BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA

Buy Dave’s Book, “Start with Strategy”

The State of Real Estate Investing: What You Need to Know for 2025

(00:00) Intro

(01:37) Deal Design

(03:06) The “Upside” Fundamentals

(07:36) Dave’s Real “Upside” Example

(09:50) Dave’s 2025 “Upside” Strategies

(17:56) 5 More “Upside” Tactics

(23:25) Follow the “Upside” Formula!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1075

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The Best Markets to Buy Rental Properties Right Now (2025) Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

New to real estate investing? Stuck in an area with expensive housing prices or not-so-landlord-friendly laws but want to buy real estate? We’ve got you covered. We’re sharing our favorite 2025 real estate markets for rental property investing, many of which are so affordable even a real estate rookie will have no trouble buying in. But these aren’t just cheap markets; they all have strong fundamentals that drive appreciation and rising rents.

We brought the market-picking experts, Ashley Kehr and Henry Washington, back to the show to share their picks and see how they compare to Dave’s. We’ve got “sleeper” markets that are growing but fly under the radar, a new Midwest manufacturing hub that will soon become one of America’s most prized chip-building markets, and the next boom city with great jobs and even better cash flow.

Then, we’ll share bonus affordable markets for those who don’t have much money to start. Got some more cash saved and looking to buy in a big city with big upside potential? We’re listing the three big cities we’d happily call home and invest in, with phenomenal housing market metrics and much more affordable prices than New York, Seattle, and the other “big” real estate markets.

In This Episode We Cover:

The best rental property markets of 2025 that sport appreciation, cash flow, and affordable prices

Why Henry thinks this “unsexy sleeper” market could be a phenomenal place to buy

The chip-manufacturing Midwest market that could see massive growth

One market with a booming economy but still very affordable home prices

The “big” cities we’d buy in that are poised for growth and home price appreciation

How to find the perfect market for YOU to invest in (free data on HUNDREDS of markets)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley’s Free Market Worksheet

Free Market Data

Join the Future of Real Estate Investing with Fundrise

Grab Dave’s Book, “Real Estate by the Numbers”

Real Estate Podcast 1007 - Where We’d Invest in Real Estate in 2024 if We Were Starting from Scratch w/Ashley Kehr and Henry Washington

Connect with Ashley

(00:00) Intro

(04:18) Best “Sleeper” Markets

(09:29) The Next Tech Market

(14:28) Midwest Boom Market

(18:56) Most Affordable Markets

(21:46) Best Big Cities to Invest In

(27:04) How to Find YOUR Market

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1074

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The Opportunity is Coming in Commercial Real Estate (How to Take Advantage) Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

The multifamily and commercial real estate crash seems to be nearing its end, which means some incredible buying opportunities are on the way. Big apartment owners have been decimated after their occupancy rates dropped, interest rates shot up, and loans got called due. But when prices fall and the masses turn away from an asset, it’s usually time to buy, and 2025 could be one of those times for commercial real estate.

But YOU don’t have to be the one to go out and find the deal yourself, do all the renovations, and deal with tenants—you can invest all while someone else does it for you. That’s exactly what today’s guests, Jim Pfeifer and Paul Shannon from the PassivePockets podcast, are on to talk about. They see coming opportunities to invest in multifamily real estate deals passively and will teach you exactly how to do it.

Both Jim and Paul previously owned rental properties but moved over to real estate syndications, a passive real estate investment, as they grew. Now, they can have someone else do all the work for them while they reap the benefits. The best part? 2025 is looking like an opportune time to get in on investments like these, as many of the inexperienced syndicators have fled the market. Still, the veterans remain, ready to buy underpriced assets and pass the profits on to you!

In This Episode We Cover:

Why the historic commercial real estate crash could be close to over

Real estate syndication investing 101 and how to invest without the stress of landlording

Better, safer multifamily real estate deals that are coming to the market

How to analyze a passive real estate investment AND the syndicator running it

What to ask any syndicator before you invest in their deal (this is crucial)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA

Grab the Book on Passive Investing, “The Hands-Off Investor”

Property Manager Finder

Invest Smarter with PassivePockets

Connect with Jim

Connect with Paul

(00:00) Intro

(03:53) The Multifamily Crash Explained

(06:48) Has Multifamily Hit the Bottom?

