BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

You want to buy a rental property, so you put 20% down and get a mortgage to cover the rest. This is how most investors buy real estate, but some (Dave Ramsey) think you can do it without debt—or at least less of it. Can you actually build a real estate portfolio with cash? Will a shorter note kill your cash flow? Today, we’re putting these two investing philosophies to the test! We’re answering more questions from the BiggerPockets Forums—this time, with help from Deandra McDonald, the investor who went from $4,000 to financial freedom with rental properties. After a debate on using leverage in real estate, we’ll field questions from a couple of self-managing landlords who are struggling with tenant screening and turnovers. Should you approve a “questionable” tenant if they’re pre-paying the year’s rent? How do you keep contractors on schedule when doing repairs? If you’re trying to get into real estate investing with very little money, what should you do? We’ll discuss whether it’s better to raise capital…

Financial freedom with three rental properties? It almost sounds too easy, but it’s reality for today’s guest, who went from making roughly $11 an hour to having more than enough cash flow to live on. With a little hard work and discipline, Lucas Teague saved $10,000 to buy his very first rental property. He made several offers and heard plenty of “nos.” But he only needed one “yes.” And that first yes changed everything. Lucas repeated the process: buy a “cheap” property, live in it, fix it up, and make tens of thousands of dollars. But instead of racing to build a massive real estate portfolio, Lucas settled on three rentals and started paying them off. Now he’s almost completely debt-free and earns enough rental income to cover his family’s expenses and then some. Lucas has all that he needs. Now, he’s focused on a new objective: giving back. In this episode, he’s sharing an unconventional but proven path to financial freedom so YOU can do the same. In This Episode We Cover How Lucas achieved financial…

Seller desperation just hit a recent peak, creating a major buying opportunity in the housing market. Over 20% of properties saw a price cut in the past four weeks, and with mortgage rates only moving up, sellers are running out of options. Winter is coming, and with it, less demand—so what are sellers going to do? More price cuts could be in store. We’re back with October’s housing market update! We’ve been saying for months that buying opportunities would get bigger, and we’re seeing it unfold in real time. Sellers are getting desperate and starting to cut prices at levels we haven’t seen in years. Fewer homes are changing hands, so buyers are getting their pick as deals sit on the market for months. Dave is eyeing a specific set of homes as the biggest opportunity right now (and they’re on the market). So what do you do if you’re ready to buy your next rental but don’t know if you’re catching a falling knife? Dave shares the properties he’s looking for, what he’s offering to get day-one equity, and…

16 years ago, Eric Augustyn had the same fear that keeps many of us up at night: What if I get fired? He had just survived the 2008 financial crash, and while lucky to have a job, Eric was nowhere near financial freedom. This reliance on his W-2 created a fire that pushed him to buy the one asset everyone was warning him about—rental properties. He found one of the cheapest rentals he could buy, and spent nights and weekends fixing it up to eke out a small profit. And guess what? It worked. After repeating the system for more than a decade, Eric now has a rental property portfolio that has given him true financial freedom, built on the pillars of cash flow, community, and continuous improvement. That made him the perfect choice as BiggerPockets’ new CEO, with the sole mission of helping you reach financial freedom through real estate (and have an easier time than he did). Today, we get the story on Eric’s first rental and his current portfolio, why he does not self-manage his rentals, investing over 2,000…

Anyone can invest in real estate. You don’t need a fancy degree, a big bank account, or a high-paying job to get started. Arden Williams and his then-girlfriend were both making just $12 an hour when they bought their first house. How did they do it? They got uncomfortable, slashed their expenses, and threw every extra dollar toward a down payment. Then, they brought that same approach to real estate investing—jumping from one house hack to the next and sharing space with multiple tenants. These “small” sacrifices paid off in a big way. Today, Arden owns three rental properties, and he just broke ground on his first accessory dwelling unit (ADU). But that’s not even the best part. With this simple strategy, Arden and his wife quit their jobs and used their rental income to fund a year-long trip around the world. Whatever financial freedom means to you—retiring early, spending more time with family, or traveling the world—real estate makes it possible. And in this episode, Arden will give you a repeatable…

This is how to find investment properties the lazy way. Many of us work full-time jobs, have kids, or juggle a lot of responsibilities, so we can’t dedicate days each week to finding rental properties to buy. Thankfully, you don’t have to. If you have even an hour or so to spare each week, you can use any of these five “lazy” methods to find your next investment property. Henry is our go-to deal-finding expert and has bought over 100 houses using strategies just like these. These deal-finding tactics are so beginner-friendly that you can use many of them on your first real estate deal, with no prior experience. We’ll share how to find tenanted rental properties that can cash flow on day one, the secret behind getting agents to send you deals before the market sees them, how to make low offers en masse to get cheaper properties in any market, and how to get someone else to find the deals for you…for a fee. Finally, if you want to organically, cheaply, and sustainably grow your rental property funnel so you’re…

Get a good corporate job, save some money, and start investing ASAP. If you’re going to buy a house, do it here. That’s Scott Galloway’s advice, or, as you may know him, Prof. G. Entrepreneur, NYU Stern School of Business professor, and author of The Algebra of Wealth. Scott has gotten wealthy three times because, per his own words, he’s gone broke twice. After launching numerous companies, working as an investment banker, and becoming a bestselling author, he’s earned the right to share his contrarian takes on what’s about to happen next, and how you can get wealthy even if it feels like the world is looking less optimistic by the day. We cover everything: the chances of an economic crash, whether buying a house is worth it (and where), whether AI will actually pay off, and the wealth-building opportunity of a generation almost no one is paying attention to. Also, a rare take on why side hustling could be killing your ability to earn more income, instead of increasing it. Even if you’ve got no assets to…

You don’t need to buy dozens of rental properties to have financial freedom. And if you ask today’s guest, less is usually more. For over a decade, John Crutchfield was in full-on acquisition mode. Despite starting with very little money, he scaled to over 600 units across multiple states and tens of millions of dollars’ worth of real estate. He even quit his job to focus on his portfolio full-time! But then the market changed. Interest rates spiked, debt became more expensive, and John’s expenses ballooned. He had overleveraged his real estate portfolio, and suddenly, owning more properties wasn’t really making him wealthier. So he did something he had spent years trying to avoid: he started selling. And in the process, John learned a painful lesson about building wealth: sometimes, having less can actually give you more. In today’s episode, John shares some of the highs and lows from his own real estate investing journey, how he went about pruning his portfolio, and why the number of doors you own doesn’t…

We’re always talking about cash flow, appreciation, and loan paydown, but tax benefits are some of the most understated and overlooked advantages of real estate investing. Do you want to pay less in taxes and keep more of your hard-earned money from the IRS? Dave’s bringing you seven of the best tax strategies that could help you save thousands each year! Today, Dave’s breaking down an example property and putting each of these tax strategies to the test. We’ll look at how much money they could save you and how they fit into your overall investing strategy. From depreciation deductions that reduce your taxable rental income (on paper) to 1031 exchanges that help defer capital gains tax, there are options for every investor. When used properly, these real estate tax deductions are completely legal and relatively easy to implement. But it’s up to you to actually use them! Whether you own a single rental property or a large real estate portfolio, put these tax strategies to work and allow your investments to…

You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room to build wealth through real estate. But you do need patience, discipline, and a willingness to play the long game. Real estate won’t make you rich overnight, but it’s incredibly forgiving—meaning you can make mistakes, lose money in the short term, and still come out on top. Apolo Ohno understands this concept better than most, having dedicated his entire youth to becoming a short-track speed skater. He reached the pinnacle of the sport, competing in three Winter Olympic Games and taking home several medals. But when his skating career ended 16 years ago, he faced a challenge he hadn’t trained for. He calls it the “great divorce”—separating from an identity that had shaped nearly every part of his life. Thankfully, many of the skills he had spent decades honing translated to real estate investing. Now, Apolo operates at the intersection of high-performance business and wellness, helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals in a more sustainable way. And…

Lawrence “Landlord Larry” Guerguis thought he would spend the next 40 years of his life in finance. But one conversation with a regretful investment banker changed his life’s trajectory and set him on a path toward financial freedom through real estate investing. Just three years later, he owns 40 rental properties producing thousands in monthly cash flow! Once Larry realized the impact that rental properties could have on his wealth, time, lifestyle, and flexibility, he wasted no time in buying his first rental property. While still in college, he sold his car, scrounged together a down payment, and bought a duplex out in the Midwest. With proof of concept and a few hundred bucks lining his pockets each month, he went all-in on real estate. He’s since moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he’s built a real estate portfolio of 40 single-family homes (and counting!). In today’s episode, he’s giving you all the secrets he’s used to buy deal after deal without having the W-2 income to qualify for traditional bank…

More homes are for sale now than any time in the past six years. Mortgage rates just shot up to above 7% with no relief in sight. Markets are seeing (substantial) price cuts, and there could be much more to come this winter. So, is a crash on the way, or is this lukewarm correction simply becoming something stronger than we had imagined? In this September 2026 housing market update, we’ll cover it all! First, we’ll talk about the massive change in mortgage rates this month, what’s caused it, and whether any relief is on the horizon. If rates stay high and more buyers are booted from the market, sellers will need to act—that means price cuts, concessions, and negotiating power for the buyers that remain. But will this turn into a full-blown crash, or are there too many macroeconomic legs propping up the housing market? Dave gives his full risk report and shares where he thinks interest rates could end up hovering. Plus, the tactic he’s using to get 10%, 15%, or even 20% off real estate deals while sellers…

Imagine getting 10% off your next rental property (on the low end). What about getting a rate in the 3% or 4% range, or putting only 5%-15% down on a property that’s not only affordable but also in the path of progress? As interest rates climb higher and buyers step back, investors have opportunities that haven’t been available in years, and in 2027, these opportunities could get even better. Today, we’re talking with another rental property investing veteran (literally), Zach Lemaster. Zach spent years as an Air Force optometrist, using a 5%-down loan to kickstart his own investing journey. After buying properties every year, even while stationed across the country, Zach realized the massive effect rentals had on his net worth. He tried (and initially failed) at out-of-state investing before developing his own system to buy in the best markets with the best management so he could retire from his 9-5. He did it, and in doing so created Rent to Retirement, one of the nation’s leading turnkey companies. Today,…

Real estate investing won’t make you rich overnight. But keep at it for long enough, and it will make you very wealthy. Philip Henry had been doing all the right things: buying a rental property every year, renovating it, raising rent, and then rolling his home equity into the next deal. Yet after nearly 15 years, he had very little to show for it, and the stress and workload were beginning to take a toll on his health and relationships. Right when others would have given up, the real estate deal of a lifetime landed right in Philip’s lap—a seven-figure, 31-unit rental property that would change his family’s future. Now, Philip is financially free, has quit his W-2 job, and is building generational wealth with rental properties. How did he do it? Today, he’s pulling back the curtain on the deal that changed everything and the strategies behind it: seller financing, other people’s money, and perhaps most importantly, the patience and persistence needed to win in real estate. In This Episode We Cover How…

This is how to buy a small multifamily rental property the right way. It’s not hard, it’s not complicated, and it’s (arguably) one of the best residential real estate investments to make right now. Why? Safer financing, faster scale, and bigger cash flow. Unlike single-family rentals, small multifamily real estate was designed to make you money, and the returns clearly show that. So how do you get your first duplex, triplex, or quadplex this year? Today, Dave is walking through each step you need to take. From finding small multifamily real estate deals to financing them with as little as 3.5% down, running the numbers using a rental property calculator, offering, negotiating, and getting your first rent check, this is how to buy a small multifamily the right way. Dave also shares some clear red flags to avoid and when to walk away from a property even if it fits your buy box. Ready to build wealth with small multifamily? This is how you do it. In This Episode We Cover Why small multifamily rentals (2-4…

Most investors follow the same path—buy a single-family rental, learn the ropes, and upgrade to small multifamily, slowly snowballing the portfolio. But what if you could take the leap from your first deal, skipping single-family entirely and buying a sizable rental property portfolio on investment #1? If you had no experience, it could change your life overnight—so is it worth it? We’re back answering real questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, and we’ve got a special guest—Chauncey Pham, the making-six-figures-per-deal investor! First, an investor has enough cash to buy a decent-sized multifamily property. Should they skip single-family rentals and go straight into the big leagues on their first real estate investment? A young investor has $20K saved up but wants to know the best bet so he doesn’t get wiped out on his first rental property play. Ever told your contractor your renovation budget is $70,000, and they conveniently tell you the work will cost $69,800? After hundreds of renovations, Henry and…

Kent Long wanted passive income. The problem? All those gurus and guides online were only selling a fantasy. The one thing that seemed to actually generate income: real estate. When a property that could easily be split into two units came on the market, Kent jumped at the chance. Little did he know this $14,000 down payment would become an entire real estate portfolio that would help him retire early from his job. At 46, Kent bought his first rental property (just two years ago, in 2024). The purchase price? A mere $70,000. With a small renovation, this property began bringing in $3,000/month in rent and some serious cash flow. Now that there was home equity to pull from, it was time to repeat this system. Kent has now done this same type of deal four times, going from zero units to 10 units in just two years. He’s even gotten his young son involved, helping his 20-year-old profit nearly $50,000 from a similar deal! Kent’s close to replacing his income and fully stepping away from his 9-5, reaching early…

Investors have used the same proven formula for decades: Buy a discounted property, renovate it, and increase its value by tens or sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s a simple investing strategy, and yet it’s one of the best ways to get rich through real estate investing. But there’s a catch that too many investors miss. You can’t renovate just anything; you have to renovate the right things. After over 100 real estate deals, Henry knows exactly what moves the needle, and in part two of our series on estimating rehab costs, we’re showing you what to prioritize on your next renovation project. First, we’ll walk you through the typical “moneymakers”—kitchens and bathrooms—what to improve, what not to improve, and what you should budget for these updates. But then, we’ll share three upgrades many investors never think about, yet they can have the greatest impact on property value (and rents!). Whether you’re flipping houses or updating a rental property, this is the exact value-add playbook…

A real estate deal may look like a home run on paper, but you can’t know for certain until you’ve walked the property and uncovered exactly what needs to be fixed! Budgeting for renovations is one of the things that trips new investors up, which is why we’re bringing you a two-part series on estimating rehab costs. In part one, we’re taking a deep dive into the “big five”—the five major home systems that can make or break your next investment. We’re covering everything from roof to foundation, and even a bonus sixth system that’s much more costly to replace than you probably think. These are the line items that strike fear into investors due to their potentially high price tags. But rather than passing on a great deal, you’ll learn exactly what to look for when inspecting these systems, how much it costs to repair or replace them, and when to bring in an expert. Whether you’re flipping houses or making improvements to raise rents, these are the tips and tricks you need to accurately create your budget, avoid…

JPMorgan Chase, America’s largest bank, just made a big bet on housing—a $750B bet to be exact. At a time when most people hope home prices will fall, JPMorgan is gearing up to lend and invest in a huge way. Could this be a sign that those who buy now will be thanking themselves in the years to come? We’re getting into the details in today’s show. On the Market is here with a housing market update! First, we’re touching on whether or not the market has already peaked in 2026. We still have four full months left in the year, but with home sales falling in July, it could signal that the hot summer is starting to cool. But a surprising type of home is still selling fast—it’s not the newly renovated house flip—it’s the ugly, outdated home next door. Why? We’re explaining in this episode. JPMorgan Chase makes a $750B bet on housing, signaling that America’s largest bank is bullish on a certain type of real estate. Finally, the latest inflation rate update—the CPI (consumer price index) stayed in check last month,…

The top 1% of real estate investors don’t have a “secret” market, a “better” investing strategy, or access to “exclusive” resources. They just do nine things better than most other investors—boring, repeatable habits that make you rich over time. This is what separates successful investors from those who never quite reach their goals, flame out after a deal or two, or stay stuck on the sidelines. Many of these habits are much simpler than you think—things like investing consistently, being patient, and treating real estate investing like an actual business—yet most investors don’t do any of them. Today, we’re sharing exactly what these nine habits are and how you can practice them throughout your own real estate business. Whether you’re starting from zero or already own a few rental properties, these are universal principles that any (and every) investor can benefit from. You don’t need to master all nine of them overnight or even this year. Pick one or two, get to work, and you’ll start to see real results!…

The rules of real estate investing have changed. For years, investors were using the one-percent rule to quickly determine if a real estate deal would cash flow. But the one-percent rule, rent-to-price ratio, and other common rules of thumb have a glaring blind spot. They account for purchase price, but they don’t account for expenses. Meanwhile, mortgage rates, taxes, and insurance have all risen across the board—expenses that can easily kill your cash flow. So, Dave’s come up with a new rule of thumb you can use to quickly analyze rental properties and markets. He’s calling it the rent-to-payment ratio. By comparing estimated rents to the estimated PITI payment itself, you’ll have a much better idea of whether a rental property will actually cash flow month to month. And today, we’re not just breaking down how the formula works. Dave also built an entire spreadsheet that ranks U.S. real estate markets by their rent-to-payment ratios. Whether you’re looking for the best cash flow markets to invest in or a…

In just under six years, Bryan Field built a 100% remote real estate investment portfolio producing over $65,000 per year in cash flow. He bought properties sight unseen, chose markets that made the most money, and routinely reinvested his home equity. He started with zero real estate experience, and his first real investment went way over budget, but he bounced back and has already replaced a sizable chunk of his salary. Stuck in San Diego, Bryan knew he wanted to invest, but not in the million-dollar houses around him. The best bet? Move to a cheaper market (Arizona), buy a home, and try to invest there. A HELOC-funded house flip with a friend turned into a six-figure renovation, but they both walked away unscathed. After returning to San Diego with his newborn son, Bryan was determined to invest somewhere affordable, scalable, and profitable. Over the next few years, Bryan bought duplexes in South Dakota, seller-financed portfolios in Arkansas, and short-term rentals in Virginia. He used equity to make…

Is it better to buy an existing property with value-add potential or a new construction home in 2026? For years, there was no debate. The ability to buy a property at a discount, add value through renovations, force appreciation, and recycle your money made the BRRRR method a no-brainer for most investors. But in 2026, things are a little different. Builders are sitting on inventory, which means new homes are being sold for less than we’ve seen in years. Not to mention, builders are giving buyers massive incentives like mortgage rate buydowns, closing credits, and even price reductions—just to get these properties off their books. But are these perks enough to make new construction a better option than the BRRRR strategy? Today, we’re going to put them head-to-head and find out. I’m comparing two real estate deals in the exact same market—a new construction home and a value-add property. We’ll crunch the numbers and see which strategy actually comes out on top from a cash flow and appreciation perspective.…

You’ve saved up some money and are ready to buy your first rental property. Now comes the question: How much do you put down? Do you buy multiple cheaper properties or splurge and put the entire down payment into one bigger, arguably more stable rental? Should you start to scale from the jump or test the real estate investing waters before committing more money? After buying dozens of rental units, Dave and Henry have a clear opinion. We’re back with your questions from the BiggerPockets Forums! A real estate rookie is wondering whether they should spend $100K on one down payment or split it up into multiple, cheaper rental properties. Another is planning on putting very little money down on his first house hack, but do the numbers add up in this not-so-stable housing market? If you’re ready for your first deal, both of these answers could give you peace of mind. You’re about to sell a house flip for some serious profit—can you move that money (tax-free) into rental properties via a 1031 exchange? And if so,…

Three years ago, Andres Martinez was waiting tables. Today, he owns 10 rental properties, manages another four, and has a rental portfolio that brings in over $13,000 in monthly cash flow. He’s even been able to quit his job and focus on his rentals full-time. But how did he pull all of this off—and in such little time? Early on, Andres had one goal: maximize the cash flow on every property he bought. This led him to co-living, an investing strategy where you have multiple tenants under the same roof. The cash flow was so strong that he has deployed this strategy across his entire portfolio. But the journey hasn’t been easy. In today’s episode, Andres shares all the growing pains—from making 200 cold calls a day to find off-market deals to working with shady contractors and navigating difficult tenant disputes. Through it all, his pure hustle and grit have paid off. Whether you’re looking for creative ways to scale your real estate portfolio or create enough cash flow to replace your salary, Andres has a…

The BRRRR method is not dead—far from it. In fact, it’s still one of my absolute favorite investing strategies today. But in 2026, you need to change how you use it. I’m about to show you a variation of the traditional BRRRR that gives you all the upside and scalability you’d expect from one of these deals, but with far less risk, more time, and greater flexibility. And in this housing market? That’s exactly what you need. I’m talking about the “slow” BRRRR. The steps are similar: You still buy a rental property, rehab it, rent it out to tenants, refinance, and repeat the process, but here’s where this strategy takes a turn. Rather than targeting a run-down property and maximizing its value, you identify a completely habitable, cash-flowing property that just needs a little TLC. This achieves three things that the average BRRRR doesn’t, and it could be the difference between merely buying a decent property and landing a home-run deal. And I’ll prove it to you with a real example property. We’ll crunch the…

Today, we’re showing you exactly how to learn about real estate investing, so you can get your first property faster. There are thousands of videos, podcasts, books, and forums floating around. Where do you even start? The amount of information alone is enough to keep you stuck on the sidelines. Not to mention, there’s a lot of bad information out there. In this episode, we’re giving you a clear roadmap for getting all the information you need before buying your first rental property. Property management? Finding contractors? Those are tomorrow’s problems. To get in the game and buy a good investment now, there are only a few skills you really need to hone. We’ll show you exactly what they are and where you can go to learn all about them. These are specific tools for those who are learning the ropes—resources we wish we had access to when we were starting out. Stop trying to learn everything. Learn these things, in this order, and you’ll be taking down real estate deals in no time! In This Episode We Cover…

People say it’s just too hard to find real estate deals in 2026, but today’s guest is proving them all wrong. He’s already bought four rental properties that make over $6,000 in monthly cash flow, and he’s been investing in real estate for just eight months. Joe Crocker is eager to trade his 70-hour workweek for financial freedom, and he’s on track to replace his W-2 income with rental cash flow in the next two years. He’s not finding these properties by building lists, cold calling, or sending mailers. These are regular deals right off the MLS. He buys one, adds some value, pulls his money out, and buys the next one. It’s a simple investing strategy that anyone can use, yet most people don’t. Meanwhile, Joe has already completed multiple deals this year and is well on his way to building a cash-flowing rental portfolio that gives him the money, time, and freedom he’s always wanted. Follow his model, and there’s no reason why you can’t, too! In This Episode We Cover The exact strategy Joe’s using to replace…

Want to rent out your house? This is how to do it right: get the best tenants and the highest rent. For most Americans, renting out their previous primary residence will be their first experience in real estate investing. Thankfully, renting out your house like a professional is not hard; you just have to follow a few key steps that inexperienced investors will completely skip over. Today, Dave is sharing his step-by-step guide to renting out your home, even if you have no experience, even if you’re self-managing. From estimating how much to charge for rent to listing your property, screening tenants, collecting security deposits, and keeping the cash flow coming, anyone can be a good landlord if they put in the effort. When done right, renting out your home can give you another stream of income, tens or even hundreds of thousands in equity over the long term, and experience in real estate investing. You’ve got the house; this is how you rent it out. In This Episode We Cover How to know whether you should…

The “regular” rental property you’re thinking of buying? It may not look like anything special here in 2026, but it could be worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars more down the road—IF it has any of the high-upside qualities we’re about to show you. For the last 18 months, I’ve said that this is real estate investing’s era of “upside.” The “easy” real estate deals you could buy in 2015-2022 are long gone, and what we’re left with are a lot of seemingly unspectacular properties—but ones with hidden upside that is just waiting to be unearthed. A property with one of these qualities is unlikely to make you rich on its own. You’ve still got to focus on buying high-quality assets at good prices today. But if your property has two, three, or more of these “upside” opportunities, its value could skyrocket five, 10, or 20 years from now. This isn't just about market-driven appreciation. These are 10 distinct advantages that aren’t on most buyers’ minds when they’re looking for a simple deal that will…

In just 11 years, Aaron Murphy has replaced his and his wife’s income with repeatable, long-term rental properties. No complicated strategy. No huge windfall of cash. He made serious mistakes on his first true investment property, but quickly developed a “foolproof” system that allowed him to scale to an impressive real estate portfolio and gave him a sustainable exit path out of his W-2 job. After getting tired of the “do this or don’t get paid” mentality at his job, Aaron realized he needed another source of income. Stocks required too much upfront cash, homes in his city were too expensive, but what if he looked outside the city? He bought his first property with around $12,000 down, saved up more money, repeated it, made mistakes, succeeded, failed, and did it again, until he had a process that built wealth on repeat. Now, Aaron has an entire rental portfolio to rely on for income as he takes this interview from Portugal as part of a one-year trip around the world. It’s only possible because he took the…

In just a decade, you can replace your income with rentals. If you can save up just one down payment for a rental property, you can use the strategy I’m about to share and repeat it until you build an income-replacing investment property portfolio, without needing a new down payment every time you buy. Today, I’m walking through one of the most powerful investing strategies that is so simple most investors ignore it. I’ll also prove that you do not need 20 rental properties to comfortably replace your income—you only need seven. This strategy is a more 2026-friendly version of the famous BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) method. It’s relatively low risk, doesn’t require you to do some huge, complicated renovation, and allows you to turn one rental property down payment into an entire real estate portfolio. I’ll walk through the numbers using a real property for sale, and then extrapolate to prove that a small, powerful rental portfolio can replace your income. Remember, less is often more with…

Real estate investing is a team sport. You can buy great rental properties in great neighborhoods and still fail—all because you don’t have the right people around you. Today, we’re showing you exactly how to build your real estate investing team from scratch. This is important for any investor, whether you’re buying in your own backyard or out-of-state, but it’s even more crucial when building a rental portfolio from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Every successful real estate business has at least four key players: an investor-friendly agent, a lender, a good contractor, and a property manager. And the truth is some of these people are much harder to find (and keep) than others. We’ll walk you through each role, their key responsibilities, and the exact steps for finding and vetting them. But there’s also a “secret” fifth member every investor should have in their corner. They’ll not only help you avoid silly mistakes but also make finding real estate deals, scaling your real estate portfolio, and…

Nathan Nicholson was the top salesperson at his company but had very little to show for it. His retirement fund? It wasn’t doing anything for him today, so he did something most would call “crazy”: he cashed it out. And it was the best move he could’ve made, as it’s helped him buy 23 rental properties and generate well over $100,000 a year in true cash flow! Nathan’s using an investing strategy that any investor can copy: buy small (and affordable) properties, fix them up, and rent them out. It’s simple, it’s boring, and it’s exactly how he’s making six figures in annual cash flow. But there’s another wrinkle to Nathan’s story: he only lives on his W-2 income, which means 100% of his rental cash flow gets reinvested back into his business. Now, he’s focused on optimizing his properties for even more cash flow, and in this episode, he shares the four levers he’s pulling to do just that. Whether you’re looking to scale your real estate portfolio or stabilize the properties you already own, Nathan’s slow,…

This is how to analyze a rental property step-by-step in 2026. You don’t need to do any complicated math, you don’t need to sign up for a course, and you don’t need to have previous rental property experience. I’ve tweaked this process over the past fifteen years of investing to ensure it gets me the best returns possible while being so conservative that it’s hard to get it wrong. Today, I’m showing you exactly how to do rental property analysis like a pro, even if this is your first investment property. I took a real property from Zillow to analyze in this episode, using real rent and expense estimates, not made-up numbers to make the cash flow look good. I’ll walk through which numbers are crucial to get right, which you can adjust to see if the deal would work in different scenarios, and how to get the seller (instead of you) to pay for some of your costs or lower the price. Every tool I use in this episode is listed below, so use them! In This Episode We Cover How to analyze a rental property,…

Real estate investors often talk about cash flow, or the profits from flipping a house, but rarely the total impact that buying a rental property and holding it for multiple years can have on your net worth. If you’ve never done the math, it’s significant. In many cases, a single property can create several hundred thousand dollars in wealth. And to prove it, Dave and Henry have each handpicked a real estate deal from their own portfolios. They’ll walk you through how they found these properties, how they funded them, and some of the biggest challenges they ran into along the way. But then, they’ll reveal exactly what happened once the dust settled and compounding started to do its thing. These weren’t home-run deals or rare investing opportunities. They were very “normal” rental properties in the hands of patient investors. If you do exactly what they did—buy a quality asset in a good neighborhood and play the long game—you, too, could create life-changing wealth through real estate investing. In This…

What would you do if you didn’t need money to invest in real estate anymore? That’s the question we tackle today on the BiggerPockets Podcast as we interview one of our own… Brandon Turner, to learn how he’s purchased over $2,000,000 of real estate with almost no money of his own! Brandon, although co-host on the BiggerPockets Podcast, is also an avid real estate investor who rarely-if-ever puts his own money into his deals. In this groundbreaking episode, Josh interviews Brandon about how he built his business using creativity rather than cash and the lessons that he learned along the way. This episode will leave you inspired, refreshed, and with a laundry list of new ideas to use in your investing business to invest with less (or none) of your own cash! In This Episode We Cover: The method Brandon used to buy his first house and make $20,000 The one conversation that almost derailed his entire investing future How Brandon bought two homes of one of the world’s most famous rockstars – and didn’t know it The…

Worried you’ll come up short in retirement? When Brian Waters ran the numbers, he realized he was still decades away from being able to leave his nine-to-five. He needed a lifeline, and he found one in real estate investing. In just five years, he has scaled to 20 rental properties, and against all odds, he’s already on track to retire early! When we last checked in with Brian, he was buying simple, affordable, turnkey properties 2,000 miles away. But recently, he’s pivoted to a “hybrid” investing strategy you’ve probably never heard of, one that’s helping him scale his real estate portfolio even faster. In the past six months alone, he’s added six rentals—all while working full-time, coaching football on the weekends, and staying fully present with his family. Today, Brian shares the highly “repeatable” formula he’s using to tie everything together, makes a convincing case for keeping your W-2 job while you grow your real estate business, and shows you how to use other people’s money (and knowledge) to…

We’ve reached the midway point of 2026, and with six months of housing market data to pull from, one thing is clear: the headlines don’t match reality. The media is full of economic uncertainty, global conflict, and even housing crash predictions. But the actual data points to something else entirely. The 2026 housing market? It’s surprisingly stable. No, there isn’t a ton of activity. Interest rates remain elevated. We’re still in the “Great Stall.” But things are more predictable. And that’s all investors need to make informed decisions. Not to mention, there’s a third factor—a silver lining—that not nearly enough real estate investors are paying attention to. You won’t see it reflected in the data, but investors are scooping up real estate deals at massive discounts. To be clear, this isn’t happening in every market. But if it’s happening in yours—or a market you’re targeting—the next six months could be your window to buy rental properties at prices we might not see again. In This Episode We Cover Why…

You don’t have to buy your first rental property—you can build one instead. Newer systems, fewer repairs, and that “brand new” feeling that tenants may pay more rent for. But…is it worth it? Building a small multifamily in a single-family area could let you house hack and own a rare property in your market, but is the headache worth the effort? With more and more investors choosing to build rather than buy, we thought we’d weigh in. Dave and Henry are back answering your questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. Today, we’re talking about building vs. buying rentals, when an investment property is too old to be worth buying, the lender-friendly rehab budget Henry uses to get loans for his BRRRRs (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) and house flips, and whether wholesalers (middlemen) are worth buying properties from. Plus, if you’re house hacking, should you tell the tenant you’re the owner? Dave tried to hide it before, and shares whether it was worth it. In This Episode We Cover Building vs. buying rental…

When Niyi Adewole got his first “real” job out of college, he had one goal: financial freedom. But when he asked his coworkers about the company 401(k), he left more confused than convinced. In searching for answers, he discovered a much better path: real estate investing. Then, with just $5,000 in savings, he bought his first rental property—a triplex he house hacked to cover his mortgage. That first property snowballed into the next one, and in just six years, Niyi quit his W-2 job. Today, he owns 14 properties, including small multifamily rentals, Airbnbs, and even a self-storage facility. His portfolio generates more than enough cash flow to live on, but instead, he continues to funnel everything toward the next property. Niyi’s story is remarkable, but he didn’t go from earning a $55,000 salary to financial freedom overnight. In this episode, he shares how he sacrificed, hustled, and stacked promotions at his W-2 job to get to where he is today. The question isn’t if you can do the same. It’s will you?…

I reached financial independence before 40. I set out to do the impossible, and achieved it. I bought rental properties, worked hard at my job, saved and invested most of my money, and got to my goal. Then I realized something I wish someone had told me—everything I thought I knew about financial independence was wrong. If you are on this journey to free yourself from your job, retire early, or reach the magic “FI number” that will give you lasting security, I urge you—listen to this episode. While most financially independent influencers constantly stress saving all your money, effort-maxing to extremes, delaying vacations, trips, luxury purchases, or even your wedding, I did the opposite. I spent a lot on my wedding. I spent a lot on nice vacations. I eat out regularly. And sometimes…I just didn’t want to buy another rental. But at 39, financially free, I enjoyed my journey to the “goal.” Because the truth is, there isn’t a financial freedom number; there’s a financial freedom process, and if you don’t get…

Many people assume house flipping doesn’t work anymore. They’re wrong. House flipping isn’t dead. The “easy” money is. While it’s true that flipping houses isn’t as forgiving as it was just a few years ago—and yes, the “bad” flippers are being exposed—the fear surrounding this investing strategy is actually creating massive opportunities for those who do their homework. Just ask Henry and today’s guest, Dominique Gunderson. They’ve been flipping houses for many years and are still finding plenty of real estate deals, even in this tough housing market. They’re just doing it a little differently than in years past. In today’s episode, we’re getting into what’s changed and what investors need to do to find, buy, renovate, and flip houses for a profit. We break down our own processes for analyzing properties, estimating rehab costs, pricing them on the back end, and so much more. Whether you’re a complete newcomer or a frustrated investor eager for the numbers to work again, follow our blueprint to make your…

When the Great Recession hit, Andy Gil lost his business. Suddenly, he was forced to start over. But the fear of losing everything again was the driving force behind what would come next. Andy got serious, raising his young kids in an 800-square-foot house, driving 10-year-old cars, and funneling every spare dollar into savings so he could start buying rental properties. These were the types of sacrifices the average investor probably wouldn’t make, but they became the catalyst for scaling to 58 rental units in just four years! What’s more, Andy has never had the benefit of 3% mortgage rates. He got into real estate investing at the tail end of 2022, meaning he’s been able to grow his large, cash-flowing real estate portfolio in a tough housing market with high interest rates—all while using very little of his own money. Today, he manages his own rentals and other people’s properties, deploying a unique investing strategy that has even helped him acquire a 30-unit property. In this episode, he’s sharing…

If you’re in your 40s, or even 50s, and think it’s too late to build a comfortable retirement, think again. We’ve done the math, we’ve crunched the numbers, and we've run the playbook ourselves—using rental properties, you can replace a significant portion of your income in just around a decade. Today, we’re sharing the exact strategy to get you there. Most retirees have a small sum in savings and a Social Security check to count on in retirement. But what if you want more income to travel, experience, or donate as you see fit? Even if you feel like the retirement timeline is closing in on you, you have options, but you’ll need to follow a plan. In this episode, I’m walking through exactly how to go from no rentals to comfortable retirement in around a decade, and how someone in their 40s or 50s can do it easier than someone in their 20s or 30s! I’ll share the multiple strategies you can take, the exact math that proves the system works, overlooked ways to fund your investments, and how to use your small,…

When the dot-com bubble burst, Matt (the “Lumberjack Landlord”) watched his 100% stock portfolio go to dust. Having lost everything he had saved throughout his early twenties, his only option was to rebuild. But with what? He needed something that could help him offset his living expenses today and propel him toward retirement. That “something” was rentals. But Matt didn’t just buy a couple of rental properties and sit back. He did what many investors won’t: he house hacked. And again. And again. Nine times in 13 years. This, combined with the income from his nine-to-five job, allowed him to stack small multifamily properties quickly, and today, he owns a rental portfolio of over 150 units! Real estate investing has completely changed Matt’s life—not just the cash flow or the appreciation, but the freedom he’s already enjoying in early retirement. Despite self-managing all of their rentals, he and his wife spend just eight hours per week on their portfolio. In this episode, he’s giving you the simple…

One day, Remington Lyman was brought into his boss's office, told that he did above-and-beyond at his job, and was handed a 2% raise with a smile. All the extra hours, all that hard work, equaled the equivalent of an inflation-matching salary bump. That was it—it was time to put his financial freedom in his own hands. Remington began building an income-replacing rental property portfolio, so when the day came that he was laid off, he’d be more than prepared. Remington was ready to go, and that’s when the real scaling started. Just ten years after buying his first rental, Remington has over 100 rental units, including sizable commercial buildings with strong cash flow, properties that are capital gains tax-free when he sells them, and units that generate 100% more cash flow than traditional rental properties. He scaled faster through smart partnerships, created significant equity with value-add BRRRRs (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat), and even turned four units into 24 on a single deal. It’s not special,…

How many rental properties do you need to retire? A lot fewer than you think. When people start investing in real estate, they think they need 20, 50, or even 100 rental units to build wealth, retire early, and secure financial freedom for themselves and their families. This is not the case…and it’s not even close. The average American only needs eight—yes, eight—paid-off rental properties to retire with six figures in annual cash flow. But that would take decades to pay off, right? Not quite. Within just around a decade, you could go from zero rentals to a paid-off portfolio, giving you financial independence via passive income from a small, powerful rental property portfolio. Henry is walking through the math, how to get to financial freedom faster, and the strategy he uses to recycle the same down payment so he doesn’t need to wait years to buy the next rental. Your financial freedom is just eight rental properties away. What are you waiting for? In This Episode We Cover How many rentals you actually need…

We’re all here for passive income, and when you say “passive income,” many people immediately think of rental properties. But, is real estate investing really the best path to get the income streams you’re dreaming of, and is there a certain threshold where it’s not worth the effort? You’re listening to this show because you’re either interested in or investing in real estate, but we’ve been invited to debate someone with a different perspective. Ryan Sterling, CEO of NerdWallet Wealth Partners, has owned real estate investments but has since sold them and opted for something simpler, easier, and, in his opinion, more worth the money. Ryan likes real estate investing and sees it as the quickest way for the everyday American to build wealth. But…he thinks many investors are operating under a dangerous premise, one that could delay their financial freedom. In this episode, we’re going well beyond the average “stocks vs. real estate” debate you’ve heard a dozen times. We’re debating whether “passive income” is…