In this episode, your host, Ann Reed, flips the script and shows up as a guest along with her husband, Dexter, to share their journey as real estate investors-something neither of them ever imagined they'd be doing, until they did. Here are the top takeaways from today's show.

1. You Don’t Need a Fortune—Just the Right Knowledge

“If you have the funds but don’t know the rules of the game, you can’t play it.”
Ann and Dexter highlight how close they were to launching their real estate journey earlier—but lacked a knowledgeable guide. The empowered investor learns that real estate is possible without massive wealth, as long as you're equipped with the right mentorship and education.

2. Equity is Power—Use It Strategically

“Rather than pulling equity out and buying an investment property, we built our ADU...and rented it on Airbnb.”
They leveraged their primary home’s equity to build an income-generating ADU—proving that thinking creatively and strategically about your home’s value can jumpstart passive income and future purchases.

3. Create a Legacy, Not Just Cash Flow

“Our goal was to accumulate properties and have at least one for each kid.”
The long-game vision is powerful here. Ann and Dexter’s strategy isn't just about wealth now—it’s about planting generational seeds so their kids inherit knowledge and assets. Empowered investors are legacy builders.

4. Impact Investing Can Start with One Door

“We figured out a way that you can invest in real estate and have it be beneficial to the investor—and to the community at large.”
Their nonprofit, Modest House Foundation, embodies conscious capitalism. They’re housing people in transition and showing that social impact and profitability can go hand-in-hand.

5. Start Where You Are—Regular People Build Wealth Too

“We’re seriously such regular people. If we could do it, anybody can do it.”
Their journey proves that you don’t need to come from money to build wealth through real estate. With a willingness to learn, take action, and stay the course, anyone who is empowered can build their portfolio one property at a time.

Want to learn more? Hop on the waitlist for the Soulful Investor Society and you'll be the first to know when the doors open AND you'll get lots of amazing freebies, including a FREE 1:1 coaching session where we'll map out your plan from start to finish, so you can finally build that real estate investment portfolio.

You can also find me on IG @annreedandco where I share daily musings on real estate, mindfulness, being an almost empty nester, and more.