The Biggerpockets Real Estate Investing Podcast

Does your rental property need some updating? Maybe you’re buying a house with unpermitted work, and you’ve got to go back and fix a few problems. Or, this could be your first home renovation as you try to squeeze some sweat equity out of your property. Regardless of your situation, if you’re planning a home renovation, you’ll need to know how to do a few things: build a scope of work, pull permits, manage contractors, and ensure the job is actually getting done. We’ll help you do all of those today! We’re taking questions from the BiggerPockets Forums today and answering topics like: What to do when your home has unpermitted renovations How to analyze your first rental property or house hack How to build a scope of work to ensure you get the HIGHEST appraisal value The best way to check in on renovations, especially if you’re investing out-of-state Some of these seem tricky if you’re a first-time investor, but don’t worry, ANYONE (even a newbie) can handle a home renovation IF you take the right steps and fo

Inflation is eating away your net worth, and if you don’t do something about it, you could be worse off in the future. What’s the best inflation-proof investment to make in 2025? Which options will merely hedge against inflation, and which will beat inflation so you grow your wealth while prices are going up? With new tariffs potentially flaring up inflation again, every investor should be paying careful attention to this. Dave did the math to find four inflation-proof investments that perform best over time. He even discovered how one of the most common “inflation hedges” could cost you real wealth over time and why buying a house in cash to save on interest could be the wrong move. If inflation is about to take away your spending power, where’s the best place to put your money? Dave compared not only the nominal (non-inflation-adjusted), but also the real (inflation-adjusted) returns to ensure each of these assets is actually getting you a REAL return. Should you move your money into bonds, high-yield savin

Just buy ONE rental property and watch your life change. Today’s guest was working multiple jobs, and a single property purchase allowed her to finally free up her weekends and regain some freedom in her life. The best part? She did it with just around $4,000, then repeated the process again and again, leading her to quit her demanding teaching job in just four years! Today, she’s describing exactly how she did it! Deandra McDonald called a lender, expecting to get a preapproval for a home. What actually happened? They told her, “No. Come back when you have more money, better credit, and less debt.” She hustled for two years, saving, working more, and paying off debt. She finally secured a loan for her first property, a two-bedroom townhouse that would change her life forever. Now, she’s a financially independent real estate investor, no longer tied to her teaching job, and investing in completely overlooked “rental properties” that produce killer returns and allow her to live job-free. These properties are s

The housing market is finally giving buyers a break. Home prices aren’t crashing, but many of them are dropping, or stagnating, as homes sit on the market and seller confidence drops, buyer control rises, and economic sentiment remains low. Americans aren’t feeling good about the economy, but this makes buying a home even better: lower mortgage rates, the ability to get seller concessions, and longer negotiation times put buyers in the driver’s seat. So, how should you take advantage? Dave brought the entire expert investing panel from the On the Market podcast to the show to share what they’re buying, what they’re selling, and how they’re investing during this new buyer’s market.  Not every market in the US is experiencing a buyer’s market, but if you’re in one of the many major metros that is, we’re sharing how to take advantage of it. Fear means opportunity, and the opportunity is here. If you’re buying rentals, how does this affect your cash flow? If you’re flipping homes, when should you start dropping

Over the past month, I’ve decided to make a big move that will greatly affect my real estate portfolio. This was a decision I made after seeing severe weakness in the market and realizing it was time to put my money where my mouth is. For months, I’ve been talking about the “upside” era strategy of real estate investing—the theory that now is a great time to buy as real estate is primed to experience significant upsides in the future, making investors rich. I’m doubling down on this due to market volatility—and in today’s episode, I’m sharing exactly where I’m putting my money. I made a move that most investors would caution against, but I ran the numbers (many times) and am confident in what I decided to do. Part of my plan is to move money out of riskier assets with potentially lower returns and into assets that I’m confident will generate stronger returns. This is something EVERYONE (yes, even you) should be thinking about NOW to build long-term wealth in the future. I’ve got two places I’m planning on put

