Episodes

  • Calculating NOI for Real Estate and How to Start Investing with $70K (Rookie Reply)

    Calculating NOI for Real Estate and How to Start Investing with $70K (Rookie Reply)
    Nov 22 2024
    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 rookie has $70K ready to invest but doesn’t know the next best move. We’re sharing exactly how they should start, and you can copy these steps no matter how much money you have. It wouldn’t be a Rookie Reply if we didn’t discuss tricky tenant situations. One investor has a tenant who is FED UP with a broken outlet. Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Well, the tenant is giving the landlord an unreasonable ultimatum. What should the investor do? Let the tenant take care of things on their own (and potentially damage the property) or put their foot down and follow the lease agreement? Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: How to estimate your taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs before you buy a rental property The expenses that short-term rental investors always forget when running numbers How to respond to a tenant when they’re sending you unreasonable maintenance requests The first step you should take when deciding to invest in real estate How to get your first rental with just $70K (or less) and mistakes beginners make And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube BiggerPockets Agent Finder BiggerPockets Market Finder BiggerPockets Real Estate Investment Calculators Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources Hug Your Haters NeighborhoodScout BrightInvestor Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Analyze Rental Properties Faster with “Real Estate by the Numbers” Property Manager Finder How to Invest in Real Estate with $50K in 2024 (00:00) Intro (01:04) Calculating NOI (08:36) Estimating Maintenance Costs & Other Fees (11:48) Unreasonable Tenant Requests? (23:49) Start Investing with $70K Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-487 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Quitting His Job with Real Estate After Cracking the Cash Flow Code

    Quitting His Job with Real Estate After Cracking the Cash Flow Code
    Nov 20 2024
    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 building wealth. Miller will be the first to tell you that his “coliving” strategy is not rocket science. He should know—he’s a former rocket scientist. After house hacking and renting out the rooms in his home, he realized how much cash flow the rent-by-the-room strategy makes. But instead of buying houses with as many rooms as possible, he began focusing on community living and homes with inviting common spaces, allowing for higher rents. So, how do you start with this strategy? Miller explains, in detail, precisely what makes a great coliving investment property, how to market your rooms to get the most tenants possible, and what to do when conflict arises between roommates. After six properties, he’s still hunting for more, and if you’re looking for higher cash flow rentals, this is a strategy you should definitely try. In This Episode We Cover: How to quit your job and become a full-time real estate investor with “coliving” Coliving explained and why it is NOT the same as renting by the room Miller’s exact “buy box” and what makes a property perfect for coliving Marketing your rooms online and how to quickly screen tenants without taking a hundred phone calls Handling tenant conflict and what to do when roommates aren’t getting along The easiest (and arguably cheapest) way to invest in your first coliving property And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Miller’s Instagram Supply Mate Start Your Real Estate Portfolio with “The House Hacking Strategy” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area What is Co-Living and How Can It Help Your Multifamily Property? Connect with Miller (00:00) Intro (03:09) Quitting His Job! (07:01) Current Portfolio + Coliving 101 (16:56) How to Handle Coliving (24:16) Marketing Your Rooms (26:11) Screening Roommates (34:26) Full-Time Investor Life! (36:13) Tips to Start Coliving (37:32) Connect with Miller! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-486 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Snowballing to 7 Properties in 6 Years with This Rinse-and-Repeat Formula

