BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

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

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

Keep or Sell? What to Do When Your Rental Doesn’t Cash Flow

Connect with Henry

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) Property Details

(04:51) 1. Keep the Property

(07:12) 2. Refinance the Property

(10:29) 3. Sell the Property

(17:12) 4. Convert Into a Mid-Term Rental?

(21:10) The Best Option?

(22:24) 5. Use Home Equity Instead

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1055

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The Expert Investor: Early Retirement is a Mistake, Rent INSTEAD of Buying! Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Why does this veteran real estate investor say that early retirement and financial freedom are a bad idea? Why does he think renting, NOT buying a house, makes more sense for most Americans in 2025? And what’s the one mistake that lost him hundreds of thousands of dollars even after being an experienced investor for decades? Jonathan Greene, one of our favorite repeat guests, is back on the show to share.

Jonathan’s father, a serial real estate investor, taught him everything about rental properties early on. Together, they walked potential properties, snuck into foreclosed homes, reviewed the profits and figures line by line, and even dealt with evictions together. This equipped Jonathan with the skills to not only build generational wealth for his family but also financial freedom for himself. However, once he achieved it, Jonathan realized that early financial freedom wasn’t worth it. But why?

This episode looks into the mind of one of the most experienced investors in the entire industry. Jonathan shares why he still decided to work even after building a real estate portfolio, the investment he made that cost him severely, why he’s moving his money into a more “passive” investment, the reason renting makes MORE sense than buying in 2025, and what a beginner should do RIGHT NOW to start investing in real estate.

In This Episode We Cover:

The reason Jonathan says early retirement/financial freedom is a mistake

One thing every beginner to real estate investing should be doing right now

Jonathan’s huge loss and the lessons he learned about pricing yourself too high

Renting vs. buying and the obvious choice for most Americans in 2025

What to teach your kids about real estate investing and generational wealth

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat

The House Hacking Strategy

The Passive Real Estate Investing Show

Listen to Jonathan’s Podcast, Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing

Invest in Turnkey Properties with REI Nation

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

Renting a Home Is Financially Better Than Buying—Wait, What?!

Connect with Jonathan

(00:00) Intro

(01:26) Learning to Invest as a Toddler

(04:41) Teaching Your Kids About Wealth

(06:31) Flunking Out Then Back to College

(07:54) DON’T Retire Early!

(16:08) His Huge Losses

(17:02) What Jonathan Invests in NOW

(22:30) Don’t Buy a House?

(26:11) How to Start TODAY

(32:39) Exposing Your Kids to Real Estate

(35:34) Connect with Jonathan!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1054

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BiggerNews: The 2024 Housing Market in Review (What’s Coming Next?) Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

The 2024 housing market was nothing short of "wild," to put it lightly. We came from years of unprecedented growth, rock-bottom mortgage rates, and fiery homebuyer demand. While some predicted a housing market crash, we were quite sure that real estate prices would stay stable—and that’s precisely what happened! So, before we enter the 2025 housing market, we’re recapping 2024 with all its trends and surprises so you don’t get caught off guard next year!

We’re touching on the big topics: prices, inventory, affordability, best and worst markets, and the commercial real estate crash. Why did prices RISE even when buyer demand fell significantly? Why did the existing housing inventory stay so low? And is now the best time to buy multifamily after its massive value drop in 2024?

Get prepared to make 2025 your best year yet, but don’t make the same mistakes of the past. Stick around; we’re giving you your 2024 housing market in review!

In This Episode We Cover:

The biggest trends (and surprises) of the 2024 housing market

Why did home prices rise in 2024 even with buyer demand so low?

Our affordability crisis keeping many Americans renting instead of buying

The commercial real estate crash and why multifamily is seriously struggling now

Hottest (and coldest) real estate markets that nobody would have expected

The cities that are seeing the most rent price growth (and some with the least)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

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

How to Invest in Real Estate in 2025 (with NO Experience)

(00:00) Intro

(01:12) Sluggish Homebuying

(03:03) REALLY Low Affordability

(06:19) The "Lock-In Effect"

(06:50) Home Prices Still Rising

(07:55) Worst/Best Markets

(10:54) Multifamily Crashed Hard

(15:52) Commercial Real Estate's Big Problem

(17:36) Rent Prices Still Growing

(20:16) Key Takeaways

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1053

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From the Forums: One Thing That Most Beginner Investors Should NOT Do Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

Should you borrow money for your first real estate deal? We’re not talking about taking an interest-free loan from your mom; we mean using “private money” to finance your investment. This type of investment property financing is usually reserved for the more experienced investors, but is it a bad idea for someone with such little experience? Is there another way to finance your first deal that gives you more wiggle room if you make a mistake?

This is just one of the BiggerPockets Forum questions we’re answering today from investors like you. One investor on her second rental wants to know whether bankruptcy or late payments is an immediate red flag in a tenant application. She’s struggling to fill up her property, so should she take on a tenant with sub-optimal finances? What do you do when you inherit a tenant paying substantially under-market rent? How do you raise rents the right way?

Finally, Henry the house flipper shares his thoughts on the 70% rule and gives his own house-flipping formula you can perform on the spot to see if your deal is a steal!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums!

In This Episode We Cover:

Whether you should or shouldn’t borrow private money for your first real estate deal

Tenant red flags and what to do when you’re struggling to fill a vacancy

Raising rents on inherited tenants and why we DON’T ask for market rates

How to attract better tenants to your rental property (and whether to lower the price)

Henry’s house-flipping formula that beats the 70% rule calculation

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

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

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

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

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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”

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

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

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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”

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”

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

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