Real Estate Rookie

Most people invest in real estate for cash flow or appreciation, but there are enormous tax benefits as well. In this episode, we’re going to share the number one tax strategy you need to know about—the short-term rental tax loophole—which could save you thousands! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re joined by Sean Graham, who is not only a certified public accountant (CPA) but also a fellow real estate investor. He’s going to show YOU how to avoid paying Uncle Sam (legally) with just a few savvy tax strategies. The best part? You don’t need to be a big-time investor with a large real estate portfolio to take advantage of these benefits. Even if you have just ONE rental, these strategies are for you! First, Sean will share the ins and outs of the cost segregation study, which allows you to frontload depreciation rather than spreading it out over the next few decades. He’ll also get into bonus depreciation and the different line items that qualify, as well as the tax “loophole” that allows you to use tax deductions to offset active income—yes, including your W2 wages! In This Episode We Cover: Offsetting active income (and saving thousands) with the short-term rental loophole How to avoid paying taxes (legally!) on your rental property Cost segregation studies explained (and when you should get one) How to retroactively claim depreciation through a “look-back” study Why you can have as little as ZERO taxable income and still be lendable And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Cost Segregation 101 Get Early Access to Real Estate’s Biggest Event of the Year, BPCON2025 Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA from Equity Trust Download the Cost Segregation 101 Resource Buy “The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Connect with Sean (00:00) Intro (00:36) What Is Cost Segregation? (06:33) Short-Term Rental Loophole (13:10) Other Strategies & Pitfalls (20:21) Bonus Depreciation 101 (25:24) How to Do a Cost Seg Study (28:05) Cost Segregation Study (33:28) Connect with Sean! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-521 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your rental property have negative cash flow? This doesn’t necessarily mean you bought a bad deal, though losing money probably isn’t what you signed up for. But not to worry—in today’s episode, we’ll share a few changes that could get you back in positive territory in no time! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re answering more questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. First up, we’ll get into house hacking—the easiest way for a new investor to build a real estate portfolio—and show you how to use this strategy to keep buying properties with low money down. Next, should you invest in Columbus, Ohio in 2025? This investing hotspot is drawing plenty of attention, but we’ll show you how to find other markets just like it! Finally, is your Airbnb giving you little or no cash flow? Tune in to learn how to plug the holes in your business, when to hold for appreciation, and when it might be wise to sell! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: The number one thing you must do before looking at Airbnb markets The most crucial data for Airbnb market analysis (and where to find it!) The BEST short-term rental markets to invest in this year Must-have Airbnb amenities to add to your rental property Why we’re choosing secondary markets over primary markets in 2025 And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Top Investment Housing Markets for 2025 Market Analysis Spreadsheet BrightInvestor NeighborhoodScout Breezeway Sign Up for BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Fast-Track Your Investing Journey Get Early Access to BPCON2025 and Learn Real Estate from Industry Experts Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Improve Your Real Estate Returns by Optimizing Your Existing Properties When Deals Are Hard to Find (00:00) Intro (00:40) House Hacking 101 (10:58) How to Pick a Market (21:14) Airbnb Listings & Cleaning Fees (31:36) “Fixing” Revenue & Exit Strategies (39:49) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-520 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to get into short-term rentals in 2025? Your first step is to find the right Airbnb market for you. But we know that wading through 20,000 US towns and cities can be overwhelming, which is why we’re turning to our resident short-term rental expert for everything you might need to know! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Vacation rentals are Tony’s specialty, and in this episode, he’s going to share his best tips and tricks for choosing a market in 2025. First, he’ll help you pin down your investing goals before covering some of the most crucial factors to consider when analyzing a short-term rental market—including home price, supply and demand, competition, and others. You’ll also learn how to perform your own market research from scratch so that you’re armed with the most accurate data when making your decision! But that’s not all. Once you’ve chosen your market, you’ll need to determine which types of amenities to include. We’ll show you what’s needed, what’s not needed, and which additions could give you a competitive edge in your market. Finally, we’ll share a list of the best places to invest in 2025, which may even feature a certain Louisiana market Tony notoriously invested in years ago! In This Episode We Cover: The number one thing you must do before looking at Airbnb markets The most crucial data for Airbnb market analysis (and where to find it!) The BEST short-term rental markets to invest in this year Must-have Airbnb amenities to add to your rental property Why we’re choosing secondary markets over primary markets in 2025 And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram AirDNA “Best Places to Invest in Short-Term Rentals in 2025” Try REsimpli, The Only All-In-One Real Estate Investor CRM Software That Helps You Manage Data, Marketing, Sales, and Operations Sign Up for BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year Buy the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area The 5 Best Housing Markets for Short-Term Rentals in 2025 (00:00) Intro (00:43) What’s Your Motivation? (02:12) Crucial Data Points (10:22) Choosing Your Market (18:46) Must-Have Amenities (21:40) Supply, Demand, & Competition (27:03) Ongoing Market Research (28:59) BEST Markets in 2025 (34:46) Do Your Own Research! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-519 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Tiny” investments with BIG upsides? Today’s guest turned a $12,000 down payment (all the money he had) into four rental properties and a unique real estate investing business. After an injury from his time in the Army left Manny Reyna with altered life plans, he had to decide what to do next. He didn’t have much money but wanted to provide for his wife and young son. The best option: use his VA loan to buy a house. With every dollar he had, he bought a home, knowing it could one day be a rental, but little did he know that it would kickstart a very different real estate investing journey. Fast forward a few years later, and Manny has a glamping/tiny house business that he started with just $20,000. This tiny home brings in some respectable cash flow but wasn’t without its struggles. In this episode, we’re going through the big ups (and big downs) of Manny’s journey, from having to literally move a house to bad guests ruining his first short-term rental, installing utilities on completely raw land, and managing his properties from very far away (he’s in Japan right now!). In This Episode We Cover: Why every veteran or active duty military member should use THIS loan to buy a house How to start investing without much money by buying “tiny” investment properties Whether you should hire property management or self-manage your first property Why lowering your rent price is worth it to avoid prolonged vacancies (don’t make Manny’s mistake!) How much it cost Manny to install utilities (electrical, septic, etc.) on a raw land for his glamping properties And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Get Casita on Instagram Sign Up for BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year Grab the Book, “Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth” Property Manager Finder $11,000/Month with One VERY Unique Rental Property w/Garrett Brown Connect with Manny (00:00) Intro (02:10) First House for $12K Down! (06:00) Hiring Property Management (09:34) I Can't Get Tenants! (10:37) $50K Tiny Homes and Land Investing (16:15) Setting Up Utilities on New Land (21:21) Tiny House Amenities (24:11) Cash Flow and Current Rent (26:37) Tenants Trashed My Property! (29:58) Buying MORE Tiny Homes (33:44) Managing Properties from Abroad (35:09) Connect with Manny! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-518 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you need more money to buy your first rental property? Fortunately, there are all kinds of real estate side hustles you can use to supercharge your savings, all while learning the ropes of real estate investing. And in this episode, we’re going to share some of our favorites that YOU can start today! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re tackling more of your recent questions from the BiggerPockets Forums and BiggerPockets Facebook groups. First, a new investor has a lofty investing goal they want to achieve in just five years, and we’ll share our best advice and side hustle ideas to help them reach it. Next, we’ll hear from an investor who wants to buy their dream home. Can they leverage their current real estate portfolio to help fund it? Should they sell their rentals? Stay tuned to find out! Finally, what’s the best way to structure a real estate investing partnership? Should you go into business with a family member? We’ll share some crucial dos and don’ts! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: The BEST side hustles for making extra money and learning real estate Whether it’s ever too late to start your investing journey How many rental properties you need to achieve your cash flow goals Our biggest fears, headaches, and lessons learned when WE started investing How to leverage your current real estate portfolio to buy your next property What you must know before forming partnerships (and how to structure one!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab Tony & Ashley’s Book “Real Estate Partnerships” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders 6 Real Estate Side Hustles to Make Extra Money & Gain Experience (00:00) Intro (00:35) Cash Flow Goals (07:24) Biggest Fears & Headaches (11:36) BEST Side Hustles (18:42) Buying Your Dream Home (24:24) Partnerships 101 (32:02) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-517 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Managing rental properties doesn’t have to be hard. You can do it without the midnight tenant phone calls, “lost” rent checks, and other common landlord headaches. Looking to buy your first or next rental property? Today, we’re giving a masterclass on how to manage a rental property, even if you’re a real estate rookie with zero experience in investing. Ready to start? Here’s what we’re breaking down in this episode: What to do before you buy, getting your lease agreement together, handling maintenance requests and repairs, move-ins and move-outs, security deposits, and more! What software do we use to streamline all the tenant communication so we don’t deal with a dozen phone calls a day? How do we handle tenant complaints and damages to the property without having our hair fall out (Tony optionally shaves his head!)? We’re giving you complete lists of every app and software we use so you can manage with ease, too! Also, why did Ashley publicly weep in a courthouse early in her real estate career? She shares one key tip to save you time, money, and tears! In This Episode We Cover: What you should do BEFORE you buy your first/next rental to make your life much easier Lease agreements 101 and the crucial additions that most landlords miss How Ashley handles all her tenant maintenance requests without picking up a single phone call What you MUST have a tenant fill out when moving into your property (this will save you a TON of money) Every rental property software Ashley uses to manage her long-term rentals What you should NEVER do during an eviction filing (Ashley’s BIG mistake) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Resource Hub Lease Agreements by State Rookie Resource Hub RentRedi Stessa Sign Up for BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year Grab the Book “The Self-Managing Landlord” Property Manager Finder 9 Incredible Resources To Help You Self-Manage Your Rental Properties (00:00) Intro (00:28) BEFORE You Buy (07:40) Lease Agreements 101 (15:11) Maintenance, Repairs, Tenant Requests (20:17) Move Ins and Move Outs (26:39) Security Deposits (28:05) Best Rental Property Software Best Rental Property Software (33:49) Landlord-Tenant Laws (40:23) You’re Ready for Your First Rental! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-516 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Small multifamily investing might seem scary to a new investor, but what if we told you these properties are less risky than single-family homes and even easier to buy in many cases? In this episode, we’ll bust the most common multifamily myths that keep rookies on the sidelines so that YOU can take down your first multifamily property in 2025! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, Amelia McGee and Grace Gudenkauf return to the show to deliver a masterclass on small multifamily investing. They’ll show you how to find off-market real estate deals at a deep discount, why cash flow is king when analyzing multifamily properties, and which neighborhoods to target for long-term appreciation. We’ll also get into zoning and permitting issues to be wary of—pitfalls that could wipe out your cash flow if you’re not careful! But that’s not all. Of course, the BIG question on every rookie’s mind is, “How do I get financing for these deals?” and we’ve got the answer! Amelia and Grace will show you how to buy larger properties with low money down and provide you with the perfect pitch for seller financing! In This Episode We Cover: Why small multifamily properties are even less risky than single-family homes Boosting your cash flow by using multiple investing strategies for the same property Taking advantage of HUGE appreciation by targeting developing areas Buying multifamily properties with LOW money down by house hacking The BEST way to pitch seller financing for off-market multifamily deals Multifamily investing “myths” new investors are taught (and why they’re wrong!) Common zoning and permitting issues that can kill your cash flow The keys to managing multiple tenants (and how to keep them happy!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Real Estate Rookie 111 - 26 Doors in 1 Year? Here’s How You Can Do It Too! Get RentRedi for FREE with BiggerPockets Pro Membership Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA Buy Amelia & Grace’s Book “The Self-Managing Landlord” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 401 - Boost Your Cash Flow in 2024 with These “Self-Management” Tips Connect with Amelia Connect with Grace (00:00) Intro (02:27) Small Multifamily 101 (08:32) Finding Deals & Choosing Markets (16:55) Due Diligence & Tenant Management (25:13) Creative Finance Strategies (29:20) Key Systems & Processes (32:11) Connect with Amelia & Grace! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-515 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible to scale your real estate portfolio in this market? What if you only have one income? Getting past one rental property is a huge hurdle in every investor’s real estate journey, but increasing your rental income and lowering your mortgage costs can help you maximize your cash flow and get over the hump. And in this episode, we’ll show you how! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re diving back into the BiggerPockets Forums and answering your questions. First, we’ll hear from an investor who wants to scale their portfolio but feels stuck with one rental. We’ll show them how to squeeze more money out of their property and fund their next purchase. Our next question is from an investor who wants to refinance a “unique” property that doesn’t have comparables. What type of loan do they need? Should they sell the property? Stay tuned to find out. Finally, we’ll help a few landlords with some “unusual” rental maintenance headaches! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: Whether you can build and scale a real estate portfolio on ONE income House hacking, renting by the room, and MORE ways to grow your rental income Homeowners insurance, property taxes, and MORE mortgage costs you can reduce How to turn your accessory dwelling unit (ADU) into a short-term rental Creative ways to get refinancing for a “non-traditional” rental property How to handle unusual (or unreasonable) maintenance requests from tenants What you MUST keep in mind when working with Section 8 tenants And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube AirDNA Ownwell Land More Off-Market Deals with Crucial Property Owner Contact Information from DealMachine Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab the Book “The Self-Managing Landlord” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 443 - How to Use “Asset Management” to Build Wealth (Even with a Small Portfolio) (00:00) Intro (01:01) Scaling with 1 Income (11:14) Refinancing “Unique” Properties (17:08) “Unreasonable” Maintenance (26:05) Section 8 Tenants (31:37) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-514 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you need to know about the 2025 real estate market before you buy your first (or next) investment property? Dave Meyer, host of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast and one of the industry’s most respected analysts, will tell you everything a rookie real estate investor needs to know when buying in 2025. We’re talking about the best markets, predictions, and one type of property that could be a phenomenal buy this year. Dave believes now is a great time to invest and is backing it up by increasing his investments in 2025. But, he says you need to find the “upside” in your market or your strategy to make more money this year. What does he mean? Dave spells out a few key ways to find often overlooked “upside” potential so you can build wealth even with high home prices and interest rates. Which markets does Dave believe have the most growth potential this year? He’s laying out his top investing areas and the property types that could see the most demand. Plus, why is it cheaper (and arguably better) to buy a new home in 2025 instead of waiting for homeowners to sell? If you’re ready to invest in real estate, use Dave’s roadmap to invest better than the rest this year. In This Episode We Cover: The 2025 state of real estate investing and why Dave sees plenty of “upside” to come Why Dave is NOT focusing on “cash flow” when buying his real estate deals Top real estate markets of 2025 and the cities/areas with the most demand A “big shift” that is pushing more and more renters to certain parts of the city Free data you can use right now to see which markets will grow or slow in 2025 Why buying a new build could be a much better investment than buying existing homes And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Market Finder BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast On the Market Podcast Real Estate Rookie YouTube Channel Real Estate Podcast 1065 - It’s About to Get Good! (2025 Housing Market Predictions) Real Estate Rookie 123 - ‘Building’ Wealth as a 24-Year-Old with 12 New Construction Projects w/Donovan Adesoro Real Estate Rookie 473 - Moving 1,500 Miles Away to Buy His First Rental with Just $25,000 w/Austin Wolff Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-513 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Sides had zero real estate investing experience not too long ago. But, within just six weeks, she made $100,000 on her first real estate deal. How is that even possible? That type of profit is usually reserved for expert real estate investors, not middle-school science teachers! Today, Laura is uncovering the fast-flipping formula that helps her do quick, profitable real estate deals even in her competitive market. During a beach vacation to Florida, Laura read the personal finance and investing classic Rich Dad Poor Dad, and, seemingly overnight, her brain rewired as she became dead set on multiplying her money instead of working for every dollar. So, she took out a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy her first real estate deal, but where would it come from? A chance encounter with a neighbor would set her on a path that would change her life forever. Now, she’s cracked the house flipping formula, has two killer rental properties she uses as her own vacation homes, and makes significantly more than her teacher’s salary working on her schedule, building wealth her way. Want to be like Laura? We ALL do, and today, she’s sharing how you can do it, too! In This Episode We Cover: How Laura made a six-figure profit in just six weeks on her FIRST real estate deal The house flipping formula Laura uses to buy low-stress, quick flips that make great profits Why you should ALWAYS be friendly with your neighbors (they might sell you their house) Using a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy your first investment property What Laura looks for on property listings as telltale signs they’ll be good deals And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Rich Dad Poor Dad Laura’s Instagram Land More Off-Market Deals with Crucial Property Owner Contact Information from DealMachine Buy the Book, “The House Flipping Framework” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Start Flipping Houses for Huge Profits in 2025 (Step-by-Step!) Connect with Laura (00:00) Intro (01:02) ZERO Investing Experience (04:49) I’ll Buy Your House! (08:56) $100K Profit on FIRST Deal!? (12:41) From 1st Flip to Beach House (19:55) Laura’s Portfolio (22:32) The Fast Flipping Formula (26:41) Finding Deals (34:18) Connect with Laura! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-512 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thinking about buying a duplex, triplex, or even a quadplex? Small multifamily properties are often some of the BEST investments for cash flow, especially if you plan to live in one of the units! But how does this type of property differ from a single-family home? What do you need to know before buying? Listen in to find out! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re scouring the BiggerPockets Forums and answering more of your questions. After covering the ins and outs of small multifamily investing, we’ll get into financing your first property. What’s the best loan for first-time home buyers—FHA, conventional, or another option entirely? We’ll put them head-to-head and point you in the right direction! Finally, we’ll discuss several ways to use your home equity to grow your real estate portfolio. From 1031 exchanges to lines of credit, there are all kinds of options! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: What you NEED to know before buying a small multifamily property The pros and cons of FHA and conventional home loans Putting twenty percent down versus paying private mortgage insurance (PMI) with less money down How to defer capital gains tax through a 1031 exchange The BEST ways to leverage the home equity in your rental property And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube FreddieMac PMI Calculator Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Buy the Book “The Multifamily Millionaire, Volume 1” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 261 – How Nancy Rodriguez from ‘Love Is Blind’ Hit Financial Freedom BEFORE Fame Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-511 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Home renovations can substantially increase your equity and cash flow on a rental property, but when doing one, there are two key things you need to pay attention to: budgets and timelines. Today, rookie real estate investor Rene Hosman is back to teach you how to do both after just finishing a three-month, $36,000 rental renovation where she turned an outdated apartment into a cash-flowing condo! Rene was able to rehab the entire unit (two bedrooms, one bathroom) with a budget of around $30,000, and although she may have gone slightly over, her returns look nothing less than phenomenal. How did she do everything—new floors, electrical, bathroom, AND furnishings—with such a reasonable budget? If you’re ready to renovate your home or rental property, take her tips. Rene goes through every aspect of the project: the good (renting it out right after finishing) and the bad (a BIG flood in the master bedroom), plus everything in between. She’ll share what she chose to DIY, what was smarter to hire out, and how she paid for it all. We also get the final numbers of the renovation—what the property appraised for AND how much it’s renting for now! In This Episode We Cover: How to stay on budget and on timeline when doing your next home renovation Unexpected costs that led to thousands of more dollars in renovation expenses Whether you should buy the materials or let your workers buy them instead (cost-saving tip!) Furnishing your rental property for cheap and where Rene finds low-cost, quality furniture How to negotiate with your bank so you can get a LOWER interest rate when you refinance How much cash flow Rene will make off of this small (but mighty) medium-term rental And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Forums $1,000,000/Year with 22 Rentals by Focusing on This Ultra-Profitable Niche w/Jesse Vasquez Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year Grab Your Copy of “The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders How to Do Your FIRST House Flip in 2024: Budgets, Renovations, and Loans w/Rene Hosman Connect with Rene (00:00) Intro (01:07) Property Renovation Progress (03:35) How to Hit Your Renovation Timeline (06:56) Staying On-Budget (11:38) Unexpected Costs... (19:29) Building Your Renovation Budget (21:18) Paying for Materials and Rehab Expenses (30:42) Furnishing the Property (32:18) Refinancing and Rent Numbers (40:12) Connect with Rene! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-510 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to start investing in real estate but don’t know where (or how) to begin? Even as a brand-new beginner, you can buy your first investment property in 2025, regardless of how high home prices and interest rates get. Today, we’ll break down how to find your first investment property, finance it, build a team (so you’re not doing all the work), and manage it to start building real estate wealth. Feeling scared to start? Thousands of rookies were in your shoes at the start of 2024 and are now experienced investors. It’s common to feel fear before buying an investment property, which is why, in this episode, we’re going over the common worries and pitfalls that stop investors from starting and how you can get around them! We’ll even share the exact markets we’re looking to buy in this year, what types of properties we think have the most potential, and get into interest rate predictions for 2025! Don’t sit on the sidelines; this is your chance to get into the game! Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to supercharge your investing this year! In This Episode We Cover: How to start investing in real estate in 2025, even if you have zero experience Beginner steps to start and the two things you MUST do now before you buy The real estate markets we’re looking to buy in during 2025 (copy our strategy!) What to do if you’re too scared to start and stuck in analysis paralysis Building your investing team so you don’t have to do all the work And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Calculators BPCon2025 BiggerPockets Forums Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources Landlord-Tenant Laws of the US Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year Grab the Book “Long-Distance Real Estate Investing” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area BiggerNews: This Area Has the BEST Cash Flow Potential in the Country (Lake Effect Cash Flow) Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-509 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are great real estate deals gone for good? Not so fast! High interest rates, inflated home prices, and low inventory have made things difficult for investors, but by looking beyond the multiple listing service (MLS), you could uncover off-market properties that fly under the radar. In today’s episode, we’ll show you how! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! If you’re struggling to make the numbers work in today’s housing market, you’re not alone! Tune in to learn how we find “rare” rental properties that are either undervalued or overlooked. Not sure where to start your investing journey? We’ll share three key factors that will help you narrow down your options and pinpoint the best real estate market for you. Stick around till the end as we discuss lease renewals, tenant turnover, and how to deal with a renter whose financial situation has changed! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: Creative ways to find more off-market real estate deals in 2025 Three key factors to consider when choosing a market to invest in Why proper deal analysis is even more crucial when buying off-market How to determine whether you should offer tenants lease renewals Keeping your BEST tenants and avoiding costly tenant turnover And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube PropStream Privy NeighborhoodScout BrightInvestor Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Buy the Book “Finding and Funding Great Deals” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area 5 Ways to Find Off-Market Real Estate Deals Like a Pro Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-508 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fixing up a distressed property might be the BEST way to add value, whether you’re looking to flip houses, BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat), or charge higher rents. But to avoid losing money, you’ve got to know what you’re doing! Today’s guest is an expert in home renovations, and in this episode, she’ll walk you through the entire process! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Investor Serena Norris has done over 200 deals (including more than 130 flips) in just TEN years, so she knows a thing or two about home improvements! Today, she will show you how to complete a rehab project, step-by-step. You’ll learn about everything from forming partnerships and analyzing rentals to creating a pricing sheet in a new market, building a scope of work, and effectively managing your contractors. Whether it’s your first time managing construction or you’re looking for systems and processes that will help your jobs run smoothly, you don’t want to miss this renovation masterclass. Serena offers plenty of nuggets that will help you finish your projects on time AND on budget! In This Episode We Cover: Serena’s BEST renovation tips, tricks, and hacks (learned from 130+ flips!) How to manage a home renovation project from start to finish How to divvy up responsibilities in a real estate investing partnership Building your pricing sheet when diving into a new market How to estimate rehab costs and create your own scope of work The two most common mistakes new investors make on rehab projects And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Grab “The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 488 – How I’m Flipping 12 Houses (at Once!) All While Traveling Serena’s Instagram (00:00) Intro (00:50) Serena’s Portfolio & Partnerships (07:23) Building Your Pricing Sheet (15:55) Creating a Scope of Work (25:24) Working with Contractors (34:08) How to Manage Rehab Projects (43:47) Connect with Serena! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-507 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to build a thriving real estate business in 2025? There’s a major mindset shift you need to make if you want to be successful in today’s market. Whether you want a couple of cash-flowing rental properties or dream of building a multimillion-dollar company, like Steve Rozenberg did, you won’t want to miss this episode! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When Steve was furloughed from his job as an airline pilot, he knew he needed another way to make money. He dabbled in several real estate strategies—flipping houses, wholesaling, and buy and hold investing—and experienced his fair share of failure along the way. But what he discovered was that the cost of inaction was much higher than the cost of action. By educating himself, learning from his mistakes, and laying the proper foundation for his business, he was able to scale a multimillion-dollar property management company! In today’s episode, Steve will give YOU the blueprint for starting your own real estate business this year. You’ll learn about the two biggest mistakes new investors make, the systems and processes that will allow you to scale, and how to identify the perfect investing strategy for you! In This Episode We Cover: The blueprint Steve used to build a multimillion-dollar company The crucial mindset shift you need to succeed in today’s market The two biggest mistakes new investors make when starting out How to lay the proper foundation for your real estate business (in five steps!) Creating systems and processes that allow you to scale your real estate portfolio The number of standard operating procedures (SOPs) you actually need How to choose the perfect investing strategy for you in 2025 And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube The Checklist Manifesto Buy the Book “Scaling Smart” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Build Effective Systems in Your Real Estate Business Connect with Steve (00:00) Intro (01:22) Starting from Zero (05:07) Mindset Shift & Critical Mistakes (10:41) HUGE Lessons Learned (18:35) The Secret to Scaling (25:43) Building Systems & Processes (33:31) The “One-Page” SOP (40:23) Connect with Steve! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-506 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s the “right” way to build your real estate portfolio? Once you’ve taken down your first rental property, should you focus on paying it off? Or should you buy more properties, even if it means taking on even more debt? You’ll want to hear where we stand in today’s episode! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, Tony and Ashley are digging through more of your recent real estate-related questions. First, we’ll discuss paying off your mortgage versus using that money to buy more rental properties. After that, we’ll compare the pros and cons of FHA loans and show you an easy way to estimate closing costs. We’ll also cover some other low-money-down loans that you may have never heard of! Finally, are you struggling to fill vacant units? Tired of apartment tour no-shows? Stay tuned because we’ve got a strategy that makes “serious” applicants stick! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: Whether you should focus on paying off your mortgage or buying MORE rentals The pros and cons of getting an FHA loan for your rental property The “hidden” closing costs you CAN’T afford to miss (and how to calculate them!) The best ways to put low money down on your next property Finding “serious” applicants for your rentals (and lower vacancy rates!) How to save time by streamlining your rental application process And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Sample Closing Disclosure NACA USDA Eligibility Map Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab “The Book on Rental Property Investing” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 261 – How Nancy Rodriguez from ‘Love Is Blind’ Hit Financial Freedom BEFORE Fame Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-505 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you lean into data when analyzing real estate deals? In a competitive market, ANY kind of advantage goes a long way towards helping you land better deals. And guess what? Harnessing the power of data is much easier than you think. Today’s guest delivers a handful of helpful tips, tricks, and tools that all rookie investors can use! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re joined by Ariel Herrera—data scientist by day and real estate investor by night. Five years ago, Ariel decided that real estate was going to be her path to financial freedom. Like any eager investor, she devoured as many articles, podcasts, videos, and books as she could get her hands on at the time. Once she realized that she could combine her love for data science with real estate, there was no looking back! In this episode, Ariel shares about the competitive edge you can gain by being a data-driven real estate investor. She recommends several tools and systems, all of which are easy to implement and require ZERO coding. Additionally, you’ll learn how to choose your market, invest out-of-state, and save a ton of time with a few deal analysis shortcuts! In This Episode We Cover: How to find better real estate deals through the power of data science Tools and systems you can use to analyze deals (WITHOUT any coding!) Leveraging the equity in your portfolio to purchase MORE properties Creating consistent cash flow with the house hacking strategy How to find and purchase properties in other states (and countries!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Apify Browse AI ChatGPT Google Bard Redfin Zapier Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-504 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the season for housing market predictions, and we know who to call! Altos Research and HousingWire’s Mike Simonsen joins the show to share where his team thinks mortgage rates, home prices, housing inventory, and buyer demand will be in 2025. Every year, the HousingWire team puts together a phenomenal housing market forecast, touching on the topics investors, agents, lenders, and housing nerds care about while recapping the wildest surprises of the year prior. Will mortgage rates finally fall below six percent in 2025? Will home prices dip with housing inventory up a substantial percentage year-over-year? And could agents and lenders finally get some relief with home sales, or will we still see sluggish purchasing and buyer activity? Not to spoil it, but Mike is optimistic about the 2025 housing market and what will come over the next twelve months. Mike breaks down each prediction and what could affect YOU the most, whether you’re buying or selling homes. Plus, he shares the one metric his team is watching carefully to see which direction the 2025 housing market is headed. In This Episode We Cover: HousingWire’s 2025 housing market forecast and 2024 housing market recap The mortgage rate range you can expect over the next twelve months Home price growth and exactly how much the HousingWire team expects in 2025 Why housing inventory is starting to climb again (and whether it will continue in 2025) One metric Mike and his team are paying very close attention to in 2025 The market’s reaction to the 2024 election and President-Elect Trump’s win And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube On the Market Altos Research HousingWire’s 2025 Housing Market Forecast Check Out "On the Market" Get Ready to Invest in 2025 with Dave’s Book, “Start with Strategy” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders 2025 Housing Market Predictions (+ How’d We Do Last Time?) Connect with Dave Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-503 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This might be the fastest path to FIRE we’ve ever seen. In just two years, Emily and James were able to retire early and travel the world full-time. They didn’t have a trust fund, some huge inheritance, or a winning lottery ticket. But they did make some serious sacrifices, cutting almost everything unnecessary out of their lives to retire early and quit the jobs they were itching to get out of. How’d they do it? After realizing they were throwing away every cent they made, James stumbled upon a popular personal finance blog. He devoured it that day at work and came home a changed man. The AC temperature was going up, the restaurant expenses were going down, and he was deadset on achieving financial freedom. His wife, Emily, needed some convincing. But, with time, they both became locked in on FIRE. They moved to a cheaper house, rode bikes to work, and rarely ate out anymore. Just two years after discovering FIRE, they achieved it, and they did it without millions of dollars in the bank. And here’s the thing: you might be able to do it, too, IF you’re willing to put in the work. How much money are they living on? How did they cut their expenses so significantly? And how do you convince your partner or spouse to follow you on the path to financial independence? Emily and James are showing you how in today’s episode! In This Episode We Cover: How NOT to convince your partner/spouse to chase FIRE (do THIS instead) Cutting your expenses significantly and how to save money every single month The big lifestyle changes you must be willing to make to retire early Rental property investing and how to have income property cash flow fuel your FIRE Why you DON’T need to be a millionaire to retire early And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube The BiggerPockets Money Podcast Rethink The Rat Race Check Out "BiggerPockets Money" Reach FIRE Faster with the Personal Finance Classic “Set for Life” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Saving Money Connect with Scott Connect with Mindy (00:00) Intro (01:51) Poverty to Overspending (06:42) Convincing Your Spouse on FI (09:39) 0% to 85% Savings Rate (17:00) Buying $50K Rentals (23:59) Retiring on $31K/Year (30:10) The Secret to FIRE (33:13) Are They Still Retired? (35:06) Advice for Finding FIRE (36:54) Connect with James and Emily! (37:49) Use These FIRE Tips Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-502 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Baum owns just one rental property, but this one property alone has changed his life. It’s allowed him to become such an investing expert that he’s constantly being asked for his opinion on the BiggerPockets forums, and he provides some of the most well-thought-out investing advice on the internet. So why does he have just one rental property, and why doesn’t he grow using his expertise? The answer isn’t that obvious. You wouldn’t know it, but Mike is permanently disabled. After overworking so hard that he ended up losing his vision, he was placed on disability for the rest of his working career. This high achiever was forced to slow down and find something else that could replace his day job. Shortly after his diagnosis, he found BiggerPockets and turned a family vacation home into a short-term rental. Now, he’s got systems and processes that help him self-manage with very few headaches, and he will probably keep this property as his one and only rental for life. Why didn’t he “FOMO” in when everyone was gobbling up real estate in 2020? Why didn’t he grow his portfolio to become the next tycoon? Mike has some clear answers for why he did what he did, and after listening to him, you might change what you want, too. In This Episode We Cover Why you DON’T need a large real estate portfolio to find financial success when investing Why Mike tells beginner investors that they should NOT buy a short-term rental property The systems and processes Mike made to automate his vacation rental self-management (so he works less!) One thing you should do NOW before you start investing in real estate (it’s free!) The real result of “FOMO” investing and how to stop shiny object syndrome from blowing you off course And So Much More! Links Short-Term Rental & Airbnb Investing Forum The BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast (00:00) Intro (03:03) Losing Sight After Overworking (05:53) Empty Lake House? (09:21) Managing a Vacation Rental (12:49) Know This BEFORE You Buy (18:00) Just ONE Property (21:25) No-FOMO Investing (26:49) A “Very Interesting” 2025 Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-501 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Covering your entire mortgage payment in ONE day?! Today’s guest is proof that you don’t need a full-blown real estate portfolio to start making money. She has only ever owned one property, her primary residence, but it brings in up to $16,000 a month being rented out part-time! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When searching for her first home, Nicole Lulinski Weill wanted a property that could bring in some extra income. She started looking at duplexes and homes with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) before stumbling on her dream house—a vintage home that had been used for film productions—and deciding to tap into its money-making potential as well. Despite not owning any “rentals,” she can pay her mortgage with a single project. The best part? This unconventional strategy is scalable! Now that Nicole has proof of concept, she plans to buy more of these niche investments in emerging markets and rent them out in the same way! If you want to make money without house hacking or becoming a landlord, you don’t want to miss this episode! Nicole will show you where to find a money-making primary residence, how to rent out your home to film production companies, and steps to protect your home from damage along the way! In This Episode We Cover: How this rookie investor covers her entire mortgage payment in ONE day Why you DON’T need to own rental property to make money in real estate How to turn your own primary residence into a money-making machine Renting your home out to film production companies for a huge payday Crucial steps to protect your house from damage while renting it out And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Nicole’s Instagram Buy the Book “First-Time Home Buyer” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 497 - $1,000,000/Year with 22 Rentals by Focusing on This Ultra-Profitable Niche (00:00) Intro (00:59) Buying (and Renting!) Her Home (10:51) Permitting & Logistics (14:42) Paying Her Mortgage in a Day?! (17:53) Protecting the Property (22:450 Extra Fees & Rental Rates (26:27) The Booking Process (37:08) Connect with Nicole! (33:39) Scaling & Revenue Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-500 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s the right investing strategy for YOU? In this episode, we’re going to hear from an investor who has scaled their real estate portfolio to twenty rentals in just TWO years! Despite their rapid success, they feel “stuck” and aren’t sure which strategy to use moving forward. Stay tuned as we show you how to choose the right strategy while helping them get unstuck! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, Ashley and Tony are diving into the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group to answer more of your recent questions. After showing you how to nail down an investing strategy, we’ll get into landlord anonymity and provide you with several creative ways to protect your personal information from tenants. But that’s not all. We’ll also discuss short-term rental rates and share the dynamic pricing tools we use to find the “sweet spot” for ANY property or market! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: How to nail down the perfect real estate investing strategy for YOU Creative ways to hide your personal information from tenants How to return security deposits to tenants (while staying anonymous!) Determining the ideal nightly rate to charge (for your short-term rental and market!) Maximizing your Airbnb revenue with the BEST dynamic pricing tools And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube OpenPhone Google Voice PriceLabs Beyond Pricing Wheelhouse Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-499 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t have a ton of money to invest in rental properties? No problem! You don’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to start building wealth. Chris Young, a (not-so) rookie investor from Southern California, started with just five percent down. He bought a $500,000 home in pricey Los Angeles for just $25,000 out-of-pocket. Now, Chris has four rental properties, one of which he uses as a vacation home, and hundreds of thousands in equity! Plus, he did it all while working a W2! Chris knew he wanted to invest in real estate early on. So, when he started his full-time job, he also got his real estate agent license, allowing him to have a backup source of income in case his career didn’t work out. But, thankfully, his real estate has been doing more than alright! He performed a “live-in BRRRR” (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) on his first property, making him hundreds of thousands in equity, then bought another one! But, after attending BPCon, Chris knew he needed a true investment property. What gets you monthly cash flow and a vacation home to use whenever you want? A short-term rental! But not everything went as planned—one unlucky event put his entire house out of commission for months! However, Chris is still thrilled that he has bought this property. He shares why he picked its specific market, how he dodged local competition, and did it all with just ten percent down! In This Episode We Cover: How to start building your real estate portfolio with just five percent down! The “live-in BRRRR” strategy that made Chris hundreds of thousands of dollars Picking your vacation rental market and why you DON’T want to go where everyone else is Using a ten percent down second home loan to buy your first short-term rental The one very unlucky event that cost Chris $40,000 (you CAN’T avoid it!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Grab the Book, “Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 486 - Quitting His Job with Real Estate After Cracking the Cash Flow Code w/Miller McSwain Connect with Chris (00:00) Intro (02:24) 5% Down First Property (06:57) Property 2 (Rent-by-Room) (11:04) Finding 1st Short-Term Rental (19:36) 10% Down Sequoia Vacation Rental (29:26) Losing $40K! (30:01) Setting Yourself Apart (39:44) Connect with Chris! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-498 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can make money in real estate—with or without owning rentals! How? There’s a growing segment of the industry that rookies NEED to know about. It’s more lucrative than long-term rentals, more consistent than short-term rentals, and today’s guest is bringing in $1 million a YEAR with it! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Jesse Vasquez has mastered the medium-term rental strategy, bringing in over $1 million in revenue each year from twenty-two rentals. But here’s the thing. You don’t need a huge real estate portfolio to use this investing strategy and repeat his success. In fact, you don’t need to own ANY rentals to get started, making it the perfect option for new investors. But make no mistake—you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty to build this type of real estate business! In today’s episode, Jesse will show you how to tap into this emerging segment of the market. You’ll learn how to build your network, land your first contract, and become a trusted “broker” for human resource and recruiting companies throughout your market. You’ll also learn the ins and outs of setting up medium-term rentals and how to convert an existing rental property into a thirty-day stay! In This Episode We Cover: The corner of the real estate industry that investors are still overlooking How to set up your own medium-term rental property in 2025 How to build your network, land your first contract, and earn money from referrals The clients that make the BEST guests (and how to find them!) Must-have amenities to include with your medium-term rental property How Jesse makes over $1 million in annual revenue from twenty-two rentals And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Buy the Medium-Term Rental Guide “30-Day Stay” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Invest in Medium-Term Rentals Connect with Jesse Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-497 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you looking to grow your real estate portfolio and build wealth faster? There’s a tax “loophole” that allows you to sell your property and roll your equity (and profits) into a bigger and better rental property—all while deferring thousands of dollars in taxes. Stay tuned to learn how to use a 1031 exchange to your advantage! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, Ashley and Tony are answering some of your recent questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. After discussing 1031 exchanges and “like-kind” properties, we’ll help an investor determine if they should sell or rent a property that, despite the potential to bring in decent monthly cash flow, has some costly capital expenditures looming. Next, is it better to stabilize a rental property by making home improvements that help you raise rent or use the same funds to buy another property? We’ll dive into the numbers and show you which option gives you the highest return! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: The tax “loophole” that allows you to defer thousands of dollars in capital gains tax Building wealth and growing your portfolio with a 1031 exchange Whether you should rent or sell a property that needs major repairs When to stabilize your current portfolio versus buying another property Prioritizing renovations that increase home value and allow you to raise rents And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Buy “The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders What Is a 1031 Exchange in Real Estate? How to Guide & Examples (00:00) Intro (00:46) 1031 Exchanges (11:50) Should I Rent or Sell? (18:43) Making Home Improvements (23:59) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-496 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burned out at your W2 job? Tired of climbing the corporate ladder? Starting a real estate business could give you financial freedom, but is it worth giving up the security of a biweekly paycheck? This entrepreneur thinks so, and today, she’ll give you the blueprint for forging your own path in real estate! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Melissa Shelton is not only an investor, but also the founder of Dear Valentine, a business that blends luxury, hospitality, development, and management. Quitting her nine-to-five job to become a full-time entrepreneur wasn’t an easy decision since she had worked tirelessly for many years to reach the top of her field. But, in the end, her “why” won out, and she mustered up the courage to go all-in on her dream! In this episode, Melissa will show you how to launch a “small and nimble” real estate business. You’ll learn how to set goals, grow your clientele from scratch, and build a business plan that keeps you afloat. But that’s not all. Melissa also has tips for limiting overhead costs, finding deals that give the highest returns, and hiring people who propel your business forward! In This Episode We Cover: How to start a real estate business that gives you financial freedom How to get your “foot in the door” and land your first client Creating multiple income streams that insulate your new business venture Crafting the perfect “pitch” that gets new investors and partners on board How to overcome the fear of failure when pursuing entrepreneurship And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Melissa’s Instagram Canva Buy the Book “The Quitter’s Manifesto” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Stay-at-Home Mom to “Accidental” Investor with a $600K/Year Business Connect with Melissa (00:00) Intro (01:40) Catching the Real Estate “Bug” (04:59) Leaving Her W2 Job (09:42) Preparing for Entrepreneurship (21:51) A Day in the Life (23:37) Melissa’s Business Model (27:04) How to Find Clients (35:56) Staying “Small and Nimble” (39:36) Connect with Melissa! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-495 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

$50,000 cash flow from ONE rental!? Not many properties will give you this kind of return in today’s housing market, but this investor beat his competition to an innovative investing strategy, and it’s paying huge dividends. Want to find out what it is and how he did it? You don’t want to miss this one! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Garrett Brown envisioned himself running restaurants or operating hotels before real estate investing took him down a different path. He got his real estate agent license, flipped a few houses, and then, in a full circle moment, put his background in hospitality to good use—buying three condos at a discount and converting them into short-term rentals. But when Houston, Texas, like many Airbnb markets, became oversaturated in 2021, Garrett landed on a new strategy that would allow him to stand out. It gives vacationers a taste of the great outdoors without sacrificing the luxuries and comfort of a cozy home! If you want to know how to earn five-figure cash flow from a single rental and keep your vacation rentals booked year-round, stay tuned. We’ll also get into why you should document your investing journey online (even if you’re just starting) and the trick to finding discounted properties! In This Episode We Cover: How this investor makes $50,000 in annual cash flow from one rental “unit” The innovative rental property that blends luxury and the outdoors How to stand out in any market by offering “unique stays” Where most short-term rental bookings are coming from in 2025 Why every rookie should document their investing journey on social media Scoring a deep discount on property by knowing a seller’s motivation And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Pre-Order the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 91 – 8 Units, 10 Wholesale Deals, and $0 Spent on Marketing w/ @liliinvests Connect with Garrett (00:00) Intro (00:53) Agent to Investor (04:00) Garrett’s FIRST Deal (09:59) The Motivation to Sell (14:21) Creating “Unique Stays” (21:54) Land Hacking 101 (28:04) Permitting Challenges (32:28) Funding the Dome (35:42) Cash Flow & Bookings (44:31) Connect with Garrett! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-494 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people invest for appreciation. Others invest for tax benefits. But some investors want enough monthly cash flow to replace their W2 income and help them quit their nine-to-five jobs. When can you go full-time with real estate investing? How many rentals do you need? Stay tuned! Today, Tony and co-host Garrett Brown are diving into the BiggerPockets Forums, and our first question comes from someone who has launched six vacation rentals in just five years. Should they diversify their portfolio? Are they ready to become full-time investors? We’ll share our thoughts! We’ll also hear from someone who’s thinking about selling an equity-rich property to pivot to short-term rentals in the Midwest. Listen in as we show them how to choose a market and set up their Airbnb business. But that’s not all. One investor has bought a rental property that is already booked months in advance. Can they cancel those bookings? Raise their nightly rates? Stick around to find out! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: When to leave your W2 job to focus on real estate investing full-time How to diversify your real estate portfolio without changing your strategy When to sell your rental property and tap into your home equity The top factors to consider when analyzing a short-term rental market How to manage your vacation rental portfolio in five hours per week (or less!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Pre-Order the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 297 – Traveling the World Thanks to One $6,500/Month Rental Property Connect with Garrett (00:00) Intro (00:36) Diversification & Leaving Your W2 (08:40) Choosing a Vacation Rental Market (17:52) Managing Short-Term Rentals (24:58) Airbnb Fees & Using Home Equity (27:58) Occupancy Rates & Pricing (33:32) Connect with Garrett! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-493 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to buy a rental property in 2025 but fear money could get in the way? Putting 15%-20% down is a huge hurdle for new investors, but there are several strategies you can use to limit your expenses, grow your income, and even put LESS money down. If you want to know how to save for a down payment as quickly as possible, you need these money-saving tips! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Before you can invest in real estate, you need to lay a solid financial foundation, and today, personal finance expert, master live-in flipper, and co-host of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Mindy Jensen, joins the show to weigh in on this crucial topic. Do you have your spending in check? Are you finding ways to grow your income? How’s your credit score looking? Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to level up your finances, we’ll share some actionable steps you can take toward buying property in 2025. We’ll also talk about ways to leverage your retirement accounts to buy real estate, whether you should pay down debt before investing, and other investments (that aren’t real estate) that could help you build wealth! In This Episode We Cover: ow to go from ZERO dollars saved to a full down payment for a rental property Whether you should pay off your debt before investing in real estate Creative ways to grow your income so that you can save money faster How to avoid a 20% down payment when buying your first property Leveraging your retirement accounts to buy passive real estate investments How to build wealth with other investment vehicles (beyond real estate) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Money 97 – Intentionally Choosing the Path to Financial Independence with Financial Mechanic BiggerPockets Money 35 – Hacking Your Life to Live for (Almost) Free with Craig Curelop Qube Money Buy the Book “Real Estate Rookie” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money 110 – Systematically Increasing Income and Intentionally Decreasing Spending with A Purple Life Connect with Mindy (00:00) Intro (01:13) Laying a Financial Foundation (06:10) Saving for a Down Payment (12:58) How to Grow Your Income (22:59) Other Investment Avenues (28:24) Leveraging Retirement Accounts (31:58) Paying Off Debt vs. Investing (41:07) Connect with Mindy! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-492 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When interest rates rose, many investors stopped buying. But not Ryan Irwin. This rookie doubled down on real estate, choosing whichever investing strategy made the numbers work. Even in a tough housing market, Ryan’s big bet on real estate paid off, as he’s now up to seven deals and earns a solid chunk of cash flow each month! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! It can take a new investor months, sometimes years, to find their first deal. But when Ryan was just starting out, he did the two things every rookie should do: he told everyone he was investing in real estate, and he started attending networking events. Building these relationships has allowed him to buy multiple rental properties, flip houses, and invest in syndications—all in just five years! But Ryan doesn’t aspire to build his own real estate “empire.” He just wants a small real estate portfolio that gives him financial freedom. Now that he has several deals under his belt, he plans to stabilize his portfolio and squeeze even more cash flow out of his rental properties by refinancing and paying off his mortgages one by one! In This Episode We Cover: Why Ryan is doubling down on real estate (even in a tough housing market!) The number one thing you can do today to fast-track your investing journey Why a virtual assistant should be your first hire as you scale (and where to find one!) Two things you can do to increase your rental property cash flow Chasing financial freedom with a “small and mighty” real estate portfolio How to scale faster by automating and delegating low-level tasks And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Set for Life The House Flipping Framework Shop the BiggerPockets Black Friday Sale and Get Up to 60% Off Your Next Book Purchase Buy the Book “The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Achieving FI with Fewer Doors: The Small and Mighty Real Estate Portfolio Connect with Ryan (00:00) Intro (01:31)Discovering Real Estate (07:07) Ryan’s “Lightbulb Moment” (12:49) Current Portfolio & Funding (19:03) Key Systems & Processes (28:56) Cash Flow Numbers (35:27) Advice for New Investors (36:23) Connect with Ryan! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-491 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you leaving cash flow on the table? Even if you own a single rental property, there are all kinds of strategies you can use to generate more rental income, whether it’s house hacking, renting by the room, or converting your long-term rentals to short-term rentals. And we’re just scratching the surface! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re diving back into the BiggerPockets Forums to answer some more of your recent questions. First, we’ll hear from someone who’s at a crossroads with their property. This house has paying tenants and consistent monthly cash flow, but the investor would need to sell the property this year to claim it as their primary residence and dodge capital gains taxes. Stay tuned to find out if they should sell or hold! Then, after a few cash-flow-boosting strategies, we’ll discuss using a HELOC (home equity lines of credit) for a down payment and the potential pitfalls you could run into! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: How to determine if you should hold or sell your rental property How to reach your cash flow goals with the fewest properties possible Creative ways to maximize your rental income on a single property How to set realistic cash-on-cash return goals for 2024 and beyond Potential pitfalls to avoid when getting a home equity line of credit (HELOC) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Real Estate Rookie 447 – Making $300K+ Profit Per Rental and Scaling FAST with “DADUs” Real Estate Rookie 375 – Making $160K/Year From ONE “Rare” Property Thanks to Seller Financing Protect Your Properties with an LLC Through Corporate Direct Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Buy “The Book on Rental Property Investing” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 195 – Financially Free in 2.5 Years by Buying “Low Risk” Rental Properties (00:00) Intro (01:01) Should I Hold or Sell? (10:13) Maximizing Rental Income (20:43) What’s a “Good” Cash-on-Cash Return? (23:40) Should I Get a HELOC? (32:36) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-490 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re talking about the real estate deals we did in 2024. What went right, what went wrong, and what mistakes did we make that you must avoid in 2025? This year was wild for the real estate market—you probably felt it, too. Whether you were buying rentals, flipping houses, or just getting started, this year felt hot, cold, and lukewarm all at the same time. So, how did we end the year? Did we hit our 2024 goals, or was this wild housing market just too much for us? We’re sharing exactly what our 2024 goals were, whether we hit them, and what we’re planning for in 2025. We decided to give up one real estate investing strategy that wasn’t worth it anymore; we made some BIG mistakes by choosing the wrong agent, hiring the wrong people, and forgetting to systematize some properties. But we also made some solid moves that saved us when some of our deals began to fall apart. Don’t repeat the same mistakes we made—learn from them instead! Tune in, write these lessons down, and build a better real estate portfolio in 2025! In This Episode We Cover: Our 2024 real estate deals in review and the one strategy we’ve decided to ditch How choosing the wrong real estate agent can completely throw off your closing Mistakes we made by hiring the wrong people to take care of our properties (we did this three times THIS year alone) Why the right contractor is worth the extra cost (and can save your flip) Tony’s newest house flip and how he’s trying to make up for a BIG loss Our 2025 goals and why we’re deciding to scale SLOWER this coming year And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Grab the “Real Estate Rookie” Book Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Start Flipping Houses for Huge Profits in 2025 (Step-by-Step!) (00:00) Our 2024 Goal Progress (10:04) We’re Giving Up On This (14:53) DON’T Choose the WRONG Agent (19:26) Hiring the Wrong People (22:30) The Right Team Pays Off (29:37) Tony’s New House Flip (33:52) Our 2025 Goals Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-489 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the age of twenty-seven, this “rookie” has already completed over 100 real estate deals. The key to her success? She’s been in real estate since she was just seventeen years old. Seriously! By starting early and taking action, she has been able to make mistakes, sharpen her skills, and set herself up for success! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! While her peers headed off to college, Dominique Gunderson got her real estate license and started learning the ropes. Before long, she was wholesaling—using direct mail, flyers, cold calling, and other strategies to complete more than forty deals in just eighteen months. But that’s not all. She then used these profits to buy her first rental property in cash when she wasn’t yet lendable. Once she was priced out of her hometown of Los Angeles, she turned to New Orleans, where she started flipping houses remotely! Today, Dominique manages several projects simultaneously, and in this episode, she will walk you through her process for doing a long-distance flip—from building an out-of-state team to estimating rehab costs and managing contractors from afar. You’ll even learn about her exit strategy for the properties that don’t sell: the BRRRR method! In This Episode We Cover How to find off-market real estate deals and flip them for a profit in 2025 The key adjustments house flippers need to make in today’s housing market How to build your team for long-distance real estate investing The number one red flag to watch out for when hiring a general contractor Crucial tips for managing an out-of-state renovation project Estimating rehab costs and building a scope of work from hundreds of miles away How to fund your fix and flips (without the banks) through private money lending And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-488 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to estimate your NOI (net operating income) BEFORE you buy a rental property? Calculating NOI in real estate isn’t hard, and after doing this dozens and dozens of times, we’re sharing how to estimate things like taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs so you know you’re buying a killer deal. Speaking of first deals, how much do you need to get started investing? $20K? $50K? $100K? A fellow rookie has $70K ready to invest but doesn’t know the next best move. We’re sharing exactly how they should start, and you can copy these steps no matter how much money you have. It wouldn’t be a Rookie Reply if we didn’t discuss tricky tenant situations. One investor has a tenant who is FED UP with a broken outlet. Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Well, the tenant is giving the landlord an unreasonable ultimatum. What should the investor do? Let the tenant take care of things on their own (and potentially damage the property) or put their foot down and follow the lease agreement? Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: How to estimate your taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs before you buy a rental property The expenses that short-term rental investors always forget when running numbers How to respond to a tenant when they’re sending you unreasonable maintenance requests The first step you should take when deciding to invest in real estate How to get your first rental with just $70K (or less) and mistakes beginners make And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Agent Finder BiggerPockets Market Finder BiggerPockets Real Estate Investment Calculators Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources Hug Your Haters NeighborhoodScout BrightInvestor Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Analyze Rental Properties Faster with “Real Estate by the Numbers” Property Manager Finder How to Invest in Real Estate with $50K in 2024 (00:00) Intro (01:04) Calculating NOI (08:36) Estimating Maintenance Costs & Other Fees (11:48) Unreasonable Tenant Requests? (23:49) Start Investing with $70K Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-487 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to quit your job with real estate investing? Rookie investor Miller McSwain has a strategy anyone can copy to make serious cash flow. This investing strategy is rookie-friendly and allows you to learn the real estate investing ropes while making serious money. Miller now has six properties with forty-one units in total, and today, he’s sharing this easily repeatable strategy for quickly building wealth. Miller will be the first to tell you that his “coliving” strategy is not rocket science. He should know—he’s a former rocket scientist. After house hacking and renting out the rooms in his home, he realized how much cash flow the rent-by-the-room strategy makes. But instead of buying houses with as many rooms as possible, he began focusing on community living and homes with inviting common spaces, allowing for higher rents. So, how do you start with this strategy? Miller explains, in detail, precisely what makes a great coliving investment property, how to market your rooms to get the most tenants possible, and what to do when conflict arises between roommates. After six properties, he’s still hunting for more, and if you’re looking for higher cash flow rentals, this is a strategy you should definitely try. In This Episode We Cover: How to quit your job and become a full-time real estate investor with “coliving” Coliving explained and why it is NOT the same as renting by the room Miller’s exact “buy box” and what makes a property perfect for coliving Marketing your rooms online and how to quickly screen tenants without taking a hundred phone calls Handling tenant conflict and what to do when roommates aren’t getting along The easiest (and arguably cheapest) way to invest in your first coliving property And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Miller’s Instagram Supply Mate Start Your Real Estate Portfolio with “The House Hacking Strategy” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area What is Co-Living and How Can It Help Your Multifamily Property? Connect with Miller (00:00) Intro (03:09) Quitting His Job! (07:01) Current Portfolio + Coliving 101 (16:56) How to Handle Coliving (24:16) Marketing Your Rooms (26:11) Screening Roommates (34:26) Full-Time Investor Life! (36:13) Tips to Start Coliving (37:32) Connect with Miller! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-486 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This rookie has grown his real estate portfolio to seven properties, $5,000 in monthly cash flow, and over $1 million in total equity in just SIX years. His strategy isn’t flashy or sexy, but it’s highly repeatable. Even the greenest investor can use it to snowball one rental property into the next! Jefferson Calloway was plunged into the world of real estate after meeting the world’s best tenant—an investor and mentor who not only sold Jefferson his first property but also moved in and knowingly rented it from him for a profit! Through this experience, Jefferson quickly learned the incredible scalability of buying properties owner-occupied, converting them into rentals, and repeating the formula. Now, through the power of delegation and automation, he earns active income from near-passive investments that require just one hour of his time each week. This allows him to focus on his home remodeling business, where he earns even more income to pour into real estate! As you’re about to learn, you can find great investment properties in virtually any market, but you’re going to need the right people in place when investing out of state. In today’s episode, Jefferson provides the blueprint for finding more on-market and off-market real estate deals in competitive markets, building out teams, and mitigating risk within your portfolio! In This Episode We Cover: The formula Jefferson used to scale to seven properties in just six years Cash flow versus appreciation (and why you DON’T have to choose one!) The best ways to find better on-market and off-market real estate deals Why you should always analyze your short-term rentals as long-term rentals The investing strategy that can help you mitigate risk within your portfolio The key to turning your rental properties into near-passive investments And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Buy the Book “Scaling Smart” Property Manager Finder Traveling the World Thanks to One $6,500/Month Rental Property Connect with Jefferson (0:00) Intro (00:39) Buying His First Property (05:54) Jefferson’s Portfolio (10:10) Sourcing Deals in Hot Markets (15:37) Jefferson’s Buy Box (21:11) Cash Flow vs. Appreciation (30:18) How to Find a Property Manager (34:09) Equity and Cash Flow Numbers (39:33) Connect with Jefferson! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-485 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much should your down payment for investment property be? Should you increase your down payment to maximize cash flow, or does putting all your financial eggs in one basket limit your ability to build and scale your real estate portfolio? Or should you instead pay off that high-interest-rate mortgage early to keep all the cash flow at the end of the month? We’re answering these questions in today’s Rookie Reply! With high mortgage rates, one rookie asks whether it’s better to pay off their home with a seven percent rate INSTEAD of investing in more rentals. Paying off that loan gets you an automatic return, but there’s a strong argument as to why it isn’t the best move. Are you doing your first house flip? Another rookie wonders whether they can negotiate when taking on a hard money loan and if the juice is worth the squeeze for a $50,000 profit on their first flip. Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: Investment property down payments and how much you should put down to prioritize cash flow Whether to keep investing or start paying off your high-interest-rate mortgages Why you can’t just look at the cash flow when analyzing a potential investment Financing a house flip and negotiating with a hard money lender (should you negotiate?) What you should ALWAYS do before you take on a house flip to ensure your numbers are right And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab the New Book, “The House Flipping Framework” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Stop! Before Making a Large Down Payment, Read This (00:00) Intro (01:00) How Much to Put Down? (11:42) Pay Off High Rate Mortgage? (17:49) Financing a House Flip (24:47) Is This Deal Worth It? (29:24) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-484 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you still make huge profits from real estate in today’s market? While high interest rates and inflated home prices can make it difficult to find a cash-flowing rental property, there’s another strategy that delivers big returns—if you can stomach the extra risk: house flipping! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! James Dainard is a master house flipper, co-host of the On the Market podcast, and, most recently, author of The House Flipping Framework. With over eighteen years of real estate investing experience and more than 3,500 projects under his belt, James knows more than a thing or two about this lucrative investing strategy. Today, he joins the show to share a few tips from his new book—like how to find the right deal, choose high-quality contractors, and keep your project on budget! Whether you’re new to flipping houses or you need help with home renovations, this episode is loaded with advice to help you start and stand out. You’ll learn everything from choosing a market and analyzing distressed properties to building your team, estimating rehab costs, and more! In This Episode We Cover: How to start flipping houses and stand out in a tough housing market The “biggest lie” in real estate that will stop you from making a profit Why finding a flip-friendly real estate broker is crucial to your success How to calculate your annualized return (and why it matters for house flips) How to choose the right market and build your team for out-of-state projects The step-by-step process for building out an accurate scope of work Staying on budget (and on schedule) with cost-effective home renovation tips And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Buy James’ New Book “The House Flipping Framework” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Flipping Houses: How to Get Started and Everything You Should Know Connect with James (00:00) Intro (01:11) Planning Your Project (05:48) House Flipping Returns (14:39) How to Choose a Market (19:11) Building Your Team (26:06) Estimating Rehab Costs (36:09) 3 Tips for Selling Flips (39:49) Connect with James! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-483 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you still find great deals in today’s cutthroat housing market? Of course! But you may need to go off the beaten path. Rookie investor Karl Denton looks beyond the MLS (multiple listings service), focuses on undervalued and distressed properties, and even does his own home renovations to create value. If he can do it, YOU can, too! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Karl has a superpower—finding hidden gems that other investors overlook. And he’s not doing anything that you can’t. Even as a full-time firefighter, he still finds time to attend meetups, go to foreclosure auctions, build his own lists, and contact homeowners about their properties. So far, this strategy has allowed him to find, buy, and fix three properties in three years! Want to replicate his success? Tune in as Karl walks you through each step of the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat). Along the way, you’ll learn where to find undervalued properties, how to manage out-of-state renovations, and when to do a cash-out refinance. You’ll also hear about Karl’s big pivot from long-term rentals to short-term rentals and the huge cash flow boost that came with it! In This Episode We Cover: How to find, fund, and fix distressed or undervalued homes in 2024 Why the BRRRR method still works in today’s challenging market Three ways to buy properties with tax liens (and why they make GREAT investments) Crucial tips for managing an out-of-state home renovation project When to pivot from one investing strategy to another based on your market Why you should focus on stabilizing your real estate portfolio before scaling it And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Buy the Book “Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Making $300K+ Profit Per Rental and Scaling FAST with “DADUs” Connect with Karl (00:00) Intro (00:46) Buying His First Property (03:55) The BRRRR Strategy (11:37) Karl’s Portfolio & Auctions 101 (20:40) DIY & Out-of-State Renovations (29:54) When Should You Refinance? (33:55) Switching to Short-Term Rentals (41:35) Revenue & Tips for Rookies (47:47) Connect with Karl! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-482 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’re planning to move soon and are asking yourself, “Should I sell or rent my house?” What if you’ve got little-to-no cash flow potential? Is future appreciation worth betting on? Maybe you need to renovate before you sell or rent; now, the question becomes, “How to finance home renovations?” Don’t stress; we’ve got you covered on all fronts in this episode as we walk through how to decide whether to sell or rent, the best ways to fund home renovations, and answer the mother of all rookie questions, “Is house hacking dead?” With mortgage rates rising yet again and home prices still unaffordable in many areas of the country, does house hacking (renting out other rooms/units to pay your mortgage) still make sense? What if you can’t live for free anymore? Should you abandon the house hacking strategy entirely? We have some interesting thoughts on why we would or wouldn’t house hack in this housing market. Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: Whether you should sell or rent your primary residence once you move out The math behind house hacking and whether high interest rates ruined this strategy How to finance home renovations on your next rehab project Taking out a line of credit on your investment properties to fund future investments Whether to convert your property into a short-term rental (more work) or keep it as a long-term rental (less work) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab “The House Hacking Strategy” Book Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Should You Sell Your House or Rent It Out? (00:00) Intro (00:49) Sell or Rent Out Your House? (07:12) Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rentals (08:47) Bet on Appreciation? (12:41) How to Finance Home Renovations (18:48) Is House Hacking Dead? (26:41) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-481 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real estate investing could help you achieve your financial goals, whether it’s to make enough cash flow to replace your W2 income or build wealth for an early retirement. Like many, today’s guest is chasing financial freedom, and thanks to a unique property that brings in $5,000 in monthly cash flow, he’s well on his way! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Rocky Gibson knew he wanted to invest in real estate since his college days, so after landing his first “real” job out of school, he wasted no time buying his first property. Since then, it’s been full speed ahead for Rocky, and in just five years, he has built and scaled his real estate portfolio from zero to fifteen units and two flips. His main investment property, an eleven-unit RV park, nets $5,000 per month alone! In this episode, Rocky talks about the power of renting by the room, leveraging your personal network, and using home equity to grow your portfolio and get access to private deals. You’ll even hear about the $100,000 mistake that Rocky almost made and how altering his strategy allowed him to not only salvage the deal but also make a profit! In This Episode We Cover: How Rocky built his real estate portfolio up to fifteen units (and two flips) in just five years The unique property that can give you $5,000 in monthly cash flow Why house hacking is the BEST investing strategy when you’re just starting out How to achieve financial freedom through real estate investing Creative ways to fund more rental properties without traditional bank financing How altering his strategy on the fly helped Rocky avoid a $100,000 mistake And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Buy the Book “Real Estate Campgrounds” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Start Making Millions from These Overlooked RV Park Investments Connect with Rocky (00:00) Intro (00:31) Why Real Estate? (04:23) House Hacking 101 (12:01) Building the RV Park (19:47) Tapping Into His Network (27:28) Funding the Campers (30:17) Cash Flow & Investing Goals (34:57) Cash Flow & Investing Portfolio (35:49) Connect with Rocky! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-480 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you start investing in real estate WITHOUT a stable W2 job? How will you get a loan? What happens if you have a fluctuating income? Are you completely out of luck? Not at all! Today’s guest, David Sladewski, proves that you can STILL invest in real estate no matter your age, experience, or whether you have a “stable” job. At just twenty years old, he already has three rental units and a live in flip; plus, he did it all while self-employed. At the age of seventeen, David learned about real estate from his brother. Poised to become his own boss and make money without an earning “ceiling,” he decided that getting his real estate license and becoming an agent was the best bet. Within half a year, he went from having no money to building a solid real estate agent business and was ready to invest. The problem? Lenders WON’T give you a loan without multiple years of income history. But that didn’t stop David. He was able to buy a great first rental property, a duplex, thanks to one brilliant move. David then found other lender “loopholes” that helped him close on his dream rental property and a flip he’s working on as we speak. How did he get around the seemingly impossible task of finding funding WITHOUT a W2 job? Stick around to find out! In This Episode We Cover: Why you DON’T need a W2 job to start investing in real estate Doing your first real estate deal with ZERO experience and why you MUST “bet on yourself” Real estate partnerships for beginners and how to invest without having a ton of money The lender “loophole” David found after going through FOUR different mortgage lenders (try this, too!) Why you should live in your rental property BEFORE you rent it out Doing a “live in flip” and home renovation mistakes that David learned the hard way And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Easily Identify Great Investing Markets with BiggerPockets Market Finder Grab Ashley and Tony’s Book, “Real Estate Partnerships” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerNews: This Area Has the BEST Cash Flow Potential in the Country Connect with David (00:00) Intro (01:08) Starting at Just 17 (06:04) First Deal WITHOUT Stable W2 (13:15) Structuring a Partnership (14:43) Finding a Lender Loophole (20:53) Home Run Rental in THIS Neighborhood (24:52) Trying to Flip a House (33:48) Future Goals and Advice Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-479 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to build your rental portfolio FAST? Today, we’re teaching you how to buy multiple rental properties per year, the best tips to raise rents while keeping tenant turnover low, and what to know before you start buying houses at auction. Each of these topics will help you not only build a real estate portfolio but also keep it profitable so you can reach financial freedom and realize your goals faster! Since it’s a Rookie Reply, you know that these are all real questions coming directly from real estate rookies, just like you. First, an investor wants to know how to buy multiple houses per year, especially when you’re locked into an owner-occupied mortgage. While you may not be allowed to move for at least a year, we’ve got some strategies to help you buy rentals on the side. Next, what happens when you’ve inherited tenants paying under-market rent? How do you raise rents without increasing vacancy? Finally, buying homes at auction may be a killer strategy to find deeply discounted real estate deals, but there are some red flags you MUST know about before you bid... Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: How to buy multiple houses a year using primary and investment property loans Our best tips to make (or keep) more money so you can invest even faster Inheriting tenants and how to raise rents without causing tenant turnover Buying properties at auction and the non-refundable deposit that you must be aware of Why you always (always!) should budget more for home renovations on auction-bought houses And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Rookie 463 - The “Lazy” Landlord’s Guide to Finding (And Keeping) Tenants & Raising Rents Real Estate Rookie YouTube Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Grab the Book “Real Estate Partnerships” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Rookie 127 - Buying Property While Stationed Overseas (and a $40k Rookie Mistake!) w/Angel Garcia (00:00) Intro (00:57) Buy Multiple Rental Properties a Year? (06:39) How to Raise Rents (14:13) Buying a House at Auction Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-478 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to know how to flip a house in 2024? We brought on a rookie with a real-life deal to walk through every beginner step of flipping houses so you can go out and make money, too! We know Rene Hosman as our community manager here at BiggerPockets, but she’s also a brand new house flipper! She just got her first house flip under contract, so we’ll be bringing her on the show to share her progress and teach YOU how to do it today. In part one, Rene describes how she found this deal in the pricey and competitive Denver, Colorado, area. Next, when she wanted to make an offer on the property, she realized it HAD to be made in cash, but she didn’t have the funds. What did she do? She found a lender who lent her the money in just around twenty-four hours! Don’t think it’s possible? Rene shares exactly how she found this lender, how much they charge, and why she went with them. Next, how do you estimate rehab costs for a home renovation? Rene brings her ACTUAL house flipping budget to show off in today’s episode, plus where she’s finding materials and how much of a financial “buffer” she’s giving herself (in case something goes wrong). In This Episode We Cover: How to flip your first house in 2024 by following Rene’s basic steps Flipping a condo and how already owning in the building can be a HUGE advantage Private money lenders and how to fund your first flip in just twenty-four hours! How to estimate rehab costs and why you MUST give yourself a “buffer” The exact costs Rene will pay to fund this $190,000 flip And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Start with Strategy House Flipping Investing Calculator Rehab Cost Estimate Calculator Follow Rene’s ACTUAL House Flipping Budget Learn How to Flip Houses with “The House Flipping Framework” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Flipping Houses: How to Get Started and Everything You Should Know Connect with Rene (00:00) Intro (02:49) Buy the Whole Building? (07:14) Making a QUICK Offer (10:37) Finding $190K in 24 Hours (17:20) Private Money Lending Numbers (21:03) Renovation Budgeting (25:49) Renovation Timeline and Plans Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-477 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest bought his first rental property within just ninety days of learning about real estate investing. So, if you’re wondering how to buy a rental property or get started with out-of-state real estate investing ASAP, Jeff Costa is the person to listen to. Instead of sitting in analysis paralysis, Jeff knew it was CRUCIAL to pull the trigger on an investment property once he had heard the podcasts, read the books, and felt educated enough. Within just two years, Jeff has bought two small multifamily rental properties, with a combined four units total, bringing in $1,300/month in cash flow! He was EVEN able to do this recently with higher mortgage rates, and shares EXACTLY what he was looking for, how much money the properties cost, where he chose to invest in real estate, and every FREE tool he uses to do market research BEFORE buying from a distance. If you’re tired of waiting to get in the game but still feel nervous to invest in your first rental, you NEED to listen to this episode. Jeff describes, in detail, each step he took that allowed him to build his rental portfolio fast and a few tips that’ll stop you from choosing the WRONG property manager on your first or next rental property purchase. In This Episode We Cover: How to start buying out-of-state rental properties in the next ninety days The free tools that Jeff uses to scope out a market before he invests in it Why Jeff went “turnkey” on his first investment property (and why you should, too) How to pick a property manager and red flags to look for when interviewing for one Why you must (MUST!) have emergency reserves before you buy your first rental And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Try BiggerPockets Property Manager Finder Grab the Book on “Long-Distance Real Estate Investing” Property Manager Finder 78 Questions To Ask A Property Manager Before Hiring Them Connect with Jeff (00:00) Intro (01:06) Ditching Stocks for Rentals (03:57) Buying a Rental in 90 Days! (08:49) First Rental ($500/Month Cash Flow!) (13:47) Market Research (16:02) Second Rental ($800+/Month Cash Flow!) (21:24) How to Pick a Property Manager (28:58) Next Steps and Rookie Advice Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-476 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to know how to find off-market properties WITHOUT cold calling and talking to sellers all day? Where is the best place to find furniture for your short-term rental or Airbnb? Is real estate wholesaling nearing its end as buyers and sellers get frustrated with these middlemen? It’s another Rookie Reply, so we’re taking these questions (and a few others) and answering them on this episode! First, if you have a long-term and short-term rental on the same lot, how do you keep the tenants and the guests from creating conflict? Plus, how do you furnish a short-term rental so you aren’t replacing couches every few months? To get a great deal like this in the first place, you might need to find off-market properties with undervalued prices. Do you go through a wholesaler or find off-market real estate deals yourself? We’ll share our advice for both! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: The MANY ways to find off-market real estate deals that don’t include cold calling Why investors and sellers are starting to get frustrated with real estate “wholesalers” Ashley and Tony’s favorite stores to find durable furnishings for your short-term rental Tony’s quick tip to avoid bed bugs in your rental property (it’s easy and cheap!) The first thing you should say when approaching a potential seller And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie 468 - How to Start, Manage, and Scale an Airbnb Business in 2024 Real Estate Rookie 326 - The Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the BEST Off-Market Real Estate Deals Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Ready to Find Deals? Grab the Book “Real Estate Deal Maker” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area A New South Carolina Law Would Severely Crack Down on Wholesaling (00:00) Intro (01:14) STR and LTR on the Same Lot? (05:50) Best Furniture for Short-Term Rentals (09:30) How to Avoid Bed Bugs! (10:47) Is It WRONG to Wholesale Real Estate? (21:28) Advice for Wholesaling (23:35) How to Find Off-Market Deals (29:43) How to Approach Sellers (32:37) Post Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-475 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This rookie investor decided that instead of purchasing her own home, she’d buy rental properties in other areas, helping offset her high cost of living. Within just around a year, Mary Ho has bought a run-down property, performed a six-figure renovation project, got her first renters, refinanced the property, and then bought ANOTHER rental right after! Now, she’s sitting on two properties with three units in total, managing her rentals remotely and building wealth without the traditional boundaries. Mary and her family live in Manhattan, an infamously expensive real estate market. She and her husband wanted to invest, but there was no way they could do it locally. So, she decided to start investing with “training wheels”—investing in a market she was familiar with that was within driving distance of her. She went WAY over budget on this first property, but it worked out in a way that would help her with deal number two! From there, she went much farther, buying a multifamily property over a thousand miles away from home. How did she handle renovating, furnishing, and finding tenants, all while she was so far from her new property? How does she juggle it all with her job and kids to take care of? What’s the secret to her productivity? She’s sharing it all in this episode! In This Episode We Cover: Where mortgage rates are right now for refinances and HELOCs The HELOC hack that greatly minimizes your interest in your next equity line Caeli’s interest rate forecast and where she thinks rates could be in the near future When waiting to refinance could cost you, and whether rates may go UP again The metrics that influence where mortgage rates will go next (what to pay attention to) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Find Trusted Property Managers with BiggerPockets Property Manager Finder Get the Book on BRRRR “Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Should You Invest Locally or Long Distance? Connect with Mary Mary’s Instagram (00:00) Intro (01:52) Interest Rate Update (06:34) Why Rates Went UP (11:59) Should You Refinance? (18:17) Current Refi Rates (19:37) Best HELOC Hack (29:01) Interest Rate Forecast Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-474 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your first rental property is out there; it just may not be where you live. Austin Wolff came to this conclusion quickly. After paying his “cheap” rent of $1,600 per month for a small place in Los Angeles, he knew he needed to start saving up the money to buy his first investment property if he was ever going to afford to live in Southern California full-time. So, he began compiling a list of America’s most affordable, growing real estate markets. He found what he believed to be the best bet, packed up his bags, and moved 1,500 miles away to get the deal done. He left behind his friends, girlfriend (don’t worry, they’re just doing long-distance now), and filmmaking passion temporarily to do what he felt was best to build wealth. What was the real estate market so good he couldn’t let it pass him by? How did he get into his first property with just five percent down and only $25,000 in cash? And why does he believe NOW is the time to buy? Stick around to hear why this real estate-focused data scientist made such a radical move in the name of financial freedom and exactly how he analyzes markets and rental properties to see whether they’re worth the effort. In This Episode We Cover: Moving 1,500 miles away to “house hack” in a much cheaper market Ranking the top affordable, growing real estate markets in the country How to get into your first investment property for just five percent down! Conventional vs. FHA loans and what Austin thinks is the better option for rookies Austin’s deal analysis formula that will get you more accurate cash flow estimates Serious advice for rookies and why waiting on the sidelines could cost you And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Deal Finder BiggerPockets Lender Finder Find Your Perfect Market with “BiggerPockets Market Finder” Grab “The House Hacking Strategy” Book Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area The 10 Best Markets for Your First House Hack Connect with Austin (00:00) Intro (01:01) Film Director to Data Scientist (03:56) Ranking the BEST Markets (09:41) Saving Money EVEN in LA (12:32) Moving 1,500 Miles for First Deal (20:59) Financing, Rent, and Management (25:32) Future Goals and Next Steps (28:35) Advice for Rookies Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-473 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s say you’ve got $40,000 to invest. You could split the money into two down payments and buy more properties or partner with someone with money and build a bigger real estate portfolio. But even though you CAN do this, it might be a better idea to stay a small investor. Why? We’re talking about it in this episode, along with some of the regrets we have from scaling far too fast. Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re showing you how to run real estate “comps” to find the right rent and asking prices for properties, plus whether or not your new rental will have enough demand to stay occupied. We’ll also discuss when a house is TOO big to house hack and how to find tenants for a rent-by-the-room investing strategy. Finally, can you buy more than one rental a year? Yes! But be careful, doing this could put you in a dangerous spot (we’ll explain why). Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: How to run “comps” in real estate and estimate rent prices accurately Whether or not a neighborhood is worth investing in with many units for rent already Why you may NOT need to buy a huge house for house hacking Finding tenants when using the rent-by-the-room investing strategy How to build a real estate portfolio with $30,000 - $40,000 And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Try the BiggerPockets Rent Estimator Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Learn the Real Estate Formulas with “Real Estate by the Numbers” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Real Estate Rookie 287 - From 70 Hour/Week Burnout to Getting Paid to Buy Properties w/Danielle Daly (00:00) Intro (00:44) Comping Rent/Home Prices (08:21) Too Big House to Hack? (16:25) Starting with $40K and Scaling SMALL (26:23) Post Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-472 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices