know you’re allowed to host a short-term rental Look at the availability in the current market (are there any houses to buy?) And more in the episode... If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Airbnb Vrbo Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie88 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young love is beautiful, but what’s even more beautiful is young love that produces residual income together! That’s exactly what Sam and Nick of Eagle Hill Homes have done. Even though they have been together since their teenage years, Sam still had to be nudged by Nick to get into real estate investing. Once Sam started designing, planning, and executing on rehabs, she knew that this was the life for them. Now, Sam is a certified general contractor and Nick is a loan officer. But these weren’t the couple’s original jobs, far from it actually. Nick was in corporate insurance sales while Sam was in marketing. Once they had 6 units under their name and they were making enough money to pay for their lifestyle, they quit their W2s and jumped into the real estate industry! Now they’re rehabbing, renting out, and house hacking anything that has “value add” potential for them. They’ve taken very smart steps to renovate houses for far higher cash flow and ARV, gotten mortgages with 90%+ financing, and used their own specific skills to grow a flourishing rental portfolio! In This Episode We Cover Leaving a W2 job to pursue a career in real estate Finding “value add” potential in deals Finding off-market properties and negotiating with sellers Understand the “why” behind a seller’s reason to offload their property House hacking tips and how to keep your sanity when living close to tenants And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Tony's Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast Cozy MLS Apartments Rookie Podcast 02: Going All Out to Secure Deal No. 1 (For Sale By Owner!) with Tim Goutos Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie87 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Adri on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Adri is asking: I came across a seller financed mobile home park, this would be my first out of state investment. What should I be looking out for on MHP (mobile home parks) and is this a huge jump to make while still being a rookie? While we can’t answer how ready Adri is for investing in a mobile home park (we believe in you), we can answer questions about what to look for when evaluating a MHP deal. Before you consider investing, you’ll need to look at some mobile-home-park-specific factors. Here are some suggestions: Make sure you get accurate financials, especially a T12 rent roll Look at the utilities and see whether they’re public or private (wells and septics) Look at the capital expenditures (capex) of the entire park Find out who owns the trailers/mobile homes and evaluate whether the current ownership is advantageous to you If you’re still nervous, partner up with someone more experienced! And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Rookie Podcast 65: Multifamily, Mobile Home Parks, and Commercial Deals: All in 2 Years! with Tommy Polise Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie86 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming up with capital isn’t easy when you’re just starting out. How are you supposed to get 20% down for one property, let alone multiple when trying to grow your portfolio. This was the predicament Justin Munk was in until he found out about the BRRRR strategy. When implementing the BRRRR strategy, Justin was able to use a fraction of the money he would need as a down payment to get a renovated, highly desirable rental property. Justin invests over 1,000 miles away in Ohio and manages all his rehabs remotely. Most investors would stray away from remote rehabs, but Justin has so many “checks and balances” set up that he feels confident to do them. His rehabs have to go through an inspector, a contractor, and a leasing manager before they’re put on the market. This allows Justin to have extreme confidence that he’s rehabbing a property to get the highest rent, with the lowest headache to management. Justin gives some valuable advice to new investors that are struggling with analysis paralysis: don’t sabotage your own deals by finding problems in every property! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram BiggerPockets Podcast Brandon Turner Instagram BiggerPockets Agents BiggerPockets Podcast 212: Buying a 115-Unit Apartment Complex for No Cash Out of Pocket with Brian Murray BiggerPockets Podcast 126: From 0 to 400+ Units Through Value-Add Investing with Brian Murray Biggerpockets Forums Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie85 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Joaquin on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Joaquin is asking: When you purchase a property with a tenant already in the middle of their lease can you increase their rent or do you have to wait until their lease is up? Inevitably, you’re going to come across some deals that have renters in place, but whether you want to keep them on as tenants is up to you. During this time of eviction moratoriums, you may be questioning whether or not an inherited tenant is worth the hassle. Here’s what Tony and Ashley think: An inherited tenant can save you a lot of hassle, but you need to be sure they’re a tenant you want If there isn’t a lease in place, make sure you get an estoppel agreement signed Request rent rolls from the seller to make sure tenants are paying You can raise the rent once a lease is up, but be sure to check with local laws on how quickly you can do so If you’re inheriting problem tenants, make sure you get the property at a deep discount And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie84 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many landlords decide to switch from renting by the unit to renting by the room in order to maximize cash flow per unit. Renting by the room is usually best situated for students and for properties nearby sizable universities. This type of strategy is exactly what Hastings College track and field coach, Ryan Mahoney, has done with his 2 units that have a combined 10 rooms being rented out. After a bit of over-leveraging in the early 2000s, Ryan found BiggerPockets and knew landlording was something that could help him reach financial freedom. When some of his athletes started complaining to him about the sub-par conditions they were living in, Ryan decided to start competing with the local student rentals, providing better living conditions at a more manageable price. Now, Ryan is exclusively renting out his properties to students on 9 to 10-month leases. He’s had to pivot a bit since COVID-19 shutdowns took students off-campus, but has a solid amount of reserves and enough flexibility with students that he doesn’t have to worry. Ryan talks about how he found great contractors, used the BiggerPockets investment calculators to secure financing, and what you should (and shouldn’t) do when renting out to students. In This Episode We Cover How to manage, rehab, and rent out student rentals Using the BiggerPockets calculator reports to secure financing Never buying as much house as you can afford Why inspections are almost always worth the price The screening process for students when renting by the room And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram BiggerPockets Business BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Money Cozy James Dainard's Instagram BiggerPockets Instagram BiggerPockets Facebook Realtor Buildium RentRedi Stessa Turbo Tenant Biggerpockets.com/pro Biggerpockets.com/calc Real Estate Rookie Youtube Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie83 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Jimmy on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Jimmy is asking a couple of great questions about those in partnerships going in on a property: 1. How do we split the cost of buying a property 50/50 and keep the funds in one place? 2. How would it work right now as 50% of the money is with him and 50% of the money is with me? Many real estate investors will come across the same question that Jimmy has, especially since partnerships and joint ventures are common as you grow your portfolio. Both Ashley and Tony have partnerships and answers to these questions! Here are some suggestions: Lay out how the responsibilities, costs, and profits will be split Use an attorney to draft up an operating agreement or joint venture agreement Set up a new joint bank account for each property you acquire Make sure your assets are liquid before committing funds to a partnership Follow “seasoning” regulations for any money put into the joint account And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie82 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A familiar voice pops in for this episode of the Rookie Podcast, it’s David Greene! The real estate agent, investor, entrepreneur, and co-host of the BiggerPockets Real Estate podcast joins us to talk about making the transition to top real estate agent and what new investors can do to find better deals and a great agent. Most newbie investors want to be hand-held, which makes sense when you’re just starting out. That being said, that may not be the best way to find a great agent who can help you find a profitable deal. David talks through why so many new investors never end up buying, why you aren’t “hiring” an agent, and how to work together to achieve a win-win scenario. As he puts it, you’re in a partnership together, meaning it’s a win-win or a lose-lose. If you’re trying to become a great agent, make sure you jot down some notes on David’s “medicine and delivery system” analogy where he talks about how he had to change his perceptions to succeed as a real estate agent. Many new agents (and investors) want to wait until they get their first sale/deal to become confident, but you’ll need confidence before you can get the first one! In This Episode We Cover What exactly an “investor-friendly” agent is How David Greene built one of the top real estate teams in America How new investors should look at their investor/agent relationships Making sure you manage client expectations as an agent especially when working with investors Who should (and shouldn’t) become a real estate agent Using social media to boost your credibility and industry presence And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Rookie Youtube Channel BiggerPockets Podcast KellerWilliams BiggerPockets Podcast 353: Turning $5K Into $5K/Month and Retiring at 40 with Tim Rhode BiggerPockets Podcast 226: From “D-Student” to $400,000 in Annual Rental Property Cash Flow with David Osborn Real Estate Rockstars Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast 190: Building 61 Different Passive Streams of Income with Pat Hiban Keller Wiliams Bold Keller Williams Ignite BiggerPockets Podcast 406: 51 Units and $900/Month in Pure Cashflow on a “BRRRRnB” with Shelby OsborneShelby Osborne LAPS System BiggerPockets Money Podcast BiggerPockets Business Podcast BiggerPockets Store Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie81 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Bryan on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Bryan is asking: How do PM (property management) companies handle maintenance? Do they fix the issue and submit invoices to the owner or withhold the amount from monthly payments to the owner? This is a great question for those who want to transition from self-management to hiring property managers. Both Ashley and Tony have the same type of payment setup with their property managers, but it can vary company to company. Here are some answers/suggestions: Both Ashley and Tony have a maintenance threshold for small repairs Anything over the threshold needs to be approved One the job is done, the cost is deducted from the rent You can always go with a PM’s repair/remodel bid, but it may save you money to hire an outside contractor you know and trust Try and get PM companies with software, so you can see the exact invoice online And more in the episode… If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie80 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wholesaling is a tough game. Most investors who try their hand at wholesaling quit after only a few months, while those who have the grit to stick it out can end up making a much-deserved profit. Even real estate veterans have a hard time getting into wholesaling, but what about a 19-year old college student without experience in real estate? Isabelle Zukowski just happens to be that 19-year old college student wholesaler. Isabelle had been working at a local restaurant when the COVID shutdowns started, she was released from her job and had to go on unemployment. While she was getting her unemployment money, she started listening to stock market, real estate, and business podcasts. She was interested in real estate, and when her friend told her about real estate wholesaling, she decided to try it out. Isabelle joined a bunch of Facebook groups, contacted well-known agents and wholesalers in her area, and started building out her network. After 3 months of hard work, calling 300+ people a day, she landed her first deal. The wholesale fee? $18,000! In This Episode We Cover Real estate wholesaling with no experience or money 3 tips for getting your first wholesale deal Skiptracing and the best lists to pull for cold calling Building relationships with everyone in your specific niche/space The best way to estimate rehab costs and ARV And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Call Magic Leads BiggerPockets Podcast 255: Six-Figure Real Estate Investing in Just 20 Hours a Week with Elliot Smith BatchLeads BiggerPockets Bookstore Platinum Home Buyers Real Estate Rookie Youtube Channel Realtor.com Craigslist.org Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie79 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Gre on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Gre is asking: How do you find accurate property tax info, including school taxes, when running numbers on a potential investment property? Great question Gre! Running your numbers accurately is super important when making sure a deal will be profitable, thankfully, there are many online (and in person) resources where you can find accurate property taxes within minutes. Here are some suggestions: Find the county assessor’s online website and look up the property address/parcel number Use third-party tools like Propstream to find property taxes Ask other investors in your area what they are paying in property taxes Call the county office and ask what they think property taxes will be when re-assessed Make sure you’re including school, village, and county taxes (when they apply) And More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE). Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie78 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Han is a familiar face to the BiggerPockets audience. She’s been featured on the BiggerPockets podcasts before and has written multiple books published by BiggerPockets (The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor & The Book on Advanced Tax Strategies). Amanda has worked with lots of real estate investors and invests in real estate herself, so she’s answering some common questions that rookie investors have about taxes. We run through a mix of topics such as deductions, depreciations, home-office write-offs, expenses, legal entities, and when you should get a CPA. Amanda also talks about some of the most common deductions that rookie investors miss. She also talks through different software for tracking your business expenses, recording your mileage, and keeping your business finances up to date. It may seem like a lot of information to keep track of, especially when you’re in the middle of a rehab/flip or even just managing your rental. Amanda stresses how important it is for you not only to find a high quality, real estate friendly CPA, but also that you keep them in the loop. If you’re thinking of buying, selling, or transferring property, it’s incredibly important to keep your CPA notified on all things related to your real estate business. That way, you keep more money in your pocket and are able to grow your portfolio even faster! In This Episode We Cover The most common tax mistakes that rookie investors make The best way to track your expenses (and your different options) When you should consider, interview, and hire a CPA The best questions to ask a CPA if you’re interviewing them Home office deductions, mileage deductions, and more When the best time to form a legal entity is (if needed) What to write off when you’re house hacking And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Quickbooks Excel Appfolio Buildium Rookie Podcast 75: From Working on Oil Fields to Passively Investing in Real Estate with Travis Watts BiggerPockets Pro and Premium Membership BiggerPockets Pro Perks (Exclusive deals like Amanda's Course) Jumpstart Your Tax Savings as a Real Estate Investor Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie77 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before cooking at Michelin star restaurants, Ellen Bennett worked as a lottery announcer, an English tutor, and a “booth babe”. All of these jobs taught her to be comfortable in uncomfortable positions. When her head chef told her that he needed new aprons for all the cooks, Ellen took to the challenge, with no business plan, no connections, and no experience designing aprons. The deadline, uncomfortability, and challenge pushed her to deliver the aprons on time, and start Hedley & Bennett. Now, Ellen runs this multi-million dollar business that delivers to Michelin star restaurants and at-home cooks alike. Ellen talks about the necessity of committing to something scary, even when you don’t know how to handle it. She used the same approach when buying 3 rental properties nearby her home in Los Angeles, all of which have appreciated dramatically. The mantra used in creating a successful business, investment, or anything else is Dream First, Details Later, which also happens to be the name of Ellen's new book! An entrepreneur can get bogged down so easily with the details of any venture, so much sometimes that it could push them away from accomplishing something great. In This Episode We Cover How Ellen accidentally started an incredibly successful apron business Using the pandemic to think differently about products and needs Looking at challenges as a gift and an excuse to grow How to plan when you know that things won’t go as planned Setting your employees up for a failure-first mindset (so they succeed!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums MySpace Walmart Ford Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie76 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices