The Biggerpockets Real Estate Investing Podcast

In this episode, we’re sharing two of the real estate markets we’re investing in NOW. One you may have heard of and one you probably haven’t. Both have strong long-term fundamentals, a sizable renter population, and more demand than meets supply. Which markets are we talking about, and why did we pick them over the thousands of other real estate markets across America? We’ll go into detail on today’s show! Dave and Henry are sharing two of their favorite real estate markets, both seeing sizable returns EVEN in 2024. First, Henry talks about the buy and hold goldmine of a town with low-priced homes, strong rents, and sizable cash flow. Plus, with “opportunistic rehabs,” Henry is seeing his cash flow explode with some basic home renovations. Next, for the passive investors, Dave talks about a syndication deal that’s so good it’s giving him bonus distributions! With many passive investments seeing poor returns this year, Dave may make it rich with this historically relevant real estate market. Don’t know where

Life happens, and you’ve accumulated some debt. You’re wondering how to buy real estate EVEN with a high DTI (debt-to-income) ratio. Whether it’s good debt, like rental property mortgages, or bad debt, like credit card debt, holding you back, David and Rob have some ideas to help YOU grow your real estate portfolio faster, make more passive income, and get yourself out of the red! In this Seeing Greene, we’re talking about good, bad, and ugly debt. First, a house hacker hits hurdles when trying to buy his next property due to his current mortgage. Thankfully, there’s a way to get around this using the “sneaky rental” strategy. An investor with a growing portfolio struggles to find a bookkeeper who can keep his finances together WITHOUT costing him an arm and a leg; David and Rob give two very different pieces of advice. Got bad debt? We give an investor options on what he should do to consolidate his $40,000 credit card balance. Wondering when to refinance your mortgage? A repeat caller asks whether a cash-

Heather Blankenship has made $10,000,000 alone from just one RV park investment. She got into it with no money and zero experience. While pregnant with her first child, Heather answered the phones, paid the bills, laid mulch, and slept on the office floor, working long days and longer nights to do anything she could to keep the campground running. Over a decade later, she has a $30,000,000 portfolio, with her first campground worth almost half that amount. How did she do it, and can you repeat her same investing strategy? In her new book, Real Estate Campgrounds, Heather dives into the almost unbelievable streams of income you can create from just one campground or RV park investment. In today’s show, she shares the different ways you can make money (and cash flow!) from your first campground investment, what to know before you buy, and how rental property owners can transition from single-family or multifamily rentals to campground investments. We also bust some myths that have probably stopped you from in

Will the new jobs report finally prompt the Fed to cut rates, leading to you scoring a lower mortgage rate? With multifamily rents still falling, should we fear a nosediving rent trend in the near future? And why are all these traditionally overlooked investing markets becoming the new rental property hot spots? You asked, and on this episode of BiggerNews, we’re answering. We’ve taken top questions from the BiggerPockets forums and are answering them on today’s show! It wouldn’t be a BiggerNews episode without talking about the Federal Reserve. With the latest job numbers pointing in the right direction, is this the final signal the Fed needs before they start cutting rates? Or is there a specific unemployment rate we must hit for the Fed to give us some interest rate relief? Next, we’re talking about the continuously “softening” rents around the country. One sector is actually seeing rents grow, but if you’re not seeing that with your rentals, how do you ensure your tenants stay put and keep paying you ren

Are tiny homes a good investment? For just $50,000, you can get a brand new tiny home investment—not even fifteen percent of the average single-family home price in the United States. Even better? These tiny investment properties can bring in over $15,000 per year in rent, making your payoff period minuscule compared to a standard real estate investment. To learn more, we brought Steven Harrell, tiny home builder and investor, on the show to walk through all the numbers and how investors can cash in big on these tiny homes. Steven has seen the tiny home industry shift from off-the-grid, fringe mini homes in the woods to now a mainstream necessity as more Americans struggle to pay the sky-high cost of rent or a mortgage on standard homes. With affordability at a forty-year low, Americans need cheaper housing options, and tiny homes might be the perfect answer. We discuss the costs of tiny homes, how much they rent for, finding and buying land to put them on, insurance, financing, and how beginners can get st

Should you use a HELOC to buy investment property? Would we use home equity to retire? When is it time to sell a performing property and exchange it for a more expensive one? If you’ve got home equity, this episode could help you reach financial freedom faster as we answer real listener questions, many about home equity, on today’s Seeing Greene! If you’ve been investing for a while, you may have some paid-off properties. Should you get a cash-out refinance and live off the loans? That’s what one of today’s investors is asking, but Rob and David have different views on whether this is a good retirement plan. Did your property almost get destroyed by the city this week? Rob’s did! We’ll share the full story at the start of the show. Next, an investor debates selling her performing rentals to scale into a bigger property. We also answer how to use a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to quickly grow your real estate portfolio. Why are contractors so hard to find? A veteran investor/contractor shares the reaso

Should you pay off student loans or invest in real estate? This is the question Tom Keating had to ask himself back in 2018. At the time, he had no real estate investing experience and only picked up The Book on Rental Property Investing by chance. He still had student loans but decided to spend his savings (which could have made him debt-free) on the down payment for his first rental property. Now, just six years later, Tom has an entire real estate portfolio of passive and active investments and is free from his W2! If you’ve got some form of debt—student loans, credit card debt, medical debt, etc.—you might think you can’t invest in real estate, but you’d be wrong. In today’s episode, Tom breaks down the simple equation you can use to figure out whether you should pay off your debt or invest. Tom took the path less traveled, and now, he’s benefiting from it, being able to go anywhere in the world, live where he wants, and control his schedule. Tom also shares a simple yet unbelievably valuable way to fin

Zillow’s latest housing market forecast shows a decline in home prices over the next year after a very slow spring homebuying season. While spring is traditionally the hottest time of the housing market, with more sellers and buyers hitting the market at once, this year was stunted significantly. Will this trend continue as housing inventory remains at rock-bottom levels, or are things gradually improving, with a return to normalcy in sight? We’ve got Dr. Skylar Olsen, Chief Economist at Zillow, on to share the latest forecast and which markets could be in trouble. With mortgage rates still hovering around seven percent, homebuyers and sellers are stuck. Sellers don’t want to trade into a more expensive mortgage payment, and buyers can’t afford today’s median home price. As a result, some under-the-radar, affordable real estate markets are seeing home and rent prices increase, while some traditionally hot markets are already seeing price corrections. Where will the next correction hit, and which markets wil

Military real estate investing is perhaps the easiest way for veterans to reach financial freedom. Today’s guest is a prime example, going from broke recruiter to “military millionaire” in just FIVE years. And get this—military real estate isn’t just for service members. Everyday investors can take advantage of certain perks, too!   During his first seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps, David Pere was a serial spender, blowing each paycheck and saving very little money. But when a friend recommended the personal finance classic, Rich Dad Poor Dad, things finally clicked, and David realized the unique investing opportunities the military provided. Within four months, he had taken advantage of the favorable VA loan and bought his first house hack!   In today’s episode, you’ll learn how the military puts you in a great position to take financial risks early in your career. David takes a deep dive into VA loans, their benefits, their requirements, and what buyers and sellers should know. He even shares the best-k

High interest rates are stopping you from investing, so what do you do? Wondering how to prepare for a recession if one hits soon? Should you sell your rentals and pocket some cash, or will you regret dumping your performing properties to secure some short-term safety? These tough questions can’t be answered by just anyone, so we have our expert investors David Greene and Rob Abasolo on to help you navigate through the most financially puzzling parts of real estate investing. In this Seeing Greene, we’re tackling topics like how to prepare for a recession as a landlord, what to do when high interest rates kill your deals, and whether you should build an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) or simply park an RV on your land and rent it out instead. But that’s not all; a contractor wants to know how to work with investors while making even more money. Is he barking up the wrong tree, or is going the investor instead of the residential route a better choice for those trying to grow their contracting business?  Plus,

