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BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

Want financial freedom? Dave Meyer and Henry Washington teach proven real estate strategies and share candid conversations with everyday investors building wealth in today’s market.

Copyright: © Copyright © 2019 BiggerPockets Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: The information contained in this podcast is for general information purposes only. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage derived from the information provided.

Latest Episodes:

10 Deadly Mistakes Real Estate Investors Make with Brandon and David May 29, 2020

Show notes

After yesterday's deep dive interview discussing 2 disastrous flip projects, we have a solo show for you today.

And the title says it all, really.

Brandon and David boiled down nearly 400 podcast episodes, countless forum threads, books, and real-life conversations, and their own missteps and now present: the Top 10 Ways Real Estate Investors Lose Money.

These aren't the only ways to go wrong in this business, but at some point you're in danger of falling into at least one of these traps.

So, what did we miss? Let us know in the forums, the comments section on our show notes, or in the Official BiggerPockets Facebook Group. And be sure to subscribe to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast so you won't miss an episode.

In This Episode We Cover:

Focus vs. spreading yourself too thin
The #1 way to lose money that you haven't thought of
Managing the people who manage your asset
What David calls "Spreadsheet magic"
Investing in areas with diverse employment
Over-renovating after watching too much HGTV
Inheriting tenants from a seller
Evaluating real estate agents
The myth of "more money down = more safety"
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/show384-5

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

384: Losing $60k on His First 2 Flips so You Won't Have To with Spencer Cornelia May 28, 2020

Show notes

You can put a dollar number on the losses Spencer Cornelia took on his first two long-distance flips... but it's hard to quantify the value of the lessons he learned and is now passing on to you.

We noticed Spencer's thread detailing his struggles in the BiggerPockets forums and invited him on the show; he bravely accepted.

In this episode, you'll learn the pitfalls to watch out for when taking on heavy renovations (anywhere, but especially long-distance), how to ensure quality work is getting done, and the dangers of letting projects drag on when you're locked into expensive short-term financing.

Plus, it's not a total downer... because Spencer's seeing a bunch of success with his new Youtube venture, and plans to continue investing in (less aggressively leveraged) real estate projects.

Brandon and David add their own perspectives having made some similar errors in their careers, and tomorrow in Part 2 they'll break down the 10 Deadliest Mistakes Investors Make.

New investors: heed the advice in these two shows! And as always: run your numbers conservatively, know your own risk tolerance, and run deals by trusted advisors before jumping in.

In This Episode We Cover:

What went wrong with Spencer's rehabs
How to ensure contractors are doing quality work
Incentivizing team members and keeping them accountable
How much money he paid in interest and fees to his hard money lenders
Functional obsolescence and complications with older homes
Why you can't always trust an appraisal
"Home buyer turnoffs" and why it's easy to miss them
Why Spencer sold and took a loss rather than choosing another exit strategy
Why he's not giving up on real estate
How you can "go broke buying good deals"
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/show384

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

383: Finding Your Perfect Partner and the Top 6 Factors When Choosing a Market with Ben Leybovich & Sam Grooms May 21, 2020

Show notes

Interested in someday making the leap to bigger investments? Don't miss this one!

Ben Leybovich and Sam Grooms join us for a high-level conversation about how they transitioned from flips and smaller assets to 100-plus-unit, value-add multifamily deals.

Since the first part of this show was recorded pre-coronavirus, we brought the guys back on to hear their thoughts on today's market and get an update on how their business is doing amid the volatility (spoiler: pretty well!).

In This Episode We Cover:

Finding the perfect partner for you
The 6 factors they look at when analyzing a market
Why Sam & Ben keep such a large reserve fund
Why investors sometimes overvalue cash flow
Why they like the Phoenix market
How to establish a competitive edge in real estate investing
How they look at multifamily syndication as "a long flip"
Why equity protects you
Buying insurance against interest rate increases
Hiring their own construction team
How they're adjusting to COVID-19
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/show383

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

Surviving When the BRRRR Hits the Fan with Josiah Smelser (Part 2, Post-Coronavirus) May 15, 2020

Show notes

What happens to a no-money-down BRRRR investor when a pandemic breaks out, lending standards suddenly tighten, private money lenders get skittish, and property values quickly drop?

Today, Josiah Smelser returns to the show and tells all.

In Part 1 yesterday, we learned how Josiah built a $4M portfolio by buying, renovating, renting, refinancing, and repeating using both hard money and private money.

Coronavirus hit him hard. And if he didn't have cash reserves, credit options, and the right mindset, it might have totally wiped him out.

When the virus hit, Josiah had 10 properties he needed to refinance. It was a perfect storm: His private money lender immediately pulled funds, his refinance bank changed their terms, and property values dropped—all at once—meaning he would need to bring way more cash to the table.

What happened next? Listen to this episode to learn about how Josiah made it through the nightmare and came out on the other side... with more equity and reduced interest payments.

