Real Estate Rookie

Burned out at your W2 job? Tired of climbing the corporate ladder? Starting a real estate business could give you financial freedom, but is it worth giving up the security of a biweekly paycheck? This entrepreneur thinks so, and today, she’ll give you the blueprint for forging your own path in real estate! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Melissa Shelton is not only an investor, but...

$50,000 cash flow from ONE rental!? Not many properties will give you this kind of return in today’s housing market, but this investor beat his competition to an innovative investing strategy, and it’s paying huge dividends. Want to find out what it is and how he did it? You don’t want to miss this one! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Garrett Brown envisioned himself running restau...

Many people invest for appreciation. Others invest for tax benefits. But some investors want enough monthly cash flow to replace their W2 income and help them quit their nine-to-five jobs. When can you go full-time with real estate investing? How many rentals do you need? Stay tuned! Today, Tony and co-host Garrett Brown are diving into the BiggerPockets Forums, and our first question comes from s...

Do you want to buy a rental property in 2025 but fear money could get in the way? Putting 15%-20% down is a huge hurdle for new investors, but there are several strategies you can use to limit your expenses, grow your income, and even put LESS money down. If you want to know how to save for a down payment as quickly as possible, you need these money-saving tips! Welcome back to the Real Estate Roo...

When interest rates rose, many investors stopped buying. But not Ryan Irwin. This rookie doubled down on real estate, choosing whichever investing strategy made the numbers work. Even in a tough housing market, Ryan’s big bet on real estate paid off, as he’s now up to seven deals and earns a solid chunk of cash flow each month! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! It can take a new inve...

Are you leaving cash flow on the table? Even if you own a single rental property, there are all kinds of strategies you can use to generate more rental income, whether it’s house hacking, renting by the room, or converting your long-term rentals to short-term rentals. And we’re just scratching the surface! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re diving back into the BiggerPockets Forums...

Today, we’re talking about the real estate deals we did in 2024. What went right, what went wrong, and what mistakes did we make that you must avoid in 2025? This year was wild for the real estate market—you probably felt it, too. Whether you were buying rentals, flipping houses, or just getting started, this year felt hot, cold, and lukewarm all at the same time. So, how did we end the year? Did...

At the age of twenty-seven, this “rookie” has already completed over 100 real estate deals. The key to her success? She’s been in real estate since she was just seventeen years old. Seriously! By starting early and taking action, she has been able to make mistakes, sharpen her skills, and set herself up for success!   Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! While her peers headed off to co...

Want to estimate your NOI (net operating income) BEFORE you buy a rental property? Calculating NOI in real estate isn’t hard, and after doing this dozens and dozens of times, we’re sharing how to estimate things like taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs so you know you’re buying a killer deal. Speaking of first deals, how much do you need to get started investing? $20K? $50K? $100K? A fellow ro...

Want to quit your job with real estate investing? Rookie investor Miller McSwain has a strategy anyone can copy to make serious cash flow. This investing strategy is rookie-friendly and allows you to learn the real estate investing ropes while making serious money. Miller now has six properties with forty-one units in total, and today, he’s sharing this easily repeatable strategy for quickly build...

This rookie has grown his real estate portfolio to seven properties, $5,000 in monthly cash flow, and over $1 million in total equity in just SIX years. His strategy isn’t flashy or sexy, but it’s highly repeatable. Even the greenest investor can use it to snowball one rental property into the next! Jefferson Calloway was plunged into the world of real estate after meeting the world’s best tenant—...

How much should your down payment for investment property be? Should you increase your down payment to maximize cash flow, or does putting all your financial eggs in one basket limit your ability to build and scale your real estate portfolio? Or should you instead pay off that high-interest-rate mortgage early to keep all the cash flow at the end of the month? We’re answering these questions in to...

Can you still make huge profits from real estate in today’s market? While high interest rates and inflated home prices can make it difficult to find a cash-flowing rental property, there’s another strategy that delivers big returns—if you can stomach the extra risk: house flipping! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! James Dainard is a master house flipper, co-host of the On the Market...

