BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Grab Henry’s New Book, “Real Estate Deal Maker”

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The Comprehensive Guide for Financing Your Very First Real Estate Deal

Connect with Henry

(00:51) Use Private Money for FIRST Deal?

(06:21) Tenant Red Flags

(11:24) How to Attract Tenants

(13:47) Raising Rents on Inherited Tenants

(19:55) Ditch the 70% Rule?

(27:54) Ask Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1052

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The “Dirt Floor to $80K/Month” Investor is BACK (and She’s Gone BIGGER!) Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Yamundow Camara grew up in The Gambia. After losing her parents at a young age, she was taken in by relatives who forced her to sleep on a dirt floor and treated her like a constant burden. Fast forward to 2024, Yamundow has over one hundred rental units and makes hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) in passive income yearly. She STILL works a W2 while running her real estate portfolio. If she could do it, you can, too.

If you missed Yamundow’s first episode, we highly recommend listening to it after this one. She goes into great detail on her troubling upbringing, moving to the US, and buying her first real estate deal. Now, she’s gone bigger…much bigger—scaling from thirty-two units to over 150 rental units in just over a year. And she’s not just in residential real estate anymore.

Yamundow discusses the deals she’s bought, the hellish renovation project she went through, and her newest commercial real estate asset—a cash-flowing self-storage facility that takes just thirty minutes a week to manage! Yamundow is the epitome of “rags to riches.” We guarantee you’ll be inspired to invest after you hear this one!

In This Episode We Cover:

Going from complete poverty to millionaire by scaling smart in real estate

Why Yamundow started investing in self-storage recently instead of rentals

The reason Yamundow STILL has her W2 job (and thinks you should NOT quit!)

What to do when the city government is ruining your renovation plans

Finding real estate deals for sale on…Facebook? Here’s how Yamundow does it

Sponsoring orphans, writing a book, and Yamundow's big TV show dreams

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Shop the BiggerPockets Bookstore Black Friday SALE

Interested in Self-Storage Investing? Grab the Book, “Storing Up Profits”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

From Sleeping on the Floor to Making $80K/Month (in 2 Years!)

Connect with Yamundow

(00:00) Intro

(01:22) Sleeping on Dirt Floors After Losing Everything

(04:55) 32 Units While Working a W2!

(09:15) Inspiring Others to Invest

(10:27) A Hellish 12-Unit Renovation

(15:27) Financing and Working with Contractors

(18:13) BIG Section 8 Cash Flow

(20:54) Getting into Self Storage Investments

(25:36) Supporting Her Family

(29:58) What's Next?

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1051

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This Could Be Like Getting into Airbnb in 2012 Nov 29, 2024

Show notes

While short-term rentals are seeing slowing demand, mid-term rentals are taking off (and fast). Mid-term rentals, also called medium-term rentals or MTRs, are thirty-day or longer stays, usually for traveling professionals or those who need temporary housing while relocating. These rentals give you more rent than a regular long-term rental, less turnover than short-term rentals, and can be successful in even the most average of markets. Where are MTRs heading next? We brought on Jeff Hurst, CEO of the leading MTR listing website Furnished Finder, to share the data he’s seeing.

Jeff believes MTRs are still years away from peaking in demand and supply. But maybe he’s a little biased as someone who works in the field. Even as an industry insider, Jeff brought some solid stats that show that MTR is far from falling off the investing map. He’s so bullish on this strategy that he believes MTR is now where Airbnb was in 2012. But what should you do to get in on MTR investing?

Jeff shares the best MTR markets and signs for whether or not your city could be a great place to try it, plus the surprising property type that works best for this strategy (MUCH more affordable than short-term rentals) and how landlords and investors can find tenants WITHOUT going through pricey booking platforms.

In This Episode We Cover:

The state of the mid-term rental market and why it’s looking much brighter than short-term rentals

Mid-term rental investing explained, and who’s staying at these properties

Why rural markets actually make terrific mid-term rental investing areas

How to start investing in mid-term rentals WITHOUT owning a single property (rental arbitrage)

How to find tenants for your mid-term rentals without paying high listing fees

The (surprisingly) small property types that work best for mid-term rentals

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Shop the BiggerPockets Bookstore Black Friday SALE

Grab the MTR Book, “30-Day Stay”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

How to Invest in Medium-Term Rentals

Connect with Henry

Furnished Finder Stats

(00:00) Intro

(03:10) What Are Mid-Term Rentals?

(07:33) Mid-Term Demand is Still Growing

(12:18) Best Mid-Term Markets

(20:39) Are We Past the Peak?

(22:46) Finding Tenants

(26:38) Fewer Regulations?

(32:42) Bullish on Mid-Term’s Future

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1050

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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Is This the Most Beginner-Friendly Way to Start Investing? Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

Most people get turnkey real estate investing all wrong. They either think it’s a completely hands-off investment like stocks or that all turnkey real estate companies offer the same product. Both of these assumptions can be dangerous when investing in what should be an easier, less stressful, and far more scalable type of real estate investment—turnkey rentals. If you invest in truly turnkey real estate, you’ll get all the benefits of regular rental properties with MANY of the headaches already dealt with. What do we mean?

We’re bringing back repeat guest Chris Clothier, turnkey provider and investor for over twenty years, to explain exactly what turnkey real estate is and whether or not it’s right for you. Chris describes the danger of thinking that every “turnkey” company is actually turnkey and signs that the company you’re dealing with could be selling you a bad deal. Plus, who should buy turnkey in the first place? Is it only for beginners, or do experienced investors move their money into these properties, too?

How much money do turnkey properties make? We’re sharing those stats and the two questions you MUST ask a turnkey company before you work with them!

In This Episode We Cover:

Turnkey real estate investing explained and why so many investors get this definition wrong

How much turnkey rentals can make you in 2025 (actual return estimates)

The two questions you MUST ask a turnkey provider to prove they’re legit

Signs of a good turnkey real estate deal and why you should NOT buy properties under a certain price point

Why turnkey real estate investing isn’t just for beginners

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Real Estate 26 - Building a Scalable Real Estate Business and Tenant Management Tips with Chris Clothier

BiggerPockets Real Estate 122 - 5 Myths Holding Investors Back From Real Estate Greatness with Chris Clothier

BiggerPockets Real Estate 224 - Building a Process to Buy 17 Deals a Week with Chris Clothier

BiggerPockets Real Estate 380 - Profitable Landlording in a Crisis with Mike Butler, Chris Clothier, and Dave Poeppelmeier

Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy”

Property Manager Finder

Turnkey Real Estate Investing: Complete Guide

Connect with Chris

(00:00) Intro

(03:49) Turnkey Investing 101

(07:11) Who Should Buy Turnkey?

(19:37) Signs of a Good Deal

(22:53) 2 Questions You MUST Ask

(28:00) Turnkey Rental Returns in 2025

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1049

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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Expert Investor Shares How He Made $100K with Just One Property Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

Would you spend thirty hours finding a deal if it could make you over $100,000? Of course you would! And that’s exactly what David Lecko, CEO of DealMachine, suggests you do to find better real estate deals in 2025. After hundreds of calls and mailers, an extensive rehab, and two appraisals, he walked into six-figure equity on a single rental property!

Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Real Estate podcast! David has achieved financial freedom by building a real estate portfolio of nineteen cash-flowing, appreciating properties. His big secret? Buying the same property over and over in a market he knows inside out—Indianapolis, Indiana. He’ll scour tax-delinquent lists for distressed properties that fit his buy box and use the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) to snowball into his next deal.

But now that David has moved to Austin, Texas, he faces a brand-new challenge—investing in real estate out of state. While most investors would hire a property manager to oversee their properties, David self-manages from hundreds of miles away and employs an assistant to be his eyes and ears. Tune in as David shares all of the details on his latest deal and the strategies investors can use to gain a competitive edge in 2025!

In This Episode We Cover:

The strategy David used to make $100,000 on ONE real estate deal

How to self-manage your rental properties (from hundreds of miles away)

Why the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) still works today

How to scale faster and make higher returns by staying within your buy box

The midwestern markets that allow you to earn cash flow and appreciation

Why you shouldn’t wait for interest rates to drop to buy your next property

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Buy the Book “Rich Dad Poor Dad”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

From Burnt-Out Tech Worker to $95K in Passive Income in 2 Years

Connect with David

(00:00) Intro

(02:32) Tax-Delinquent Properties

(07:46) $100K from ONE Deal

(13:10) David’s Buy Box

(17:12) Self-Managing (Out of State!)

(23:23) David’s Plans for 2025

(27:31) HUGE Market Opportunities

(31:42) Connect with David!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1048

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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Can Trump Push Jerome Powell Out of the Fed? w/WSJ's Nick Timiraos Nov 22, 2024

Show notes

Has the Federal Reserve gone too far? Many Americans are critical of the Fed’s move to raise interest rates sharply, pause for years, and then slowly start implementing rate cuts. The arguably most prominent critic of the Fed? President-Elect Donald Trump, who, shortly after nominating the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell, reversed his opinion on whether Powell was the right person for the job.

Now, with Trump coming back to the White House, Powell’s job hangs in jeopardy—or does it? Can a President fire the Fed chair? Does the President have the authority to influence how the Fed operates? What would happen if Trump decided to go after Powell and request his resignation? Nick Timiraos, reporter at The Wall Street Journal and Federal Reserve expert, is on to answer these questions.

Nick gives us the latest update on rate cuts, where the Fed is headed, how the future of the Fed looks with Trump back in office, and why some politicians champion “Fed Independence,” while others argue that Fed power has overstepped its bounds. Are Trump and Powell more aligned than they think, and is this government drama all talk? We’re getting Nick’s expert viewpoint on it all.

In This Episode We Cover:

Why “Fed Independence” could actually be a crucial piece to keeping the economy stable

Whether or not Trump has the authority to fire and replace a Fed chair

Future rate cuts, inflation concerns, and the Fed’s latest “signal” on rates

Powell’s simple response when asked if he would resign because of Trump’s request

Why the Fed does NOT have to answer to the President (and is this a good thing?)

Trump’s proposed tax and tariff policies and why they could challenge the Fed

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy”

Nick’s WSJ Articles

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Trump May Consider Shaking Up the Federal Reserve If Elected—Here’s What That Could Look Like

(00:00) Intro

(01:52) Latest Fed Meeting Update

(03:04) More Rate Cuts Coming?

(05:07) Can Trump Change the Fed?

(08:45) Is the Fed Above the Law?

(16:42) Can Trump Fire Powell?

(18:53) What Happens Next?

(24:52) Trump's Tricky Policies

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1047

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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Landlords, What Are Your Wildest Tenant Stories? Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

Every landlord has some wild tenant stories. We’re sharing the ones you probably won’t believe in this episode. And we’re not just talking about a bad eviction or an upstairs neighbor blasting loud music. Instead, we’re talking about identity theft, living room toilets (this actually happened), random people sleeping on YOUR couch, and the mystery of the magically appearing staircase.

Being a landlord isn’t always easy, but some stories make real estate investing truly worth it. We’ve seen some of our tenants turn their lives around completely, all by having a safe place to live. Even with all the chaos, broken toilets, non-paying tenants, and occasional hard conversations, being a landlord can be pretty rewarding.

Do you have a tenant story you want to share? Drop it in the BiggerPockets Forums!

In This Episode We Cover:

Why you MUST have a (secured) separate entrance when house hacking

The reason Henry now double-checks the identity of his tenants before signing a lease with them

Turning bad tenants into good friends by taking shots with them

What to do when your tenants turn your living room into a bathroom (this one was pretty bad)

Why taking a chance on a tenant isn’t always a bad thing and how being a great landlord can turn people’s lives around

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Landlord the Right Way with “The Book on Managing Rental Properties”

Property Manager Finder

12 Tenant Nightmare Stories I Swear Are Actually True

Connect with Henry

(00:00) Who's In My House?!

(05:20) My Tenant Isn't Really My Tenant...

(12:04) Taking Shots with My Tenant

(16:39) They Did WHAT in the Living Room?

(25:53) The Tenants Everyone Wants

(29:35) Tenant Turning His Life Around

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1046

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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Financial Freedom in 8 Years by Investing for Equity (NOT Cash Flow) Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

What if, within ten years, you could reach financial freedom? Imagine it. You may have a high-stress job where you’re working long hours and making good money but feeling burnout creeping in. You NEED an exit strategy if you’re going to keep up with this lifestyle because before long, you may need an early retirement. That’s precisely how Benjamin Aaker, emergency medicine physician, felt.

Benjamin loves his work, and he’s still working today, but now, he has the option to leave when the burnout gets too much. After becoming an “accidental landlord,” Benjamin quickly saw the benefits of investing in real estate. He bought a few more houses and a multifamily building, then went bigger and bigger. Now, he’s equity-rich with a real estate portfolio that can support his lifestyle if he decides not to work.

Even if you’re not stressed out at your job (yet), Benjamin encourages you to financially prepare to exit your career, if just for peace of mind. He talks about how you can scale smarter, faster, and better with partners, why sometimes you need to get dirty to succeed in real estate, and how to juggle investing with your full-time job.

