The Biggerpockets Real Estate Investing Podcast

In just three years, this investor scaled up to making over $100,000 per year thanks to real estate. He did it all starting in 2022 when interest rates were beginning to rise, the market was turning, and many investors decided to sit on their hands. Thanks to a strategy that allowed him to “recycle” his money, he went from one down payment to 16 rental units in record time. How’d he do it? Only in his 20s, Ricardo Adames already knew he wanted out of his career. Working harder wasn’t paying him dividends, so he knew he needed an extra income source. Even after taking a “risk” on his first deal, he was able to walk away with a perfect rental property that only cost him (after all was said and done) $5,000. How’s that possible? Simple—the BRRRR method.  In this episode, Ricardo details this cash-recycling method investors can use TODAY to build a six-figure-producing real estate portfolio, even if you have little experience. Plus, Ricardo shares his exact “buy box”—the properties he’s targeting for more h

Can’t (or don’t want to) get a bank loan? We have another option for funding your real estate investments: private money lending! If your DTI (debt-to-income) is too high, you’ve maxed out how many mortgages you can get, or you need quick cash to finance a renovation, house flip, or BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat), private money loans can float you. Today, we’re sharing how to find a private money lender, what interest rates they charge, who these loans are best suited for, and what documents to bring to get approved. Dave is out on a search to find the perfect pickle for his sandwich, so we brought in a seasoned investor and trusted Real Estate Rookie host, Ashley Kehr. Today, she’s invited her private money lender, James Dainard, to the show to explain how private money works, how much money you’ll need to put down, rates and terms you can expect, and red flags a lender looks for. But this isn’t just for borrowers. If you’ve got a serious sum of cash and want to lend to investors and pocke

Don’t buy rental properties? What if there were investment properties that made way more cash flow than rentals (we’re talking $2,000 or more per month)? These unique properties are often cheaper than rentals but command higher income. You don’t need any special skills to run one, and you can own them while working a full-time job, accelerating your track to early retirement. Want to know what they are? We’re giving the exact property types (and profits) in today’s episode. Tony Robinson, host of the Real Estate Rookie podcast, and Nate Weintraub, head of Calico Content and copywriter for BiggerPockets, both ditched the long-term rental route years ago. The stress, low cash flow, and speed to scale weren’t worth it. Tony went one route, buying short-term rentals and eventually scaling into a money-making boutique hotel. Nate decided he'd had it with toilets, so he bought the ultimate toiletless investment—a self-storage facility.  Today, they’re sharing their profit numbers, rents, and the cost of their

This investor is producing $12,000 per month in cash flow and is well on his way to early retirement before the age of fifty, and he did it all after taking a DECADE off of investing. By cracking the real estate “formula,” Andre Taylor was able to buy larger properties faster. He used his financial independence number to work backward by picking up properties that would truly help him retire early. He’s still buying deals in 2025, and you can retire early, too, if you use his “formula.” Andre started with just $3,000 in the bank. Not $30,000—$3,000. With a bit of sweat equity, he converted a foreclosure into a cash-flowing rental, generating a solid $300 in profit per month per unit. Then, everything clicked—what if he bought enough rentals to replace his income? After calculating his “freedom number,” he knew how many rentals he needed.  But then Andre…took a break. A long break. A decade of not investing. When he got back, it was time to go all out. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about the buying spr

The housing market is already predicted to see price cuts by the end of the year, but is now the time to buy, or should you wait for further price movement? We brought on an investor who has successfully timed the housing market (three times) to give his thoughts on whether we’re at the bottom or we have a long way to go. If you’ve been holding out for lower home prices and less competition, should you take the risk and wait, knowing a rebound could be on the way? Through a combination of genius and a bit of luck, Brian Burke has sold, bought, and sold at the right times repeatedly. He exited the majority of his real estate portfolio in the early 2020s as prices hit all-time highs and competition was fierce. For the last three and a half years, he hadn’t bought anything, up until very recently. Is this a signal that now is the time to buy? Today, we’re asking Brian whether 2025 is the right time to buy (and for which assets), how to get in “position” to make a profit as home prices decline, the sellers

All it takes is one (yes, ONE!) real estate deal to change your life and jumpstart your path to financial freedom. You could stop after just one, but more often than not, that first deal opens the door to even bigger opportunities, allowing you to build wealth, create more passive income streams, and finally reach financial independence. Every successful real estate investor has had that one deal that set off a domino effect, enabling them to build wealth. We’re sharing ours today so you can repeat them! Joining Dave are Garrett Brown and Matt Faircloth, two investors from different backgrounds, strategies, and parts of the country. But both had real estate deals that propelled them forward toward financial freedom. Dave also had a killer real estate deal (only his second deal ever!) that significantly increased his standard of living. We’ll share how Garrett made $50,000 (tax-free!) on a repeatable first real estate deal anyone in any area can try. Matt shares how he was able to scale up his portfolio

This investor used his primary residence to build a $6,000/month rental property portfolio—helping him semi-retire, cut his workload in half, and generate a sizable income stream outside his job. And he did it with affordable, small multifamily rental properties that he still buys in today’s market, all while working a demanding schedule that required his attention 24/7, 40 weeks per year. Bill Price has worked as a sound engineer for some of the music industry’s biggest names. He’s toured with Justin Bieber, Weezer, and Third Eye Blind (among many more), working intensive hours on global tours. But, in the background, when he was off the road, Bill was building an intentional real estate portfolio to replace his income. Today, less than a decade after buying his first true rental, he’s working just 16 weeks per year instead of 40. Bill made some mistakes and some BIG bets that paid off. We’re talking terrible tenants, eviction notices, bird cages, dog droppings, and flooded basements. But, through it a

June 2025 Housing Market Update: The Biggest Shift in Decades Podcast Description The housing market is experiencing its most significant shift in decades. Sellers are returning in full force, outnumbering buyers by a substantial margin. Homes are selling for under-asking, giving investors and first-time homebuyers discounts previously unheard of. Are we on our way to a housing market crash, correction, or a much-needed reset, which would return us to the “normal” housing market many of us have been asking for over the past few years? We’re breaking it all down—best and worst markets, home prices, mortgage rates, supply and demand, and more—in our June 2025 housing market update! Mortgage delinquencies are rising—which could spell trouble. Are we heading back to foreclosure territory of the last housing crash? Not quite, but this is good news for buyers. Dave shares his 2025 investing plan so you can follow along, find better deals, and reduce your risk. Plus, will we see interest rates reverse with

Your agent just sent you a killer real estate deal with enormous upside, but it needs a bit of work. Here’s exactly how to estimate renovation costs, so you know you’re buying a property with a juicy margin instead of one that will just break even. Whether you’re renovating a rental property, planning to refinance after the rehab with the BRRRR method, or flipping a house for some quick cash, we’ll give you the formula to run your renovation numbers FAST.  We’re back with real estate investor questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. First up: how to estimate rehab costs on a distressed property. And, if the renovation costs are high, is the rehab still worth it? Then, once you’ve got your rental portfolio, when should you hire property management? Your agent wants you to sign an exclusivity agreement so you only work with them; here’s when we will (and definitely won’t) do it. Finally, we share a way to access home equity WITHOUT refinancing at a higher rate and killing your cash flow. Got a questio

Five rental properties are all you need to change your life. This income alone could cover all your bills, allowing your entire paycheck to go toward investing as you're fast-tracked to financial freedom and early retirement. Even if you’ve got a demanding job with long hours and limited free time, investing in real estate is STILL the right move. Today’s guest was able to utilize her (very limited) downtime to build a rental portfolio of six units, all while managing her hectic day job. Now, she’s in a great position to retire early and is even eyeing her dream retirement house as we speak. Jessica Cruel is editor-in-chief at Allure & SELF, but before the big title, she was living in expensive Newark, New Jersey, looking to invest in real estate while making less than six figures a year. After watching her ex-boyfriend successfully do a real estate deal, she thought, “If he can do it, I can do it better.” So, she bought a rental with multiple units but a sizable renovation checklist. It took her two years

In this episode, we’re explaining exactly how to buy a rental property in 2025 as a real estate investing beginner. You don’t need to be a landlord already or have any investing experience to follow these steps; all you need is around 40 minutes and the desire to build wealth, find financial freedom, and start investing in your future. Ready? Let’s get you your first rental! These are the steps that Dave followed to eventually build a seven-figure real estate portfolio and reach financial independence himself. We’ll start with YOU—what do you want out of the rental? Cash flow or appreciation? How much time do you have? Want more passive income with slimmer returns or higher returns with a more hands-on approach? Then, we’ll cover tactical steps to help you find (and buy) your first rental before 2025 ends. Steps like picking your market, building your “buy box,” and the multiple ways to find cash-flowing real estate deals. We’re back in a buyer’s market, so you have the upper hand in negotiations. It’s

Want to retire early? What about early retirement AND making millions of dollars tax-free? Only one real estate investing strategy gives you the ability to do both, but 99% of investors won’t try it. Why? We don’t know because today’s two guests, as well as Dave, are all using this investing strategy in 2025 to make a killing on their real estate deals. It’s not house hacking, it’s not medium-term rentals, and it’s not private lending—it’s live-in flipping. Never heard of live-in flipping? There’s a good reason—nobody is doing it, even though it boasts the biggest benefits of almost any real estate strategy out there. This method enabled Mindy Jensen to accumulate millions of dollars in net worth by her early 50s, much of which was tax-free. The same strategy is being used by Ashley Kehr and Dave to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit simply by buying a house, fixing it up while living in it, and reselling it. How does this get you to early retirement? Simple: you make hundreds of thousands

This investor is making $100,000 per year with small, affordable, repeatable rental properties. He started investing years ago but recently bought another home-run rental for just $87,000, which will continue to boost his passive income. His slow, steady “tortoise” approach is one that anyone (especially beginners) can use in 2025 to build wealth and massive passive income through rental property investing. How do you do it? He’s sharing his blueprint. Nathan Nicholson woke up one day in his 30s to realize that his bank account had only $32,000 in it. While by no means is $32,000 a small sum, as a top producer in the mortgage business, he expected to have much more—something needed to change. After watching clients close (and make it rich) on rentals, he decided to give it a shot. But instead of going for the biggest house his money could buy, he opted for a small, affordable property where less could go wrong. It was a good move and one worth repeating. Fast forward over a decade later, Nathan has 22 p

“Should I buy a house now or wait until prices fall further?” If you’re a first-time homebuyer or regular real estate investor, you’ve no doubt asked yourself this question. Home prices are falling in many major markets, and affordability could be improving for Americans. There’s a strong chance home prices could fall even further throughout this year, so should you wait for the bottom or take your chances and put something under contract now? Dave is sharing his exact investing plan today. With new home price predictions from top housing market data leaders like Zillow forecasting a drop in home prices, many buyers are remaining hesitant. But, as a real estate investor, you’re not buying your dream house—you’re looking for deals. Dave shares a simple strategy he uses to gauge when to buy, even when the housing market is going in different directions. If you follow this method, you’ll not only (most likely) be better off than the average investor, but you’ll be buying with far less stress and far gre

Your idea of a “dream home” or “dream investment property” is stopping you from building wealth and taking steps toward financial freedom. Don’t believe us? Today’s guest proves it.  Mitra Kalita lives in her dream home today, but it’s only because she bought a house FAR from what was her dream back in 2002. With her family moving often, she was accustomed to packing up and making somewhere new her home throughout her childhood. So, when it was time to buy her first property, then later move, settle in, move again, and repeat, it was nothing new. This has now led to her dream home, but it only started because she made a move on that first property.  Mitra went through the 2008 housing crash as a journalist, seeing what actual loss looked like for everyday Americans. However, even with memories of the last crash, she still owns real estate and hopes the new generation of first-time homebuyers can do the same. Today, we’re talking with Mitra about the impact 2008 had on the housing market and society at l

It doesn’t take long to replace your income through rental property investing. Just ask Miller McSwain, who quit his job two and a half years after buying his first rental property! But it wasn't a standard rental with just one tenant and one income stream that got him there. Instead, a new “mega cash flow” strategy got him to his goal in record time. It’s not short-term rentals, mid-term rentals, or house flipping, but something that might work even better. Miller was a nuclear rocket scientist by day (yes, seriously) and a house hacker by night. He bought a property just after graduation, using his job offer as proof of income to the bank. He and his fiancée (now wife) lived in the basement while renting out the rooms on the top floors. He was saving tons on rent and living for almost free. So, why couldn’t he do this on a bigger scale? He could, and he did. This “co-living” strategy became Miller’s new obsession. Now, he’s got six rental properties with over 40 tenants, making thousands of dollars a

You can buy five rentals in just five years, even with less than 5% down. Today, we’re teaching you three savvy strategies to quickly scale your real estate portfolio so you can start building wealth without waiting years and years to buy your first (or next) investment property. And no, we’re not just talking about house hacking—Dave is walking through three separate strategies you can use to buy five rentals in just five years. All three methods are effective in today’s market and can be repeated even by a beginner. These strategies are broken down by financial starting point: 1) starting with little money, 2) having a solid amount saved, and 3) having a lot saved for investment. So, whether you’re a graduate fresh out of college who's ready to invest in rentals or a doctor/lawyer/executive with hundreds of thousands sitting around, we have a strategy for you. The best part? As your portfolio grows, you can combine these strategies to reach your financial freedom goals faster and pick the path that wo

Rentals can give you much more than just bigger pockets. They can buy you time, flexibility, and the freedom to design an adventurous and fulfilling life. Just ask today’s guest, who built a simple real estate portfolio that runs itself—creating space for midday hikes, living abroad, and passion projects. In this episode, he’ll show YOU how to slow down and do the same!   Today, Chad Carson, investor and author of The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor returns to the show to share how real estate investing gave him much more than money. Chad has been investing for decades, but now, he’s making a major shift. Rather than accumulating more rental properties, he’s paying off the ones he already owns. Instead of putting in 80-hour workweeks, he’s traveling, taking mini-retirements, and prioritizing his life goals. And the best part? Some weeks, he spends as little as two hours on his portfolio!   Want to copy Chad’s success? In this episode, he’ll show you how to trade the rat race—whether that means long

There are still real estate deals even in 2025. To prove it, we’re taking three real (on-market!) deals and analyzing them three ways: as a long, medium, and short-term rental to see which will have the highest cash flow. All of these properties are around or under the median home price in the US and have at least one strategy that makes them profitable, even in 2025 with today’s high interest rates. To help run the deal analysis, Ashley Kehr from the Real Estate Rookie podcast and Garrett Brown from BiggerStays join us to crunch the numbers. You’re probably thinking, “Short-term rentals always make more than long-term rentals!” but that isn’t exactly the case. With the added expense of short-term rental management, some deals may work MUCH better as a long or medium-term rental. We’ve even got some bonus strategies to share to boost your rental property profits, like renting-by-the-room to get even more revenue and subdividing your lot so you can sell it and pay off your rental faster (more cash flow!)

Everyone wants to know how to become a millionaire in real estate. And surprisingly, getting there isn’t all that hard. You can create a seven-figure net worth by investing for just 8-12 years, and if you’re willing to put in a little more work, you can get there faster. Dave has done it, and a million of our BiggerPockets members have done it, too. So today, we’re sharing the real estate millionaire math so you can repeat it and reach your financial independence number faster. We’re not just showing you how to get to a million dollars in equity. We’re also discussing what you need to know to replace your salary with rental properties. This way, you’ll have cash flow to live off of and appreciation to build your wealth. Using the four “building blocks” of real estate, you can skyrocket your wealth in a (relatively) short amount of time. Maybe you want to be a millionaire in less than a decade and build a real estate portfolio faster. Great! We’re sharing two extra levers you can pull to make more money