Can you still find great deals in today’s cutthroat housing market? Of course! But you may need to go off the beaten path. Rookie investor Karl Denton looks beyond the MLS (multiple listings service), focuses on undervalued and distressed properties, and even does his own home renovations to create value. If he can do it, YOU can, too! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Karl has a sup...

You’re planning to move soon and are asking yourself, “Should I sell or rent my house?” What if you’ve got little-to-no cash flow potential? Is future appreciation worth betting on? Maybe you need to renovate before you sell or rent; now, the question becomes, “How to finance home renovations?” Don’t stress; we’ve got you covered on all fronts in this episode as we walk through how to decide wheth...

Real estate investing could help you achieve your financial goals, whether it’s to make enough cash flow to replace your W2 income or build wealth for an early retirement. Like many, today’s guest is chasing financial freedom, and thanks to a unique property that brings in $5,000 in monthly cash flow, he’s well on his way! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Rocky Gibson knew he wanted...

Can you start investing in real estate WITHOUT a stable W2 job? How will you get a loan? What happens if you have a fluctuating income? Are you completely out of luck? Not at all! Today’s guest, David Sladewski, proves that you can STILL invest in real estate no matter your age, experience, or whether you have a “stable” job. At just twenty years old, he already has three rental units and a live i...

Want to build your rental portfolio FAST? Today, we’re teaching you how to buy multiple rental properties per year, the best tips to raise rents while keeping tenant turnover low, and what to know before you start buying houses at auction. Each of these topics will help you not only build a real estate portfolio but also keep it profitable so you can reach financial freedom and realize your goals...

Want to know how to flip a house in 2024? We brought on a rookie with a real-life deal to walk through every beginner step of flipping houses so you can go out and make money, too! We know Rene Hosman as our community manager here at BiggerPockets, but she’s also a brand new house flipper! She just got her first house flip under contract, so we’ll be bringing her on the show to share her progress...

Today’s guest bought his first rental property within just ninety days of learning about real estate investing. So, if you’re wondering how to buy a rental property or get started with out-of-state real estate investing ASAP, Jeff Costa is the person to listen to. Instead of sitting in analysis paralysis, Jeff knew it was CRUCIAL to pull the trigger on an investment property once he had heard the...

Want to know how to find off-market properties WITHOUT cold calling and talking to sellers all day? Where is the best place to find furniture for your short-term rental or Airbnb? Is real estate wholesaling nearing its end as buyers and sellers get frustrated with these middlemen? It’s another Rookie Reply, so we’re taking these questions (and a few others) and answering them on this episode! Firs...

This rookie investor decided that instead of purchasing her own home, she’d buy rental properties in other areas, helping offset her high cost of living. Within just around a year, Mary Ho has bought a run-down property, performed a six-figure renovation project, got her first renters, refinanced the property, and then bought ANOTHER rental right after! Now, she’s sitting on two properties with th...

Your first rental property is out there; it just may not be where you live. Austin Wolff came to this conclusion quickly. After paying his “cheap” rent of $1,600 per month for a small place in Los Angeles, he knew he needed to start saving up the money to buy his first investment property if he was ever going to afford to live in Southern California full-time. So, he began compiling a list of Amer...

Let’s say you’ve got $40,000 to invest. You could split the money into two down payments and buy more properties or partner with someone with money and build a bigger real estate portfolio. But even though you CAN do this, it might be a better idea to stay a small investor. Why? We’re talking about it in this episode, along with some of the regrets we have from scaling far too fast. Welcome back t...

Has the Airbnb market become TOO saturated? It might not matter if you can rise above the competition and make your property stand out like Katie Cline did. Thanks to luxury amenities, personalized touches, and an unforgettable guest experience, her two rental properties bring in a whopping $30,000 in annual cash flow! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When Katie saw a golden opportu...