Today’s guest makes $60,000 per MONTH the old-fashioned real estate investing way. He buys rentals you can find on any real estate listing site, uses his own money to invest, doesn’t need “creative financing” techniques to fund the deal, and treats his tenants well. This is a real estate portfolio anyone can repeat, and it has made Welby Accely a multimillionaire in just over a decade, even after he lost everything (three times!).  In a time when every real estate guru is trying to get you into the lowest-money-down deal with the most risk and the shallowest margins, Welby takes it the whole other direction. His simple offer “formula” allows him to buy properties under market value, fix them up, get them rented, and refinance out to create an “infinite return.” Basically the BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) strategy, but EVEN safer. How does he find rentals that are (almost) always worth more than what he pays for them? Welby says, “Every deal is a flip,” meaning if you buy rentals like a flipper

Home prices are falling fast in some prime real estate markets across the country while others remain stubbornly stuck. What’s the defining factor between a stable housing market and one where sellers are actively cutting prices? Housing inventory! This metric defined the 2020 - 2022 run-up in home prices, but the rubber band of demand is snapping back as buyer power grows, housing inventory rises, and investors get even better buying opportunities. Remember when people said, “I’ll buy when prices drop”? Well, now might be the time. ResiClub’s Lance Lambert joins us to provide a holistic view of housing inventory, prices, demand, and emerging opportunities. Lance walks through the most up-to-date data on where housing inventory is rising fast, where prices are quickly declining, and which markets are holding on as sellers remain in control. We’ll also talk about why homebuilding costs are about to JUMP and the reason Warren Buffett sold his homebuilding stocks shortly after buying them. Will construction slow

What’s the best rental property for the average investor? It’s not a single-family rental, it’s not a large apartment building, it’s not even a duplex or a triplex—it’s a “sweet spot” small multifamily. These investment properties, ranging from five to 25 units, make more money, are easier to manage, and help you scale faster to achieve financial freedom. Even large multifamily investing experts like Brian Burke are ditching the huge apartment complexes to buy these. But what makes these small multifamily investment properties so much better than their bigger and smaller counterparts? We’re discussing the massive investing opportunities in 2025 for these properties with Brian today and how new investors and those looking for a manageable portfolio can leverage these properties to reach financial freedom. These types of properties are still experiencing low prices with limited competition, which means that if you know about them, you already have an advantage. How long do we have until multifamily prices rebou

This investor built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio with low-money-down loans and little cash-to-close. Thanks to his smart “rinse and repeat” strategy, he’s quickly scaled from zero to 13 rental units in just four years, all while collecting thousands of dollars of cash flow a month. He would have never been able to get to this place if he hadn’t followed a strategy many investors are too scared to try. Mike Johnson knew the best way to take bigger career risks was to have a backup plan. The ultimate passive income plan? Rental properties. But he didn’t want to put 20% to 25% down on each property he bought, so he started where many investors do—house hacking. Four years later, he’s continued his repeatable house hacking strategy, purchasing a new property every year, living in one unit, and renting out the others. This has allowed Mike to build a portfolio worth $3.4 million in just four years while buying in B+ or A-class neighborhoods and taking home a healthy amount of cash flow. But he has d

The housing market saw significant “softening” in February, with inventory rising, demand shrinking, and buyers regaining more control while sellers find themselves in a tough position. Why is this happening now, especially as mortgage rates continue to dip? With recession fears and economic tensions running high, Americans worry what’s coming next, causing much of the economy to shift. With price declines already happening in some markets and more potentially on the horizon, when is the right time to buy? We’re back with a March 2025 housing market update, going over what’s happening in the national housing market, which states are seeing the hottest (and coldest) housing demand, what’s going on with mortgage interest rates, and why the market is noticeably softening. But the real question remains: How can YOU continue building wealth while others fear the worst? Is this your “be greedy when others are fearful” moment? Dave is giving his take and sharing how he’s tailoring his own investing strategy in 2025.

There’s a hidden passive income stream in your basement, backyard, or garage, and only one investing strategy can unlock it. More and more homeowners and landlords are using this strategy to pay their mortgages, pad their pockets with cash flow, and increase their home values significantly. Of course, we’re talking about ADUs (accessory dwelling units), the rental properties that states are begging you to build, and you can do so right now with the home you already own. To help you affordably (and profitably) build your first ADU, we brought on Derek Sherrell, AKA That ADU Guy, to give you the beginner steps to your first attached (or detached) investment. We’re walking through which properties have the best ADU opportunity, how much an ADU costs to build or convert, how much an ADU will make, how to fund and finance your first ADU, and how Derek builds an ADU from scratch in just 90 days! Derek often makes an infinite return on his ADU investments, and he’s teaching you how to do the same! If you’re in an ex

House flipping can make you wealthy. Everyone has seen the TV shows, podcast interviews, and the high-priced renovations, even in their own neighborhoods. But what if where you live is WAY too expensive to flip houses? The home costs are high, the labor costs are high, and underpriced, outdated homes are hard to find. Thankfully, you’re not out of luck. Today, we’re teaching you how to flip houses from a distance, even thousands of miles away! Dominique Gunderson is currently flipping 12 houses from 2,000 miles away. Yes, it’s possible (and profitable), and Dominique has made it her full-time business. As a Los Angeles native, Dominique couldn’t afford anything in her home market, but through visiting family in New Orleans, she realized it was the perfect place to flip. So, she slowly started scaling a team that would allow her to be anywhere in the world while she ran her business. In only her mid-twenties, she’s been able to build a team that takes care of the renovations and rehabs for her while she handle

Stock prices are falling, and Americans are fearful. Tariffs, trade wars, economic tension, and interest rates are putting pressure on asset prices. Commercial real estate has already crashed, but the worst may be yet to come. Home prices aren’t growing; in fact, small multifamily prices may even be declining. What should you do? We can’t provide financial advice, but Scott Trench, CEO of BiggerPockets, is revealing how he’s protecting his wealth in 2025.  A recession could be coming; we’re all aware of that. But what does this mean for real estate, stock, crypto, and gold prices? The “irrational exuberance” bubble seems to have popped after stocks hit wildly high price-to-earnings ratios, Bitcoin soared to six figures, and gold began a massive runup. Things are about to change very quickly. Scott is putting his money where his mouth is, revealing the contrarian moves he’s making to his portfolio to keep his wealth growing during this increasingly volatile period. He’s giving his stock market prediction, in

Property management can make or break your real estate portfolio, and most new investors don’t know where to start. Do you hire a property manager or self-manage your rental(s)? How do you know a property manager will ensure your rental is performing instead of just collecting a monthly fee? Should you use a local property management company or a national chain? The real question: who will make YOU more money and keep your rental on track with your goals? Want to spot an average property manager vs. one that builds your wealth? Follow Selali Kalevor’s advice. He’s not only a property manager himself but an “upside” investor as well, who knows what it takes to make not only his clients' properties perform but also his own. He shares the key questions to ask ANY property manager and must-know tips for self-managing rentals. Plus, Dave and Selali describe the one thing that makes a property manager a massive value to rental property investors, and if your manager can’t do this, you might as well find a new one. 

Imagine getting paid to buy rental properties. Well, it’s more than possible, and today’s investor proves it. After spending months looking for the “perfect BRRRR” property, Jon Kessler stumbled upon it and, through a series of fortunate events, got paid $50,000 to buy a cash-flowing rental property. And guess what? This wasn’t a one-time occurrence. Jon repeated this strategy multiple times to build his real estate portfolio with little money and reach financial freedom in just 11 years! So what is the “perfect BRRRR” strategy, and how can you repeat it to get paid at the closing table, just like Jon? Today, Jon is walking us through his decade-long real estate investing journey, starting with being tens of thousands of dollars underwater on his home in 2008 to getting paid to buy rental properties, building an off-market lead business, and eventually getting to his true goal: financial freedom and truly passive income. Jon faced a LOT of ups and downs. He started with zero investing experience, had non-payi

Your rental properties are about to make even more money. There’s one often overlooked real estate investing “upside” that, over time, makes rental property investors and landlords rich without any extra effort. This is one upside that Dave is exceptionally bullish on and is one of the most compelling cases for rental property investing. It’s not home price growth, it’s not tax benefits, and it’s not zoning changes—it’s simple: rent price growth. Rent has steadily grown throughout the history of the housing market and shot up at an extreme pace during 2020 - 2022. Now, the pendulum is swinging in the other direction as rents soften and tons of supply hit the market. But how far are we from going back to the days of solid rent growth? And with the new housing supply already starting to be absorbed, could we get to above-average rent growth again? We brought Chris Salviati from Apartment List on the show to share his team’s rent research.  Over time, your rental income will rise significantly while your mortgag

Mortgage rates have hit a new low for 2025, hovering around 6.75%, down from their peak of 7.25%. This is serious interest rate relief for homebuyers, real estate investors, and anyone getting a mortgage. But will mortgage rates fall even further in 2025? A new article from HousingWire’s Logan Mohtashami suggests that even more rate relief could be on the way, but not without a series of caveats.  To give our take, we’re bringing you a bonus episode where Dave breaks down Logan’s argument, gives his opinion on the hypotheses, and reveals what would have to happen for rates to drop into the low sixes, maybe even into the five percent range! With bond yields ticking down and recession fears mounting, mortgage rates seem poised to improve compared to the past couple of years. Will we have to see economic pain before rates lower? Could rates go back up, even higher than before, if positive economic news emerges? Dave is breaking down both his own predictions and Logan’s in this bonus episode.  In This Episode We

The BRRRR strategy is arguably the fastest way to build wealth with real estate. Just ask Leka Devatha, a Seattle-based investor. She’s got ONE BRRRR property this year that could make her $600,000 in profit. And that’s ONE home, not an apartment complex. So what is the BRRRR strategy, and why do so many investors write it off instead of trying it in 2025? Are they missing out? Absolutely! BRRRR stands for buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat. The basic formula is this: buy a house that needs some improvement, renovate the home (to a scale you’re comfortable with), rent out the home to tenants now that it’s fixed up, and refinance it. Now that the property is worth more, you may be able to get the bank to pay YOU back your initial down payment and renovation costs due to the increase in equity. Then…repeat until you’re financially free. How do you pull off a BRRRR in 2025 with high interest rates, high home prices, and rising renovation costs? Dave and Leka are walking through their own BRRRR deals, showing yo

30 real estate deals in two years, starting with very little money, AND doing it all while working a nine-to-five? After listening to Tim Yu, you’ll have no excuse NOT to invest in real estate. He’s done it all: house hacking, creative financing, seller financing, lease-to-own, single-family, multifamily, house flipping, and everything in between to find the real estate investing tactic that worked best for his goals and his lifestyle. After trying (and failing) house flipping, Tim was ready to give up on real estate entirely. It wasn’t until a house hack (renting out other units/rooms in your home) gave Tim the cash flow he needed that he decided to give real estate another shot. From there, he spent hours calling owners after work, sweating bullets on cold calls, and refining his real estate skills. He’s been able to buy a house for truly ZERO dollars down, pick up profitable rental properties for as little as $3,000, and get seller financing terms that have made him six figures in just a year or so. Tim ha

Can you afford your “dream house” right now? The one with the pool and the ocean views, space for the kids to run around, and a huge pantry. The secret nobody will tell you: you CAN afford your dream house right now—or at least you can afford the investment that will get you there. Just ask James Dainard, who took a $175,000 hoarder condo and turned it into what would eventually become his $8,500,000 dream house. You can do the same using his level-up strategy. James only started with $9,000, which turned into multiple millions over the next fifteen years. He would buy a house, fix it, and trade it up for a better one, repeating this strategy five times until he reached the goal: a 9,000-square-foot luxury home in one of the priciest markets in America, Scottsdale, Arizona. He made millions of dollars completely tax-free because of this live-in flip strategy that ANYONE can use to massively multiply their wealth and take them to their dream home. And maybe you don’t want an $8,500,000 mansion—that’s fine! It