Real estate investing isn't all sunshine and rainbows. But if you keep your mind right, plan your exit strategies, and maintain cash and credit lines, you too can survive the curveballs thrown your way.

In This Episode We Cover:

What happens when private lenders want their money back
Why Josiah's bank changed the loan-to-value ratio on him
Tapping a cash-out refinance in an emergency
Trying to sell a property you had planned to BRRRR
Taking out loans in your spouse's name to get around loan limitations
Key to pulling off a BRRRR in a down market
How Josiah saved $750K in interest over 30 years by getting a lower interest rate
How an attorney can help you arrange a great partnership
Why Josiah looks at this stressful time as a highlight of his real estate investing career
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/show382-5

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

382: No Money Down BRRRR Investing with Josiah Smelser (Part 1, Recorded Pre-Coronavirus) May 14, 2020

Show notes

Today we bring you Part 1 of back-to-back episodes with real estate investor/appraiser/author/all-around good guy Josiah Smelser.

This first conversation was recorded pre-coronavirus lockdown, but it's packed with tips you can put into action today. You'll learn how Josiah solved the #1 bottleneck in his business (capital!), allowing him to BRRRR at scale and rack up rental properties with very little money out of pocket. Even more impressive: he's doing it long-distance (The properties are in Dallas, TX and Josiah lives in Huntsville, AL.)

And if that weren't enough, the guys go in-depth on appraisals – and the techniques you can use to help appraisers see your side of the story. Josiah's a longtime licensed appraiser, so he speaks from experience... and he shares his playbook for giving yourself the best chance to pull all your money out of your deal.

If you like what Josiah has to say, then be sure to check it Part 2 tomorrow. We bring him back on, post-COVID-19, to discuss the serious challenges he's faced: lenders pulling out, property values dropping, and even a domestic violence issue at one of his rentals.

The good news: he made it through. Tune in tomorrow to hear how!

In This Episode We Cover:

Why Josiah sold his properties pre-2008 crash (and why he still regrets it!)
Combining hard money and private money to BRRRR with no money out of pocket
How Josiah uses "boots on the ground" partners to invest at a distance
Why he analyzes 8-10 deals per day
Buying houses sight unseen
Why BRRRR investors must keep cash reserves
How to talk to appraisers (like getting out of a speeding ticket!)
Why a property's list price is irrelevant
Deals... on the MLS, in 2020?!
The square footage trick that's made him thousands of dollars
Losing out to a lower offer on a big multifamily deal
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/show382

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

381: 5 Rules for Investing in a Down Market with Tucker Merrihew May 07, 2020

Show notes

Can you flip, wholesale, and buy rentals throughout a downturn?

Yes... IF you heed the advice given out in today's episode.

Our guest Tucker Merrihew is more than qualified to tackle this subject, having launched his real estate business in Portland, Oregon, in 2008—during one of the worst housing markets of all time.

In a rare "Double Deep Dive" segment, Tucker walks us through a couple TTM Development projects from 2009 and reveals exactly what he did right and wrong at the time.

As for the coming months... you'll learn which types of properties to avoid, which price ranges to target, and why renovating old homes can be risky business at this stage of the market cycle.

Plus, Tucker explains why he underwrites every deal at 3 different prices to make sure it passes his "Oh $#!# Test" if the market goes south.

Tucker is a seasoned pro with hundreds of deals under his belt, and he shares tons of valuable information for free in this episode. Be sure to subscribe to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast for more tips on investing safely while taking advantage of the opportunities ahead.

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380: Profitable Landlording in a Crisis with Mike Butler, Chris Clothier, and Dave Poeppelmeier Apr 30, 2020

Show notes

Feeling like you're in uncharted territory as a landlord? You're in good company!

Today's show walks you through how to ethically and profitably manage rentals through the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.

Brandon and David sit down with Mike Butler, acclaimed author of Landlording on Autopilot; Chris Clothier, partner at REI Nation (formerly Memphis Invest); and Dave Poeppelmeier, owner of eight houses in Toledo, Ohio.

You'll get a ton out of this panel discussion, including exact scripts for communicating with non-paying residents, strategies for connecting tenants to government resources, a discussion about "deferment" vs. "forbearance," and much more.

Mike (500+ units), Chris (6,000+ turnkey units), and Dave (8 properties, mostly student rentals) are all in different markets and at different stages of their investing careers... so you're guaranteed to learn something you can apply in your business today.

Enjoy this episode, jump on the BiggerPockets Forums to connect with fellow investors, and subscribe to this show in your favorite podcast app so you won't miss us next week!

In This Episode We Cover:

Mortgage forbearance vs. deferment for landlords
What % of REI Nation's tenants paid April rent
Establishing open lines of communication with tenants
What tone to use in conversations about rent
Why Dave proactively reached out to his renters
Guiding tenants to government resources (unemployment, etc.)
Creating contingency plans
Mike's "Wendy's walk-up window" for rent payment
How to look for better financing in low-interest-rate environments
How to stay organized if you're getting government assistance for your business
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/show380

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

379: What the Numbers Reveal About Today's Rents, Prices, and Top Cashflow Markets with Data Scientist Dave Meyer Apr 23, 2020

Show notes

There are plenty of opinions out there about where the real estate market is headed next. But what are the numbers telling us?