(11:16) Investing Opportunities Coming?

(13:17) How to Take Advantage

(20:58) Analyzing a Deal/Operator

(28:02) Massive Passive Investing Benefits

(32:31) Join PassivePockets!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1073

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How to Make More Passive Income with Fewer Rentals (& ACTUALLY Retire Early) w/Chad Carson Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

Want to retire early? Then, STOP buying rental properties. You heard that right; buying more rental properties may actually push you further away from early retirement IF you’ve crossed a certain threshold. Today’s guest proves you don’t need dozens of rental properties to reach financial freedom. Chad Carson, the “small and mighty” investor, is back to share why he scaled down his rental portfolio and now only works two hours a week because of it!

Don’t know Chad? He’s the investor who did it right. After building a real estate business way too big for his liking, he and his partner thought, “Is this the life we dreamed of?” It wasn’t, so they began scaling down, only keeping the properties they loved and selling the rest. Now, Chad does what he wants full-time, including traveling the world and living abroad with his family, coaching other investors, and spending a fraction of his waking hours on his rental property portfolio. This is an investor who has actually retired early with real estate.

Want to copy Chad’s blueprint to financial freedom in just ten to fifteen years? He’s sharing the three “phases” every investor goes through, including the most important one—the “harvesting” phase that allows you to retire early. How do you get to the “harvest” after all your hard work, and what should you do once you get there to unlock ultimate financial freedom? Chad is sharing it all, step-by-step, in this episode.

In This Episode We Cover:

How to retire early with fewer rental properties than you’d think

The three “phases” of financial freedom investing (and how long it’ll take to retire early)

How to start building your real estate portfolio even if you have no money or experience

Why cash flow is far less important than you think when building a rental portfolio

Why Chad sells some of his successful rental properties to pay off others (this is a cheat code!)

Three tools you can use to start “harvesting” your portfolio and retire early

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Podcast

Set for Life by Scott Trench

Zeckendorf: The autobiography of the man who played a real-life game of Monopoly and won the largest real estate empire in history

Find Your Next Real Estate Deal with PropStream

Grab Chad’s Book “The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor”

BiggerPockets Real Estate 1004 - How to Retire Early with Fewer Rental Properties Than You Think w/Chad Carson

Connect with Chad

(00:00) Intro

(01:52) Financial Freedom, Not Just Getting Rich

(05:09) The "Harvesting" Phase

(09:51) 3 Phases of Financial Freedom Investing

(18:32) How to "Grow" the Right Way

(24:29) What About Cash Flow?

(26:58) How to Start "Harvesting"

(33:55) Consolidating Your Portfolio

(36:32) Spending Your Time Freedom

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1072

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The Macro Analysis is Clear: Why We Are Reallocating (Away From Stocks) to Real Estate in 2025 Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

Is it a good time to invest in real estate? Yes, and we have proof that real estate may be underpriced, even as we hover around the most expensive average home prices in history. How can real estate be undervalued when prices are at historic highs? Dave is sitting down with Scott Trench, CEO of BiggerPockets, who has condensed ten hours' worth of research into one episode to prove to you that, without a doubt, real estate will be winning over the next few years. Plus, he’s about to make a BIG financial bet on it.

We’ve been talking a lot about entering the “upside” era recently—the new cycle of real estate investing—and wanted Scott’s take on it, too. He has invested in real estate for over a decade, reached financial independence through rental properties, and has been openly critical about multiple sectors of the real estate industry over the past few years.

Today, Scott makes a compelling case for real estate as a better investment than stocks, crypto, or gold. Some specific real estate niches could see prices drop even more, making 2025 (and 2026) phenomenal opportunities to buy. Make your choice: tune into this episode and build wealth while others sit on the sidelines or wish you had done so in a few years.

In This Episode We Cover:

Why residential real estate may actually be undervalued in 2025

One sector of real estate with enormous buying opportunities nobody is noticing

Scott’s MASSIVE real estate bet and why he’s selling much of his stock portfolio

Where interest rates will be in 2025 and whether they could rise even more

Rental housing demand and the almost irrefutable case that rent prices will rise

Why Scott believes Bitcoin will be going to $0 in the long term

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Podcast

Rent Growth

Treasury Yields

Real Median Household Income

Median Sales Price of Houses

S&P 500 Ten-Year Returns vs. S&P 500 P/E

Join the Future of Real Estate Investing with Fundrise

Grab Scott’s Book, “Set for Life”

The Rational Investor’s Case Against Bitcoin

Connect with Scott

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1071

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Should You Pay Off Debt or Invest in Real Estate? (Follow This Rule) | AMA (Ask Meyer Anything) Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

Can’t figure out how to buy multiple rental properties a year with your current income? Wondering whether you should get rid of your student loans before buying your next property? Maybe your market is too expensive, so is it time to go out of state instead? These are some of the most common questions we see on the BiggerPockets Forums, and today, we’re answering them so you can get to your next rental(s) faster, even if you’ve got debt and even if your home market is too expensive.

First, we’re explaining when and why we buy properties without ever seeing them in real life. Isn’t that a huge risk? Yes—if you do it the wrong way. Next, should you invest out-of-state if your home market is too expensive, and if you decide to do so, what should you know BEFORE buying a property well outside driving distance? Want to scale faster? We’re discussing purchasing multiple rental properties a year and when it’s time to grow your real estate portfolio.

Got student debt? You’re not alone! Henry had his student loans until recently and still heavily invested in real estate. But, if your interest rate crosses a certain threshold, we’d definitely recommend reconsidering real estate investing. Stay tuned; we’ll share when your debt is too much to invest.

Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to supercharge your investing this year!

In This Episode We Cover:

How to buy multiple rental properties a year and when it’s time to scale

Paying off debt vs. investing and whether six-figure student loans are stopping you

Buying rentals sight unseen, the risks, and why we do it under certain circumstances

Out-of-state investing 101 and signs it’s time to leave your home market to invest elsewhere

Keeping vs. selling a negative cash-flowing rental property (and when to hold for equity)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

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

Get Fully Customizable Insurance Coverage for All Phases of Occupancy on One Monthly Schedule and Bill with NREIG

Property Manager Finder

(00:46) Buy Rentals Sight Unseen?

(06:03) Out-of-State Investing 101

(10:59) Ask Us Questions LIVE!

(12:37) Buy 2 Rentals in 1 Year?

(16:12) Invest While in Debt?

(21:46) Keep Negative Cash Flow Property?

(27:03) Post Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1070

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The Financial Freedom Formula Has Changed (2025 Update) Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Can you still achieve financial freedom with real estate investing? Around a decade ago, it was common knowledge that with a few rental properties, you could easily replace your income, retire early, and be fast-tracked to financial independence within just three to five years of investing. Is that possible anymore? How long will financial independence actually take if you start investing in real estate in 2025? And if you feel like you’re almost there, should you quit your job and dive head first into real estate?

We’ve got two financially free investors on the show, each taking different paths to get there. Dave kept his full-time W2 to pay for his more passive real estate investments, while Henry quit his job to buy rentals and flip houses full-time. Would they both be okay if they lost their “active” income today? Yes! But they STILL choose to work to build the dream life that goes far beyond basic financial freedom.

Today, they’re sharing how the financial freedom formula has changed, what you need to do to get on the path to financial independence/early retirement in 2025, and whether you should stay at your W2 while you build your rental portfolio or quit your job to pursue real estate full-time. The good news: financial freedom through real estate is still a significantly quicker route to retirement, but which path will you choose to get there?

In This Episode We Cover:

What “financial independence” really means and how long it will take for you to get there

The cash flow myth that most new real estate investors believe (this could hurt you later!)

Full-time real estate investing vs. keeping a nine-to-five and why you NEED “active” income to scale fast

What to know about full-time real estate investing BEFORE you quit your job

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

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

How to Retire Early with Fewer Rental Properties Than You Think w/Chad Carson

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1069

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

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J Scott: We’re Due for a Recession, But It Isn’t All Bad for Real Estate Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

Will mortgage rates remain above seven percent in 2025? Are we closer to a recession than most Americans realize? Why does it feel like this economic cycle of high rates and a struggling middle class will never end? The biggest question is: What do all these factors mean for real estate, and should you still be investing? We brought on the man who literally wrote the book on Recession-Proof Real Estate Investing to give his 2025 outlook.

