Real Estate Rookie

What would you do if you had to start your real estate portfolio over with little money and no experience? We’d do it a lot differently the second time around! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! After interviewing hundreds of investors and even scaling our own portfolios to replace our incomes, we’ve got the framework to help you start your real estate portfolio, today! If we had to s...

Ever made a money decision you'd give anything to redo? You can't rewind the clock, but you can try again, even with a full-time job and a full house! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! At 18, Josh Yeatts turned down his family's nearly paid-off mobile home park. Years later, after accidentally becoming a landlord, he sold that rental out of frustration. Looking back, Josh realized he...

Pulling equity out of your home to buy your next rental can feel like free money, but it isn't. Whether you use a HELOC or a cash-out refinance, if you don't run the numbers the right way, it can eat up your cash flow…fast. But if you get it right, the equity you've already built can fund your next down payment without draining your savings, while growing your portfolio! Welcome back to another Ro...

Thinking about investing in long-term rentals? Finding the property is only half the battle. Getting it rent-ready, landing great tenants, and keeping everything running smoothly is where successful landlords get it right. So today, we're flipping the script and bringing Ashley into the hot seat to share exactly how she does it, and the costly mistakes to avoid along the way! Welcome back to the R...

Most rookies think you need dozens of rentals before you can walk away from your job. But what if the fastest way to replace your income didn’t require building a huge portfolio? Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Ryan Dumka was stuck in long days at his corporate job and missing time with his family, when he took a chance on his very first short-term rental (STR). When he realized ho...

Should a rental property put cash in your pocket each month or build serious wealth over time? Cash flow versus appreciation is the oldest debate in real estate investing, but the answer depends on several factors. Today, you'll learn how to pick the path that fits your goals and get the most out of your investments! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! We’re tackling three questions straight fro...

Still using AI like a fancy search engine? Then you're leaving hours of your week, and a lot of money, on the table. Using the right AI tools in your real estate business can help eliminate tedious work, lower your expenses, and free you up to focus on growing your real estate portfolio. Today, we're showing you exactly how to get started! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, Ash...

Buying rentals one house at a time works, but what happens when you do the math and realize it'll take 20 years to change your life? That’s the exact wall today’s guest hit, before pivoting his investment journey towards multifamily. We’ll break down why (and how to) make the move, a new perspective on risk mitigation, and why multifamily isn’t as scary as most rookies think it is!  Welcome b...

Can the numbers on your house hack still work when your tenant's rent doesn't come close to covering the mortgage? And if it won't cash flow, how much should a house hack actually make in 2027? Today, we're uncovering the hidden benefits and forgotten expenses that change the math! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we're answering three questions most house hackers have asked at some po...

The idea of building and scaling a rental portfolio can seem daunting to most rookies starting off. What if we told you there's a realistic, proven formula most rookies don't discover until they've already taken their first step? Today, we're walking you through a method for turning one deal into 10 (or more) without needing a ton of cash! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! If you're...

What happens when your first deal turns into the money pit you were afraid of? For a lot of rookies, that fear alone delays buying a rental property for years. But today's guest proves that a rough first deal can still launch a successful portfolio! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Joshua Settimio went from cleaning beach rentals in high school to working as a real estate agent, and...

Great deals are hard to find as a rookie, so when one lands in your lap, it can feel like you just struck gold. But how do you actually know if it's the real thing, or if there's a catch? Today, we're breaking down how to evaluate a low-money-down deal when one comes your way, and exactly what to look for before you say yes. Welcome back to Rookie Reply! First, we’re helping a rookie weigh a 100%...

Every rookie investor arrives at the same fork in the road early on: single-family home or multifamily. Which one's actually the better option? The property type you choose first can shape how fast you cash flow and how quickly you're able to scale your real estate portfolio. Today, we're breaking down both approaches so you can make that choice with confidence! Welcome back to the Real Estate Roo...

Getting into an expensive market can feel completely out of reach for a rookie. But today’s guest looked at the numbers and realized that if he worked this in his favor, he could build reliable, long-term wealth. That math led him to 17 doors across three states, and today, he’s breaking down all his tips so you can start, and scale, too! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! In December...

Investing in your first house hack but not sure whether the deal makes sense in the long run? House hacking is the way most rookies get started in real estate, and we’re breaking down how to analyze those deals to make sure you’re starting off strong!  Welcome back to Rookie Reply! We’re back, answering three of your burning questions straight from the BiggerPockets Forums. In this episode, a...

Finding real estate deals is a challenge for many rookies. Trying to tell the difference between a great deal and a property that is merely disguised as one is something usually only experienced investors see through.  But in this episode, we’re sharing some of the best strategies we use to find real estate deals—including a few options you’ve probably never heard of! Welcome back to the Real...

You don't have to live near your rental, or bring a huge check to closing, to build a real estate portfolio. Today’s guest closed both her deals with only $3,000 out of pocket for each deal, and in a city she'd never even visited. We’re walking through how she did it, and how you can get started, too!  Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Thomasina Myresa grew up learning how to sa...

Your first rental cash flows just fine, but it needs some work, and in order to scale your portfolio, the next big decision hits: Should you hold and repair, or sell it and cash in? Today, we’ll show you how to tell a “keeper” from a potential money pit before you spend a dollar more! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! This week we’re tackling three more questions from the BiggerPockets Forums....

Every hour you spend chasing rent or coordinating a repair is an hour you could’ve spent growing your real estate portfolio or doing the things you actually enjoy. The fix? It’s not working harder, but building the systems that free up your time. When done right, you can get more passive income from your rentals, and we’ll show you exactly how to do it!  Welcome back to another episode of the...

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 i...

You’ve picked an investing strategy, you’ve studied your market, but now you need the money to get started. You’re not alone, as this is perhaps the most common hurdle for rookie investors. But today, we’ll show you how to work around this and get the funding you need, so you can finally buy your first (or next) rental property! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! This week, we're tackling three...

Builders are currently offering huge incentives on new construction homes, to the point where buying "new" might be actually cheaper than buying an existing rental property in your market right now. Today we’re breaking down how this overlooked investing strategy is saving rookies much more than you realize! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! This week, we’re making the case for new b...

Every rookie thinks their first deal will go according to plan (it almost never does). Today, we’re bringing on a guest who had a long list of all the worst-case scenarios that happened to him, and still walked away winning (to the tune of $60,000!). He’s walking us through it all, so you can master your first deal, too!  Welcome back to another episode of the Real Estate Rookie Podcast! This...

Don’t feel ready to buy your first rental property yet? Maybe you just need a better game plan. Today, we’re covering three different but common situations rookies find themselves in leading up to that first deal. Whether you need a few actionable first steps or an extra push, we’ll show you how to get started as soon as possible! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! This week, we’re tackling thr...

For years, rookies have heard the same bad news: starter homes are disappearing, and first-time buyers are getting older. But the newest data shows something very different, and we’re breaking down how these recent changes can help you buy your first or next rental property in 2026! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Nationally, fewer than four in 10 non-homeowner households can affor...