In This Episode We Cover:

How to scale your real estate portfolio fast and reach financial freedom

The crucial mistake Benjamin made when he bought his first big property

Determining your financial independence timeline and when you want to be able to quit

Appreciation vs. cash flow and the surprising choice Benjamin made to reach financial independence faster

Vetting a real estate partner BEFORE you invest and red flags to look for

Syndication investing for beginners and using other people’s money to buy real estate

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Invest in Turnkey Properties with REI Nation

Grab “The Intention Journal”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

How to Build a Real Estate Portfolio & Quickly Scale Your Investments

Connect with Benjamin

(00:00) Intro

(00:48) Got a High-Stress Job?

(02:30) The “Accidental” Landlord

(03:54) Becoming Work-OPTIONAL

(10:22) Equity Over Cash Flow

(14:31) Multifamily and BIG Syndication Mistakes

(23:55) A Really Crappy Problem

(27:30) Finding (and Vetting) Partners

(30:35) WAY Bigger Deals

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1045

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BiggerNews: How Much of a Return Should Your Investment Property Produce? Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

What makes a “good” real estate deal in 2025 and beyond? How much of a return should your investment property be producing? Are real estate returns good enough in this tough housing market to beat out other performing assets like stocks? Today, we’re sharing our exact investing criteria, defining what makes a “good” real estate deal to us, and how you can use key indicators to identify deals worth the effort.

We’re breaking this episode into a few parts as we touch on the primary types of investment properties: long-term rentals, short-term rentals, and house flips. Garrett Brown is our resident vacation rental expert and shares how he’s routinely getting twenty percent (or greater) returns by reinvesting in his short-term rentals. Next, familiar face James Dainard discusses the unbelievable house-flipping returns he nets, but are they worth the risk?

Finally, Dave shares the metric he goes after when investing in long-term, low-risk rental properties. Plus, we’ll share when it’s a better use of your money to reinvest in your current properties vs. going out and buying new ones!

In This Episode We Cover:

What makes a “good” real estate deal in 2025 and beyond

The massive return James is making with house flipping (and the HUGE risks he takes)

Garrett’s unique short-term rentals pulling in twenty percent (or higher!) average returns

IRR (internal rate of return) explained and why everyone should calculate this when investing

When to buy more properties vs. reinvest back into your performing portfolio

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Get a Quote on Your Next Short-Term Rental Loan with Host Financial

Calculate IRR with Dave’s Book, “Real Estate by the Numbers”

Property Manager Finder

What's a "Good" Deal in Real Estate? 5 Criteria to Consider

Connect with Garrett

Connect with James

(00:00) Intro

(00:51) What's a "Good" Return?

(06:21) IRR (Internal Rate of Return) Explained

(07:59) What Makes a "Good" STR Deal?

(11:14) Flipping Houses (High Risk/Reward)

(16:43) Long-Term Rentals (Low Risk)

(23:17) When to Reinvest vs. Buy More

(29:23) Do This NOW!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1044

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.

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The Massive Opportunity of Overlooked On-Market Deals Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re talking about the easiest way to find profitable rental properties in 2024 (and 2025!). It’s not through cold calling homeowners, sending mailers, networking with wholesalers, or doing any other “off-market” strategy. It’s so easy that even real estate investing beginners will have no trouble finding deals. What are we talking about? On-market, MLS (multiple listing service) properties for sale.

You might think, “But everything on the market is overpriced; there are NO good deals left!” That’s where you’re wrong, and today’s guest proves it. Dan Nelson has been buying on-market investment properties for two decades now, and he’s built an entire portfolio doing so (even in recent years). Dan knows there’s a time and place for off-market deals, but he has found so many hidden opportunities on the market that he keeps returning to buy.

During this episode, Dan shows YOU precisely what to look for when browsing listing websites for rental properties or potential house flips. He shares the hidden opportunities most investors miss and why you should NOT be focused on properties that make money from day one. Instead, he walks through his simple strategy to create serious cash flow only a couple of years after purchasing properties most investors overlook.

In This Episode We Cover:

Why (for the most part) off-market deals are NOT great for beginners

The reason Dan doesn’t care about “day one cash flow” when buying rentals

Signs that you should offer a lower price on a potential rental property

Why you should always look for on-market deals BEFORE deciding on a market

When it’s time to start buying off-market deals (Beginners should avoid this)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show