Today’s guest makes up to $100,000 per year, PER investment, by buying businesses. Yep, you heard that right. We’re not talking about a few hundred bucks a month in cash flow like most rental properties get you. Instead, you can make a living by buying a business “no one wants,” which is exactly what Matt DeBoth is doing. Matt saw the writing on the wall after building up a sizable real estate portfolio. Low interest rates flooded buyers into the housing market, putting those with properties to sell in a great position. So, Matt sold many of his rental properties and wondered where he should put the money into. Over the next year, he spent his days researching businesses to buy, talking to business brokers, and eventually landed on a local pizza franchise. Matt was able to turn it around, and after months of hard work, he’s collecting serious cash flow from a business that only takes a few hours a week to manage! If you want to buy yourself a six-figure income stream and feel like now is the perfect time to

Mortgage rates were supposed to be going down by now, but what happened? Even in late 2023, many housing market experts predicted that we’d be seeing high to mid six percent mortgage rates at this point and hovering around the high five percent rate mark by the end of the year, but the Fed isn’t showing any sign of lowering rates soon. Some experts even believe rates could go UP again this year as the job market stays hot and the economy sees unprecedented strength. This begs the question: What IF mortgage rates remain high? It’s a reality many of us don’t want to see, but 2024 could end with minor, if any, rate cuts, keeping monthly mortgage payments high and affordability low. So, what should an investor do in this situation? Sit on the sidelines? Invest in a different asset class? Pray to Jerome Powell? While that last option may be worthwhile, top real estate investors are saying that NOW is the time to buy BEFORE rates fall. What do we mean? We’ve got the entire expert investor panel from On the Market

“The stack” method is how to buy rental property faster than you thought possible. With so many real estate investing beginners wondering how to build a real estate portfolio, especially in today’s market, Dave Meyer, VP of Market Intelligence at BiggerPockets, decided to reintroduce “the stack” on today’s podcast. In it, he’ll show you exactly how someone with zero real estate investing experience can go from one to two to three rentals and beyond by following this simple framework. If you’ve struggled to buy your first rental property or never made it past the first deal, this is the episode to watch. Dave walks through how you can use “the stack” method to explode your real estate portfolio, the three simple steps to start buying rental properties today, and the one tool top real estate investors use to buy more real estate and find financial freedom faster. Beginner or investing veteran, if you’re feeling stuck but want to reach your financial goals, this might be just what you need. Sign up for BiggerP

If you want to grow your real estate portfolio faster, make more money with less headache, and achieve whatever financial dreams you desire, you need one thing—a real estate team. Most people don’t realize that the top real estate investors rarely do everything themselves. Instead, they’ve hand-picked real estate investing rockstars to grow their businesses FOR them. We’re talking investor-friendly agents, lenders, contractors, property managers, and more. If you can find the right people to fill those roles, you’ll be able to grow your passive income faster than you thought possible. So, where do you find them? Dave Meyer and Henry Washington are back to give a masterclass on building your real estate team. They’ll walk you through each role—real estate agents, lenders and brokers, insurance agents, property managers, and contractors—describing what to look for, red flags to run from, and exactly where you can find the best of the best in your market. Get this right, and you’re on a fast track to real estat

Every investor would love some extra cash flow…but at what cost? Does it make sense to go all in on a large down payment so that more money trickles in each month? If you want minimal debt, have no plans to scale, and are confident that your new property will appreciate, perhaps. But if your goal is to buy more rental properties and build your portfolio as quickly as possible, there are much better ways to leverage your cash position. In this Seeing Greene, we help a new investor navigate this exact scenario when buying his first property!   Next, we hear from someone whose earnest money deposit (EMD) is wrapped up in a failed medium-term rental. Should she cut her losses and walk away from the deal or weather the storm until the property can cash flow? Stick around to find out! Finally, we chat with an investor who has gone over his rehab budget and finds himself knee-deep in high-interest credit card debt. David and Rob walk him through the steps that will allow him to consolidate his bad debt and turn a RO

Can you start investing in real estate with just $15,000? Yep, and mobile home investing is how you do it. We know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to own trailers! I want to invest in “real” houses where the “real” money is at!” That’s what today’s guest John Fedro thought too some twenty years ago when he stumbled into mobile home investing, which, at the time, was even too embarrassing for him to share. But, over the past two decades, this at-first “embarrassing” investment has made him wealthy, and if you follow his lead, it can do the same for you. John has successfully made money with mobile homes in various ways: buying and flipping, wholesaling, renting, and seller financing, the main topic of today’s episode. He provides a masterclass on how to make money buying and selling mobile homes, where you essentially take on the role of the bank. However, it’s crucial to be cautious. Mishandling this could lead you into an ethical gray area and potentially harm your buyer. On the other hand, getting it r

The rental market could finally be returning to stability after a wild past four years. Since 2020, we’ve seen rent prices skyrocket almost overnight, with huge asking price increases for single-family homes, multifamily apartments, and everything in between. But that trend quickly reversed as the fight against inflation began, mortgage rates rose, and would-be homebuyers sat still, not knowing whether to stay renting or search for a home. But, a return to “equilibrium” may be coming soon, and that’s good news for landlords and renters alike. To break it all down, Zumper’s Anthemos Georgiades joins the show to share his team’s latest rent data. Anthemos brings some surprisingly good news for landlords, from new month-over-month rent growth data to consumer preferences shifting to a more renter-focused lifestyle; now may be the moment landlords have been waiting for as renter demand looks promising and rates stay high. We’ll also discuss the inflation lag effect our rental market has caused and how to stay on

Want to really stand out in your market? A few renter-friendly interior design ideas can make a world of difference, elevating a run-of-the-mill property into one that attracts tenants and guests and stays occupied year-round. Today’s guest has some affordable, do-it-yourself (DIY) design hacks centered around “maximalism,” the design trend you can’t afford to not know about.   Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Real Estate podcast! If you want to boost your property’s value, keep renters happy, and get even MORE cash flow from your portfolio, you’ve come to the right place. Today, interior designer Tay “BeepBoop” Nakamoto joins the show to share some of her most popular rental design tips. Regardless of your investing strategy, whether you own short-term rentals or are flipping houses for a profit, you won’t want to miss out on these enormous value-adds. The best part? They are extremely cost-effective, easy to implement, and, most importantly, reversible!   In this episode, Tay delves into maximalism—the int

Want to retire early? Real estate investing might be your best bet. Looking to boost your cash flow and expand your real estate portfolio, too? In today’s show, we’re sharing how to use home equity to build wealth the RIGHT way, plus the “portfolio architecture” secrets that enable you to retire earlier than you thought. Whether you’ve got one rental or a hundred or are just starting to dig into real estate investing, we’ve got the investing information you need on this Seeing Greene to reach true financial freedom. First, an investor sitting on $300,000 of equity asks what he should do: sell his current rental property and buy more OR convert the single-family home into a multifamily investment. The answer isn’t as clear-cut as you’d think. Next, we discuss whether ARMs (adjustable-rate mortgages) vs. fixed-rate mortgages are your best bet for a lower mortgage rate. Plus, we'll share the five BIG mistakes new real estate investors can make. Finally, David describes “portfolio architecture” to an investor wh

What sets apart the wealthy from the wannabes when investing? Knowing how to find real estate deals! You’ll be ahead of ninety-nine percent of investors if you know how to find off-market real estate deals and discounted on-market properties. Today, we’re giving you everything you need to know to find real estate deals in your market, no matter your budget, and even if you have zero real estate investing experience. Henry Washington, co-host of On the Market and author of Real Estate Deal Maker, is on to condense his seven years of investing into simple steps YOU can follow to find undervalued real estate. You’ll learn what a great real estate deal is, how to spot one even if you’ve never invested, why buying right is what REALLY makes you rich, three steps to start finding deals today, and the beginner mistake that’ll stop the deals from coming your way. Plus, Henry even shares the hidden on-market deals ANYONE can find (if they’re up to it). If you follow these steps, you’ll have a steady stream of real e