J Scott has flipped over 500 homes, manages and owns thousands of rental units, and has been involved in tens of millions of dollars in real estate transactions. He started investing in 2008; he’s seen the worst of recessions and the highest of pricing peaks. We brought him back on the show as our industry expert to provide his time-tested take on what could happen in 2025 and share his economic framework for forecasting what’s coming next.

J says we’re long overdue for a recession—and the red flags are popping up more frequently. While signs of a global recession loom, J explains what this means for mortgage rates and home prices and why now might still be the time to invest.

In This Episode We Cover:

Why J believes we’re closer to a global recession than most people think

New Trump presidential policies that could have huge impacts on inflation (and mortgage rates)

Whether mortgage rates will stay in the seven percent range EVEN as the Fed lowers rates

The broken economic “cycle” we find ourselves in and the only way to fix it

Could home prices correct/crash if mortgage rates finally do fall?

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio

J's Newsletter

Join the Future of Real Estate Investing with Fundrise

Grab J’s Top Real Estate Investing Books

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Read the Latest Blog Posts from J

Connect with J

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1068

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

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The Easiest Way to Invest in Real Estate This Year Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

There is an easier way to invest in real estate in 2025. It doesn’t require a ton of money or experience; anyone can do it (even a complete beginner), and it’ll lead to you having more money, more passive income, and a bigger bank account. Successful real estate investors agree: this is a “cheat code” to start investing in real estate in 2025.

What are we talking about? It’s not short-term rentals or buying apartment complexes; it’s actually extremely simple—house hacking. Both Dave and Henry used this low-money down, high-impact real estate investing strategy to grow their portfolios to be worth multiple million dollars. It’s the BEST way for a beginner to get into the real estate investing game and allows you to buy properties with just a fraction of a regular down payment.

We’re so convinced that it’s the best bet for beginners that we’re bringing on the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast producer Ian Kay, a complete real estate beginner, to walk him through how to use this exact strategy to start his real estate portfolio. We’ll break down the numbers to show how one smart investment can fund your dream home and leave you tens of thousands richer. Ready to invest in 2025? Then don’t sleep on house hacking!

In This Episode We Cover:

The easiest, most beginner-friendly way to start investing in real estate in 2025

One simple investing mistake that could cost you $60K+ (and how to avoid it)

The steps you should start taking NOW to get your first investment property in 2025

How to analyze a house hack and crucial metrics to check BEFORE you buy

In analysis paralysis? This is what to do NOW to get out of it and get closer to your goals

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Deal Finder

Grab the Book on House Hacking, “The House Hacking Strategy”

House Hacking 101: What It Is and How to Get Started

Connect with Ian

(00:00) Intro

(02:20) Want to Start Investing?

(04:54) What Do YOU Want to Achieve?

(08:23) House Hacking (Easiest First Investment)

(18:42) Analyzing a House Hack

(23:40) What to Do RIGHT NOW

(32:59) Stuck in Analysis Paralysis?

(34:13) Next Steps

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1067

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

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The State of Real Estate Investing: What You Need to Know for 2025 Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

The opportunity coming for real estate investing in 2025 is almost unimaginable. A decade from now, if you buy right, you’ll be looking back thanking yourself for planting the seed of financial freedom, generational wealth, and an early retirement. This isn’t just hype or hope because we’re real estate investors—all the data points to one thing: real estate is the best investment of 2025 and will continue to be so throughout the next decade.

This show is a bit different. Dave has done months of research to give you the single strongest case for real estate investing in 2025 and beyond. Don’t believe real estate is the best place to park your money? Listen to this episode and see whether Dave gives the most convincing argument you’ve ever heard for buying investment property.

This new era is brimming with “upside,” so much so that we’re calling this the “Upside Era,” a new dawn for real estate investing that will lead you to financial freedom in fifteen years (or less), get you to your financial goals, and leave you better off than any of the other investments around, whether that’s stocks, bonds, or crypto.

Don’t delay. The “Upside Era” starts now. The only question is, will you be part of it?

In This Episode We Cover:

Why real estate is still the single greatest asset for achieving financial freedom

The reason why 2025 is a prime time for investing in real estate

Whether the high cash flow and easy deals of the 2010s will ever return

Data pointing to home prices and rent prices rising well into the future

Dave’s ten core principles to follow that will lead you to wealth in the “Upside Era”

The best resource on the planet to get free information on real estate investing

And So Much More!

Links from the Show