    Snowballing to 7 Properties in 6 Years with This Rinse-and-Repeat Formula
    Nov 18 2024
    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—an investor and mentor who not only sold Jefferson his first property but also moved in and knowingly rented it from him for a profit! Through this experience, Jefferson quickly learned the incredible scalability of buying properties owner-occupied, converting them into rentals, and repeating the formula. Now, through the power of delegation and automation, he earns active income from near-passive investments that require just one hour of his time each week. This allows him to focus on his home remodeling business, where he earns even more income to pour into real estate! As you’re about to learn, you can find great investment properties in virtually any market, but you’re going to need the right people in place when investing out of state. In today’s episode, Jefferson provides the blueprint for finding more on-market and off-market real estate deals in competitive markets, building out teams, and mitigating risk within your portfolio! In This Episode We Cover: The formula Jefferson used to scale to seven properties in just six years Cash flow versus appreciation (and why you DON’T have to choose one!) The best ways to find better on-market and off-market real estate deals Why you should always analyze your short-term rentals as long-term rentals The investing strategy that can help you mitigate risk within your portfolio The key to turning your rental properties into near-passive investments And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Buy the Book “Scaling Smart” Property Manager Finder Traveling the World Thanks to One $6,500/Month Rental Property Connect with Jefferson (0:00) Intro (00:39) Buying His First Property (05:54) Jefferson’s Portfolio (10:10) Sourcing Deals in Hot Markets (15:37) Jefferson’s Buy Box (21:11) Cash Flow vs. Appreciation (30:18) How to Find a Property Manager (34:09) Equity and Cash Flow Numbers (39:33) Connect with Jefferson! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-485 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • How Much SHOULD You Put Down on an Investment Property? (Rookie Reply)

    How Much SHOULD You Put Down on an Investment Property? (Rookie Reply)
    Nov 15 2024
    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 today’s Rookie Reply! With high mortgage rates, one rookie asks whether it’s better to pay off their home with a seven percent rate INSTEAD of investing in more rentals. Paying off that loan gets you an automatic return, but there’s a strong argument as to why it isn’t the best move. Are you doing your first house flip? Another rookie wonders whether they can negotiate when taking on a hard money loan and if the juice is worth the squeeze for a $50,000 profit on their first flip. Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: Investment property down payments and how much you should put down to prioritize cash flow Whether to keep investing or start paying off your high-interest-rate mortgages Why you can’t just look at the cash flow when analyzing a potential investment Financing a house flip and negotiating with a hard money lender (should you negotiate?) What you should ALWAYS do before you take on a house flip to ensure your numbers are right And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab the New Book, “The House Flipping Framework” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Stop! Before Making a Large Down Payment, Read This (00:00) Intro (01:00) How Much to Put Down? (11:42) Pay Off High Rate Mortgage? (17:49) Financing a House Flip (24:47) Is This Deal Worth It? (29:24) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-484 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • How to Start Flipping Houses for Huge Profits in 2025 (Step-by-Step!)

    How to Start Flipping Houses for Huge Profits in 2025 (Step-by-Step!)
    Nov 13 2024
    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 podcast, and, most recently, author of The House Flipping Framework. With over eighteen years of real estate investing experience and more than 3,500 projects under his belt, James knows more than a thing or two about this lucrative investing strategy. Today, he joins the show to share a few tips from his new book—like how to find the right deal, choose high-quality contractors, and keep your project on budget! Whether you’re new to flipping houses or you need help with home renovations, this episode is loaded with advice to help you start and stand out. You’ll learn everything from choosing a market and analyzing distressed properties to building your team, estimating rehab costs, and more! In This Episode We Cover: How to start flipping houses and stand out in a tough housing market The “biggest lie” in real estate that will stop you from making a profit Why finding a flip-friendly real estate broker is crucial to your success How to calculate your annualized return (and why it matters for house flips) How to choose the right market and build your team for out-of-state projects The step-by-step process for building out an accurate scope of work Staying on budget (and on schedule) with cost-effective home renovation tips And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Buy James’ New Book “The House Flipping Framework” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Flipping Houses: How to Get Started and Everything You Should Know Connect with James (00:00) Intro (01:11) Planning Your Project (05:48) House Flipping Returns (14:39) How to Choose a Market (19:11) Building Your Team (26:06) Estimating Rehab Costs (36:09) 3 Tips for Selling Flips (39:49) Connect with James! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-483 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • “BRRRRing” His Way to Financial Independence EVEN in a Tough Housing Market

    “BRRRRing” His Way to Financial Independence EVEN in a Tough Housing Market
    Nov 11 2024
    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 superpower—finding hidden gems that other investors overlook. And he’s not doing anything that you can’t. Even as a full-time firefighter, he still finds time to attend meetups, go to foreclosure auctions, build his own lists, and contact homeowners about their properties. So far, this strategy has allowed him to find, buy, and fix three properties in three years! Want to replicate his success? Tune in as Karl walks you through each step of the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat). Along the way, you’ll learn where to find undervalued properties, how to manage out-of-state renovations, and when to do a cash-out refinance. You’ll also hear about Karl’s big pivot from long-term rentals to short-term rentals and the huge cash flow boost that came with it! In This Episode We Cover: How to find, fund, and fix distressed or undervalued homes in 2024 Why the BRRRR method still works in today’s challenging market Three ways to buy properties with tax liens (and why they make GREAT investments) Crucial tips for managing an out-of-state home renovation project When to pivot from one investing strategy to another based on your market Why you should focus on stabilizing your real estate portfolio before scaling it And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Buy the Book “Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Making $300K+ Profit Per Rental and Scaling FAST with “DADUs” Connect with Karl (00:00) Intro (00:46) Buying His First Property (03:55) The BRRRR Strategy (11:37) Karl’s Portfolio & Auctions 101 (20:40) DIY & Out-of-State Renovations (29:54) When Should You Refinance? (33:55) Switching to Short-Term Rentals (41:35) Revenue & Tips for Rookies (47:47) Connect with Karl! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-482 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • Should I SELL or RENT My House? + How to Finance Home Renovations (Rookie Reply)

    Should I SELL or RENT My House? + How to Finance Home Renovations (Rookie Reply)
    Nov 8 2024
    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 whether to sell or rent, the best ways to fund home renovations, and answer the mother of all rookie questions, “Is house hacking dead?” With mortgage rates rising yet again and home prices still unaffordable in many areas of the country, does house hacking (renting out other rooms/units to pay your mortgage) still make sense? What if you can’t live for free anymore? Should you abandon the house hacking strategy entirely? We have some interesting thoughts on why we would or wouldn’t house hack in this housing market. Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums! In This Episode We Cover: Whether you should sell or rent your primary residence once you move out The math behind house hacking and whether high interest rates ruined this strategy How to finance home renovations on your next rehab project Taking out a line of credit on your investment properties to fund future investments Whether to convert your property into a short-term rental (more work) or keep it as a long-term rental (less work) And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Protect Your Properties with an LLC through Corporate Direct Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums Grab “The House Hacking Strategy” Book Find Investor-Friendly Lenders Should You Sell Your House or Rent It Out? (00:00) Intro (00:49) Sell or Rent Out Your House? (07:12) Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rentals (08:47) Bet on Appreciation? (12:41) How to Finance Home Renovations (18:48) Is House Hacking Dead? (26:41) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-481 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Making $5K/Month Cash Flow from ONE Property (and Dodging a $100K Mistake)

    Making $5K/Month Cash Flow from ONE Property (and Dodging a $100K Mistake)
    Nov 6 2024
    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 to invest in real estate since his college days, so after landing his first “real” job out of school, he wasted no time buying his first property. Since then, it’s been full speed ahead for Rocky, and in just five years, he has built and scaled his real estate portfolio from zero to fifteen units and two flips. His main investment property, an eleven-unit RV park, nets $5,000 per month alone! In this episode, Rocky talks about the power of renting by the room, leveraging your personal network, and using home equity to grow your portfolio and get access to private deals. You’ll even hear about the $100,000 mistake that Rocky almost made and how altering his strategy allowed him to not only salvage the deal but also make a profit! In This Episode We Cover: How Rocky built his real estate portfolio up to fifteen units (and two flips) in just five years The unique property that can give you $5,000 in monthly cash flow Why house hacking is the BEST investing strategy when you’re just starting out How to achieve financial freedom through real estate investing Creative ways to fund more rental properties without traditional bank financing How altering his strategy on the fly helped Rocky avoid a $100,000 mistake And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable Buy the Book “Real Estate Campgrounds” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area How to Start Making Millions from These Overlooked RV Park Investments Connect with Rocky (00:00) Intro (00:31) Why Real Estate? (04:23) House Hacking 101 (12:01) Building the RV Park (19:47) Tapping Into His Network (27:28) Funding the Campers (30:17) Cash Flow & Investing Goals (34:57) Cash Flow & Investing Portfolio (35:49) Connect with Rocky! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-480 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins