BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

Real estate investing may not see an opportunity like this for years. We’re in one of the wildest economic periods: mortgage rates are high, inflation has cooled, stock prices are hitting records, and the housing supply chain is slowing dramatically. What happens next? In short, something really, really good for real estate investors. And this isn’t hype—it’s precisely what the data points to.  Ben Miller, Fundrise CEO and one of our favorite macroeconomic experts, is back to break down his four data points that directly point to a win for real estate investors in 2025 and beyond. Answer this: what happens when housing supply is low, little to no new inventory is coming online, interest rates come back down, and everyone’s competing for homes? The answer: prices go up.  That reality is coming to fruition soon, and those who already own real estate are poised to reap significant profits. Those who sat on the sidelines will be forced to compete with other buyers as sky-high demand returns. But that’s not even Ben’s entire argument. He brings even MORE data to make the case for real estate in 2025—and it’s a case you shouldn’t ignore. In This Episode We Cover: An expert’s case for real estate investing in 2025 and why it isn’t too late to get in Why commercial real estate could be close to the bottom (and be rebounding soon) The stock-to-real-estate correlation that BROKE last year (and what it means) The reason Ben believes new Trump tariffs could be good for homeowners and investors  Why the housing undersupply problem could get even worse in 2025, 2026  What happens when interest rates fall and demand for homes returns?  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets YouTube Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Redfin’s 2025 Housing Market Predictions (Home Prices, Mortgage Rates, & More) Connect with Ben Connect with Dave   (00:00) Intro (01:05) The Case for Real Estate in 2025 (02:58) 1. Real Estate is Cheap(er) Now (Timestamp) (06:15) Have We Bottomed? (Timestamp) (09:02) 2. The "Inverse Correlation" Begins (15:02) 3. Housing Supply Will Crash (19:41) Tariffs Will Help (24:06) 4. Interest Rates Will Fall Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1059 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

Dave said he’d never flip a house. He doesn’t have the handyman skills; he doesn’t like managing contractors, and he can’t design a floor plan. So why now, coming into 2025, has he decided to flip his first house? It’s simple—an opportunity was presented to him that he couldn’t pass up. Partnering with expert investor James Dainard, Dave is flipping this house with James acting as the operator and Dave as the investor. If you’ve ever wanted to get into house flipping but felt like Dave, this episode will show you how to start. If Dave isn’t managing contractors or handling permits, what role does he play? Today, Dave and James are walking through their unique house-flipping partnership, explaining why James made an offer on the property within hours of hearing about it, their rehab budget, renovation plan, potential profit, and some hiccups they could run into (asbestos!).  James is even sharing his expert tips on how to know a property is worth buying for a flip and questions you must ask a flipper or lender BEFORE you start working with them. We’ll keep you updated on this flip’s progress so you can see exactly what goes right, what goes wrong, and how much money this property will make!  In This Episode We Cover: How to invest in house flipping even if you have ZERO renovation/remodeling experience  Finding the deal and why you need to have relationships with wholesalers  How to spot a great potential house flip—and one HUGE red flag to avoid at all costs  Two ways to raise money for your house flips (debt vs. equity) and the pros and cons of both Picking a real estate investing partner and questions you must ask before you work together  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets YouTube Hear Dave and James on On the Market Grab James’ New Book, “The House Flipping Framework” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Flipping Houses: How to Get Started and Everything You Should Know Connect with James Connect with Dave (00:00) Intro (02:23) Finding the Deal (03:30) Purchase Price, Rehab Costs, & Comps (08:16) Signs of a Good Flip (11:52) Permits, Plans, and...Asbestos! (13:50) How to Passively Invest in Flips (18:53) Picking a Partner (29:02) Ask THESE Questions (33:28) Follow the Flip Progress! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1058 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

When is seller financing worth it (as a buyer AND a seller)? Do you need an LLC to start investing in real estate, and will it help you buy more deals? Can you BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) your primary residence to realize some serious home equity gains? We’re getting into these topics and more as we answer YOUR questions from the BiggerPockets Forums.  First, a seller has been presented with an interesting seller finance offer. Should they take it? How do they vet the buyer before giving them the house in exchange for monthly payments? We’ll explain when seller financing makes sense for sellers and how buyers can create compelling offers. Next, do one-bed, one-bath rentals do well, or are they too small for most areas?  How can you use your primary residence to build wealth without renting to tenants? We’re talking about the new BRRRR, or as Dave calls it, the LIFLOC (we’ll describe it in detail!). Do you need an LLC to invest? Most new investors get this totally wrong. Finally, why do investors and agents think so poorly of wholesalers? Do we ever use them? And how do you tell a good one from a bad one?  Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: Whether or not you should accept a seller finance offer on your house vs. a loan or cash Why we LOVE small rental properties (one bed, one bath) even though most investors avoid them  Using the “BRRRR” method to turn your primary residence into a wealth-building property  LLCs for real estate, when you need one, and whether they’ll help you buy more deals  Working with real estate wholesalers and the legitimate reason why so many investors/agents avoid them  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets YouTube Invest in High-ROI Turnkey Rentals with Rent to Retirement Grab the “BRRRR” Book Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area What Is Seller Financing in Real Estate? Connect with Henry Connect with Dave (00:00) Intro (00:54) Should I Seller Finance? (07:38) Buy 1 Bed/1 Bath Rentals? (12:51) Best Home Investment Ever? (18:21) Do I Need an LLC? (22:51) Working with Wholesalers Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1057 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

Redfin just released their highly-anticipated 2025 housing market forecast, and today, we’re reacting to each of their ten crucial housing market predictions. We’re touching on the exact numbers you want to hear about—home prices, mortgage rates, home sales, rent prices, and housing supply. Knowing what’s coming could give you an edge as an investor, agent, or first-time homebuyer. First, we’re reviewing Redfin’s home price predictions for 2025. Will things get any more affordable, or will high home prices persist into 2025? Will mortgage rates finally reach the low sixes, maybe even into the high fives? Dave disagrees with Redfin’s take on interest rates, so where does he think they’ll be headed? If you’re a real estate agent, broker, loan officer, or in the industry, listen up! Redfin has some good news you want to hear about home sales! Renters and landlords, take note—Redfin’s predictions suggest rents could become more affordable for everyday Americans. But that’s not all; we’ll also review their housing inventory, agent commission, and migration predictions for 2025! In This Episode We Cover: Redfin’s notable 2025 mortgage rate prediction that most homebuyers DON’T want to hear 2025 home price forecast and whether or not we’ll continue to see prices climb  The “step in the right direction” for home sales coming in 2025 Why homebuilders are getting bullish thanks to the 2024 Republican sweep  Why Gen Z may be the first generation to give up on homebuying  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets YouTube Redfin’s 2025 Predictions Invest in High-ROI Turnkey Rentals with Rent to Retirement Grab Dave’s New 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/real-estate-1056 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

Should you keep, refinance, or sell your rental property? If you’re sitting on a low mortgage rate and plenty of equity, you’ve probably asked yourself this once or twice within the past year. Most people who bought a rental property before 2020 have seen unprecedented appreciation and rock-bottom interest rates and are likely sitting on a war chest-sized home equity position. But that equity could be better spent investing in new properties than keeping your old ones. This is Dave’s exact predicament. He’s got a property he bought back in 2016 that has over $300,000 in home equity. It’s cash flowing a solid $500 per month with a mortgage rate of just under four percent, but only producing a measly two percent cash-on-cash return. He’s getting four times the return on his recent investment property purchases, so should he sell? Not so fast; we’re doing the math to figure out whether he should keep, refinance, sell, or change strategies on this property. Got the same good problem? Stick around as we even drop a fifth option most investors overlook entirely, which gives you the best of both worlds.  In This Episode We Cover: Whether to keep, refinance, or sell a low-performing rental property  The obvious problem with cash-out refinancing in 2024/2025  Why we DON’T love doing 1031 exchanges (and a tax-advantaged way around them)  Converting your long-term rental into a medium or short-term rental (MORE cash flow!) How to access home equity WITHOUT refinancing your property or getting a new loan  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab Dave’s Latest Book, “Start with Strategy” Get a Quote on Your Next Short-Term Rental Loan with Host Financial Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Keep or Sell? What to Do When Your Rental Doesn’t Cash Flow Connect with Henry Connect with Dave (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 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

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums 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” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Renting a Home Is Financially Better Than Buying—Wait, What?! Connect with Jonathan Connect with Dave (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 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

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Invest in Real Estate in 2025 (with NO Experience) Connect with Dave (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 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

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab Henry’s New Book, “Real Estate Deal Maker” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders The Comprehensive Guide for Financing Your Very First Real Estate Deal Connect with Henry Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Nick’s WSJ Articles Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Trump May Consider Shaking Up the Federal Reserve If Elected—Here’s What That Could Look Like Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave (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

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of 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 Connect with Dave  (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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! BiggerPockets Rental Property Calculator BiggerPockets Real Estate Rent Estimator Grab Dave’s Newest Book, “Start with Strategy” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Top 10 Real Estate Markets for Cash Flow in 2024 Connect with Dan Connect with Dave (00:00) Intro (02:16) Why Buy On-Market Deals (03:26) On-Market vs. Off-Market Explained (06:57) HUGE On-Market Opportunity (13:24) Buy at Asking Price? (15:19) The Cash Flow Secret (19:13) Where Does This Strategy Work? (25:47) Where Does This Strategy Work? (31:59) When to Look Off-Market? (32:55) Buy Your FIRST Rental! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1043 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

Clay White has done the seemingly impossible. He’s bought five rental properties, completed multiple flips, and done it all in the past fifteen months with high mortgage rates. To make it more impressive, he did it WITHOUT a W2 job at just twenty-three years old! So what sets Clay apart from ninety-nine percent of other investors? As you’ll hear in today’s episode, he went through an almost comical amount of failures, but how he solved them makes him an elite investor. If you think you missed the boat on real estate investing, Clay proves that you couldn’t be more wrong. He not only built an entire rental portfolio in one of the most challenging times to invest but did it with no consistent income, no experience, and in a market you’ve probably never heard of. If you can follow Clay’s advice, mimic his ingenuity and tenacity for problem-solving, and are willing to put up with small failures to achieve massive success, you, too, will be able to build serious wealth, no matter your timeline, no matter your age, and no matter your job. In This Episode We Cover: How to invest in real estate even if you’ve got little money (and no job!)  Returning a house after you bought it (yes, you can do this!)  Why bringing in a partner is an excellent idea for your first real estate investment  Clay’s straightforward solution when you can’t find the right licensed contractor  Cash-out refinances vs. HELOCs and when to use each to pull out equity  Why you should always overestimate your home renovation costs  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Learn How to Flip Houses with “The House Flipping Framework” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders The Rookie’s Step-by-Step Guide to Home Renovation Projects Connect with Clay Connect with Henry Connect with Dave (00:00) Intro (01:04) Refusing To Get a 9-5 (04:23) Buying (and Returning!) a House (07:58) Home Run Second Deal (12:54) Rebuilding a Duplex (16:52) Using Equity to Flip a House (26:38) Final Flip Numbers (27:49) A Flip Goes Wrong…Again (31:04) Financing Deals (33:13) Buying Even MORE Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1042 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

So you want to start investing in real estate but have ZERO experience. What should you do? The good news is that even if you don’t know how to invest in real estate, you can get started relatively quickly, especially if you avoid the common rookie mistakes. To help you jump over the investing hurdles, instead of running right into them, Dave brought on Tony Robinson, top short-term rental investor, and Henry Washington, repeat co-host and long-term rental investor, to share exactly what they’d do if they were starting from scratch in 2025. Both Henry and Tony have scaled very fast. They own seven-figure real estate portfolios producing hundreds of thousands in rent yearly. But neither of them has been investing for more than ten years. How did they scale their real estate portfolios so quickly? They learned from their mistakes FAST and are teaching you the same lessons on today’s show. In this episode, we’re going through the beginner steps you should take to build a real estate portfolio starting in 2025. We’ll discuss whether you should buy long-term or short-term rentals, how to choose a market to invest in, knowing how much you can afford, the many ways to find real estate deals, and the one thing Henry and Tony WISHED they had done earlier. Ready to start investing in 2025? This is your quick guide! In This Episode We Cover: Best beginner real estate investments and whether you should buy or build your first rental What to do when you don’t have tons of money to invest and how to calculate your buying power How to find real estate deals even if you’re low on time or money The one thing Henry and Tony advise every rookie real estate investor to start doing NOW Emergency reserves and why you must keep cash on you when you start investing And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Real Estate Rookie Podcast On the Market Podcast  Get a Quote on Your Next Short-Term Rental Loan with Host Financial Start from Scratch with “The Book on Rental Property Investing” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Investing For Beginners: How To Get Started Connect with Henry Connect with Tony Connect with Dave (00:00) Intro (01:01) Best Starter Investments (03:08) Short-Term Rentals (08:42) 1. Choose a Market (10:04) Long-Term Rentals (14:42) 2. Know Your Buying Power (18:39) 3. Finding Real Estate Deals (24:21) 4. Document EVERYTHING (28:39) 5. Start a “Reinvestment” Fund Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1041 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

Can you invest in real estate with just $75,000? And not only invest but can you find cash-flowing rentals in solid markets with long-term profit potential without spending six figures? Yes, to both. Today, we’re proving it’s more than possible because we’re finding on-market rental properties for sale that can be bought, renovated, and rented with a $75,000 (or less) investment. These are LIVE deals, meaning you could make an offer on them right after this podcast airs (seriously!). To help us out, Dave asked fellow investors Ashley Kehr and Henry Washington to bring a deal to the show that: 1. Has an all-in cost of $75,000 or less 2. Is on-market (on the MLS) 3. Isn’t a house hack (you don’t have to live in the property). Dave found his own deal and brought it along, too. So today, we’re sharing three actual deals in three solid real estate markets, all that you can invest in with $75,000 or less. We found rental properties that not only cash flow hundreds of dollars a month but come close to (or beat) the 1% rule, AND one is already renovated, meaning you just need to find renters, and you’re already making money. Don’t let the naysayers fool you—this is PROOF you can find good rental properties even in 2024.  In This Episode We Cover: How to invest $75,000 in real estate if you want cash-flowing rental properties  Three distinct real estate markets that all offer below-average rental property prices  How much to keep in cash reserves for your first investment property  “Value-add” potential you can spot that’ll help you boost equity in your property  The one cost that you really need to check before you buy in a new market  Key indicators that point to a real estate market growing (or slowing)  And So Much More! Links from the Show Join BiggerPockets for FREE Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! Invest in Turnkey Properties with REI Nation Grab Henry’s New Book, “Real Estate Deal Maker” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Top 10 Real Estate Markets for Cash Flow in 2024 Connect with Ashley Connect with Henry Connect with Dave Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1040 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