Today we dig into the data with Dave Meyer, BiggerPockets' VP of Growth and Analytics and a real estate investor himself.

Dave leads BiggerPockets Insights—a Pro/Premium benefit providing current local market data—and he's been looking at data points in the weeks since shelter-in-place orders began to grind the economy to a halt.

So...

Why are rents down? Why haven't prices dropped? And what data should investors be keeping an eye on? The guys tackle those questions and much more in today's episode.

Plus, Dave discusses his list of the country's best 11 cashflow markets adjusted for vacancy and explains what makes them so attractive right now.

Add in a topical "Fire Round" and a breakdown of Dave's "ski for free" Airbnb scheme, and you've got an action-packed episode sure to bolster your confidence in these uncertain times.

Check out this episode of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast, and be sure to subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast app so you won't miss the next one!

In This Episode We Cover:

The top cashflow markets in the country for high value and low vacancy
3 data points Dave looks at when analyzing a new market
Why housing prices haven't fallen much yet
Dave's (cautiously optimistic) forecast on real estate prices
What's happening to rents nationwide
What "income-to-price" reveals about a market
What BiggerPockets Insightsis
How new investors can take advantage of this downtime
The potential of a population shift away from urban centers
How Dave bought an Airbnb in Colorado to "ski for free"
And SO much more!

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/show379

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

378: A $500M Syndicator's View on Today's Market and How to Succeed as a "Hands-Off Investor" with Brian Burke Apr 16, 2020

Show notes

With a recession already underway, we're turning to an investor with 30 years of experience, 3,000-plus multifamily units acquired, and one of the sharpest minds in real estate.

Brian Burke is back today, and he sits down with Brandon and David to offer his interpretation of current events and to guide our audience through how to invest passively without violating Warren Buffett's No. 1 rule: "Never Lose Money!"

Brian explains how his firm Praxis Capital is navigating COVID-19 and shares a few tips everyday investors can use to fortify their portfolios. We also discuss leverage, how lending practices are changing, and techniques you can use today to safeguard your investments against vacancy and drops in valuation.

In the second half of the show, Brian speaks to those interested in becoming "hands-off" investors—whether you want to focus on making money in your day job or just don't want to deal with being a landlord. After all, BiggerPockets has 10-plus books on how to actively get deals done... but none (until now) on how to evaluate passive investment opportunities.

We go over how to meet syndicators, what red flags to look for, how to diversify your investments... and the absolute No. 1 quality to look for in a passive investment (hint: it's NOT the deal itself).

This episode is packed with deep insights into the current market shift, but it's also a timeless lesson in evaluating syndication opportunities.

For more info, check out Brian's new book, The Hands-Off Investor: An Insider's Guide to Investing in Passive Real Estate Syndications, and all the great bonus content, too.

In This Episode We Cover:

How Brian got his start raising capital from his cop buddies
"Bulletproof vests" investors can use to survive right now
Brian's definition of "over-leveraged"
Why Brian is currently more focused on operations than acquisitions
How government stimulus $ may affect the real estate market
How and where passive investors meet syndicators
The #1 quality passive investors should look for in a syndicator
Why the deal sponsor is more important than the deal itself
Diversifying your passive investment portfolio
Red flags to look for when evaluating syndicators
Why "alignment of interests" is overrated
The lesson he learned from a friend who lost her life savings

Links from the Show

Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/show378

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

377: The Riches Are... on the Radio? How to Dial in Your Marketing & Do 100+ Deals a Year with Chris Arnold Apr 09, 2020

Show notes

Today's guest does 125 deals a year in Dallas—from his home base in the Caribbean.

How? Well, he bailed on direct mail marketing and doubled down on radio ads.

And when others froze up as the coronavirus spread, his team put in new systems and closed a $23,500 wholesale deal... without even stepping foot inside the house.

Chris Arnold zigs when others zag, and today you'll learn how he sets up his business so he can consistently work ON it, not in it... while enjoying a great lifestyle in Tulum, Mexico.

Chris shares timely tips for how to orchestrate deals while maintaining safe social distancing (he even holds "Zoom open houses" with multiple cash buyers at once); breaks down which team member handles each aspect of a transaction; and delivers a fantastic tip for new real estate investors struggling to stay focused.

Plus—Chris shares how advertising on local radio stations has elevated his home-buying business to new levels. Look, he says, you might prefer podcasts... "but you are not your seller!"

We play one of his ads on the show, and he guides us through how to research various audiences and negotiate the best rates with stations.

This show covers it all—from the finer points of buying properties at deep discounts to the mindset shifts Chris has made along the way.

Check it out, and if you enjoyed this please share it with just one family member or friend. We appreciate you, and we'll see you next Thursday.

In This Episode We Cover: