In this episode, we’re explaining exactly how to buy a rental property in 2025 as a real estate investing beginner. You don’t need to be a landlord already or have any investing experience to follow these steps; all you need is around 40 minutes and the desire to build wealth, find financial freedom, and start investing in your future. Ready? Let’s get you your first rental! These are the steps that Dave followed to eventually build a seven-figure real estate portfolio and reach financial independence himself. We’ll start with YOU—what do you want out of the rental? Cash flow or appreciation? How much time do you have? Want more passive income with slimmer returns or higher returns with a more hands-on approach? Then, we’ll cover tactical steps to help you find (and buy) your first rental before 2025 ends. Steps like picking your market, building your “buy box,” and the multiple ways to find cash-flowing real estate deals. We’re back in a buyer’s market, so you have the upper hand in negotiations. It’s time to make moves and start building serious wealth, one investment property at a time! In This Episode We Cover Why 2025 may be the best time to buy a rental in years! (The market has changed!) One thing you must do before you start looking into rental property investments How to pick a market (and neighborhood) that has the highest return potential The many ways to find real estate deals, both on listing sites and off-market How to negotiate with sellers for BIG concessions (price cuts, interest rate buydowns, and more!) And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1134 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

Want to retire early? What about early retirement AND making millions of dollars tax-free? Only one real estate investing strategy gives you the ability to do both, but 99% of investors won’t try it. Why? We don’t know because today’s two guests, as well as Dave, are all using this investing strategy in 2025 to make a killing on their real estate deals. It’s not house hacking, it’s not medium-term rentals, and it’s not private lending—it’s live-in flipping. Never heard of live-in flipping? There’s a good reason—nobody is doing it, even though it boasts the biggest benefits of almost any real estate strategy out there. This method enabled Mindy Jensen to accumulate millions of dollars in net worth by her early 50s, much of which was tax-free. The same strategy is being used by Ashley Kehr and Dave to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit simply by buying a house, fixing it up while living in it, and reselling it. How does this get you to early retirement? Simple: you make hundreds of thousands tax-free, more than what your job might pay you over several years, dramatically boosting your bank account and allowing your investments to multiply way faster. Anyone can do it—whether you’re single, have a partner, or kids—and the benefits are unbeatable. Wanna know how to start? Mindy, the expert on live-in flips, is sharing her secrets in today’s episode. In This Episode We Cover Live-in flipping 101, the best real estate strategy for tax-free millions What type of house makes the best live-in flip (with the highest profits) What level of renovation to put into the house (DON’T pick your favorite upgrades) Tips to keep your family comfortable while live-in flipping, especially if you have kids Financing a live-in flip and one easy way to get a lower interest rate And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1133 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

This investor is making $100,000 per year with small, affordable, repeatable rental properties. He started investing years ago but recently bought another home-run rental for just $87,000, which will continue to boost his passive income. His slow, steady “tortoise” approach is one that anyone (especially beginners) can use in 2025 to build wealth and massive passive income through rental property investing. How do you do it? He’s sharing his blueprint. Nathan Nicholson woke up one day in his 30s to realize that his bank account had only $32,000 in it. While by no means is $32,000 a small sum, as a top producer in the mortgage business, he expected to have much more—something needed to change. After watching clients close (and make it rich) on rentals, he decided to give it a shot. But instead of going for the biggest house his money could buy, he opted for a small, affordable property where less could go wrong. It was a good move and one worth repeating. Fast forward over a decade later, Nathan has 22 properties, 10 of which are paid off, with six-figure cash flow coming in every year. He scaled smart (and safely) using his “tortoise approach” to investing—an approach you can use, too! In This Episode We Cover Why buying small (less than 1,000 square feet!) rentals is a smart move for beginners Taking the “tortoise approach” to wealth so you safely get to early retirement Cashing out your 401(k) for rentals? Why Nathan says it’s worth it One quick calculation (that beats the 1% rule) every investor should use Why Nathan is buying even more as price cuts hit many major housing markets And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1132 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

“Should I buy a house now or wait until prices fall further?” If you’re a first-time homebuyer or regular real estate investor, you’ve no doubt asked yourself this question. Home prices are falling in many major markets, and affordability could be improving for Americans. There’s a strong chance home prices could fall even further throughout this year, so should you wait for the bottom or take your chances and put something under contract now? Dave is sharing his exact investing plan today. With new home price predictions from top housing market data leaders like Zillow forecasting a drop in home prices, many buyers are remaining hesitant. But, as a real estate investor, you’re not buying your dream house—you’re looking for deals. Dave shares a simple strategy he uses to gauge when to buy, even when the housing market is going in different directions. If you follow this method, you’ll not only (most likely) be better off than the average investor, but you’ll be buying with far less stress and far greater strategy. Plus, what are the scenarios for the next year or two? Is there a chance that home prices could reverse and return to appreciation territory by this time next year? Dave is sharing his take so you can make better investment decisions. In This Episode We Cover Dave’s exact real estate investing plan for buying in 2025 and 2026 New home price predictions and why top experts have flipped their forecasts One simple, repeatable strategy to invest in rising and falling real estate markets The “upsides” you MUST look for when investing in real estate in 2025 Is 2025 the bottom? Why it may not even matter for savvy real estate investors And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1131 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

Your idea of a “dream home” or “dream investment property” is stopping you from building wealth and taking steps toward financial freedom. Don’t believe us? Today’s guest proves it. Mitra Kalita lives in her dream home today, but it’s only because she bought a house FAR from what was her dream back in 2002. With her family moving often, she was accustomed to packing up and making somewhere new her home throughout her childhood. So, when it was time to buy her first property, then later move, settle in, move again, and repeat, it was nothing new. This has now led to her dream home, but it only started because she made a move on that first property. Mitra went through the 2008 housing crash as a journalist, seeing what actual loss looked like for everyday Americans. However, even with memories of the last crash, she still owns real estate and hopes the new generation of first-time homebuyers can do the same. Today, we’re talking with Mitra about the impact 2008 had on the housing market and society at large, why your “dream home” often comes after your first home, and why working while investing is a superpower that most Americans are missing. In This Episode We Cover Why you should ditch the “dream” home/property idea and buy now instead How the 2008 housing crash changed America forever and still affects today’s buyers Is buying a house still worth it, and if so, will most millennials ever get their chance to buy? Why combining real estate investing and a strong career can be a wealth-building superpower And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1130 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

It doesn’t take long to replace your income through rental property investing. Just ask Miller McSwain, who quit his job two and a half years after buying his first rental property! But it wasn't a standard rental with just one tenant and one income stream that got him there. Instead, a new “mega cash flow” strategy got him to his goal in record time. It’s not short-term rentals, mid-term rentals, or house flipping, but something that might work even better. Miller was a nuclear rocket scientist by day (yes, seriously) and a house hacker by night. He bought a property just after graduation, using his job offer as proof of income to the bank. He and his fiancée (now wife) lived in the basement while renting out the rooms on the top floors. He was saving tons on rent and living for almost free. So, why couldn’t he do this on a bigger scale? He could, and he did. This “co-living” strategy became Miller’s new obsession. Now, he’s got six rental properties with over 40 tenants, making thousands of dollars a month from each property in pure cash flow. He’s sharing exactly how to do it and does so in-depth in his new book, Co-Living Cash Flow, so you can quit your job, or at least replace some, or all, of your income with the fewest properties possible. In This Episode We Cover Miller’s “mega cash flow” strategy that produces way more passive income than regular rentals Exactly what to look for in the perfect “co-living” property for happy tenants (and neighbors) The “community” events Miller throws at his properties that lead to lower vacancy Discounting security deposits? The method behind Miller’s genius tenant screening tactic How to remotely manage co-living rentals yourself (no need to pay a manager!) And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1129 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

You can buy five rentals in just five years, even with less than 5% down. Today, we’re teaching you three savvy strategies to quickly scale your real estate portfolio so you can start building wealth without waiting years and years to buy your first (or next) investment property. And no, we’re not just talking about house hacking—Dave is walking through three separate strategies you can use to buy five rentals in just five years. All three methods are effective in today’s market and can be repeated even by a beginner. These strategies are broken down by financial starting point: 1) starting with little money, 2) having a solid amount saved, and 3) having a lot saved for investment. So, whether you’re a graduate fresh out of college who's ready to invest in rentals or a doctor/lawyer/executive with hundreds of thousands sitting around, we have a strategy for you. The best part? As your portfolio grows, you can combine these strategies to reach your financial freedom goals faster and pick the path that works best for you as your wealth grows. Ready to get started? Follow this plan, and by 2030, you’ll have five rental properties! In This Episode We Cover How to buy five rental properties in just five years (even with 3.5% down!) The beginner-friendly strategy that successful real estate investors recommend How to recycle your money with the BRRRR method and supercharge your scaling Got a high income? Why buying turnkey, easy-to-manage rentals could be your best bet Full math examples of the methods, how much money it takes, and how much you’ll make And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1128 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

Rentals can give you much more than just bigger pockets. They can buy you time, flexibility, and the freedom to design an adventurous and fulfilling life. Just ask today’s guest, who built a simple real estate portfolio that runs itself—creating space for midday hikes, living abroad, and passion projects. In this episode, he’ll show YOU how to slow down and do the same! Today, Chad Carson, investor and author of The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor returns to the show to share how real estate investing gave him much more than money. Chad has been investing for decades, but now, he’s making a major shift. Rather than accumulating more rental properties, he’s paying off the ones he already owns. Instead of putting in 80-hour workweeks, he’s traveling, taking mini-retirements, and prioritizing his life goals. And the best part? Some weeks, he spends as little as two hours on his portfolio! Want to copy Chad’s success? In this episode, he’ll show you how to trade the rat race—whether that means long hours at your nine-to-five or the relentless grind of scaling your investments—for time freedom, a flexible portfolio, and a real estate business that works for you. In This Episode We Cover How Chad optimized his real estate portfolio for a two-hour workweek Why real estate’s real return isn’t money—but time, freedom, and flexibility How to use real estate investing to build a fulfilling life (not just a big portfolio!) Swapping traditional retirement for mini-retirements that help you savor life while you’re young The power of paying down mortgages versus buying more rental properties How to ditch the rat race for a real estate business that works for YOU And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1127 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

There are still real estate deals even in 2025. To prove it, we’re taking three real (on-market!) deals and analyzing them three ways: as a long, medium, and short-term rental to see which will have the highest cash flow. All of these properties are around or under the median home price in the US and have at least one strategy that makes them profitable, even in 2025 with today’s high interest rates. To help run the deal analysis, Ashley Kehr from the Real Estate Rookie podcast and Garrett Brown from BiggerStays join us to crunch the numbers. You’re probably thinking, “Short-term rentals always make more than long-term rentals!” but that isn’t exactly the case. With the added expense of short-term rental management, some deals may work MUCH better as a long or medium-term rental. We’ve even got some bonus strategies to share to boost your rental property profits, like renting-by-the-room to get even more revenue and subdividing your lot so you can sell it and pay off your rental faster (more cash flow!). These deals still work in 2025, and today, we’re sharing exactly where we found them. In This Episode We Cover How to analyze a rental property as a short, medium, and long-term rental The one overlooked cost you should ALWAYS account for on a short-term rental A sneaky tactic to get extra cash if you’re on a BIG lot Using the “coliving” (rent-by-the-room) strategy to get even more rent every month Why short-term rental regulations are a good thing for investors And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1126 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

Everyone wants to know how to become a millionaire in real estate. And surprisingly, getting there isn’t all that hard. You can create a seven-figure net worth by investing for just 8-12 years, and if you’re willing to put in a little more work, you can get there faster. Dave has done it, and a million of our BiggerPockets members have done it, too. So today, we’re sharing the real estate millionaire math so you can repeat it and reach your financial independence number faster. We’re not just showing you how to get to a million dollars in equity. We’re also discussing what you need to know to replace your salary with rental properties. This way, you’ll have cash flow to live off of and appreciation to build your wealth. Using the four “building blocks” of real estate, you can skyrocket your wealth in a (relatively) short amount of time. Maybe you want to be a millionaire in less than a decade and build a real estate portfolio faster. Great! We’re sharing two extra levers you can pull to make more money from your properties IF you’re willing to put in the work. What are you waiting for? Let’s make your first million! In This Episode We Cover How to become a millionaire with real estate in just 8-12 years (we did the math) Replacing your salary with rentals and how to “compound” your cash flow The four ways that real estate makes you rich (it’s not just rent checks) Two other wealth “levers” you can pull to get to millionaire status faster Should you buy a rental property in cash? Here’s what happens to your returns And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1125 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

49 of the nation’s 50 largest metro area housing markets are showing “weaker” home price growth in 2025. For some, this signals a long-predicted crash/correction on the horizon. But for others (like Dave), it’s something very different, and could be a huge help for the aspiring real estate investor. For years, we’ve been struggling with a dangerous combination of high rates, high home prices, and low affordability. If top markets are starting to weaken and prices are softening, could this actually be a good sign for investors and buyers waiting on the sidelines? If mortgage rates come down and wages continue to grow, are we inching closer to equilibrium and the more affordable housing market we’ve all been waiting for? In this bonus episode, Dave is explaining why housing market “weakness” is a sign of long-term strength and a huge opportunity for investors willing to make moves. Don’t believe him? Dave shares a personal bet he’s making on the housing market—with a lot of money on the line—that could turn out to be a genius move in the years ahead. What’s his plan? Stick around, we’re getting into it! In This Episode We Cover Why 98% of major housing markets are seeing “weaker” home price growth in 2025 Why price softness does NOT signal a crash or correction Good news for first-time homebuyers: purchasing could become more affordable The three factors of an affordable housing market (and are we shifting to better affordability?) Dave’s recent rental property move to capitalize on this window of opportunity And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1124⁠-5 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

When is the right time to invest in real estate? We’ve all asked ourselves this, and if you’ve been thinking about buying rentals, you probably have, too. Whether you’re 20 or 50, have a little money or a lot, that first real estate deal can seem so...scary. You’ve never done this before, and things can (and will) go wrong, so how do you know you’re ready? Have you read enough books, saved enough for emergencies, or looked at enough houses? We’ve got three investors who all started in different positions to help get you an answer. Dave started investing right after college when he was waiting tables and had barely any money in the bank. Henry began to invest well into his working career, but with a family to take care of in the near future, he had to invest differently. On the other hand, Jonathan Greene was born into real estate, with an investor father who taught him the ropes from childhood. Each expert started from a different place, but they all agree on when it makes sense to invest. How much money do you need to make? How much free time should you set aside? What should your bank account look like? Do you need to know how to renovate and repair? Each investor will share where they think you should be to successfully invest in real estate. Good news—you might already be there! In This Episode We Cover The right age to invest in real estate (and can you ever be too young/old?) How much money you should have in case your first deal goes wrong Growing your confidence to buy and how many houses you should view before bidding The time it takes to invest in real estate on the side (do you have the schedule for it?) Financial signs that you’re NOT ready to buy a rental (and how to fix your finances) Is it too late to invest with high home prices and interest rates? And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1124 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

Want to retire early? You don’t need millions of dollars in stocks, retirement accounts, or cash to do it. You might just need a handful of rental properties. Today’s guest, Paul Novak, only started investing four years ago in 2021, but he’s already nearly at his early retirement goal through rental property investing. He may only need one or two more rentals to fully retire in his mid-40s. Want to trim twenty years off of your working career? Follow Paul’s plan! After realizing that stock investing could only get him to retirement so fast, Paul knew he needed a better path to early retirement. He thought real estate could be the answer. The problem? This was 2021, where every house was going over asking and competition was steep. He finally got a deal done after previous ones fell through and found he was already making 10 times more money than his stocks were giving him. It became a no-brainer to repeat the strategy. Fast forward to 2025, Paul has five rentals, with seven units in total, and he’s nearly at his cash flow goal to retire from his job. He did it all through some very creative rental financing. One more rental could unlock the holy grail: early retirement, time freedom, and plenty of passive income. And this is just four years into his investing journey! In This Episode We Cover How to retire early in just ten years with boring, repeatable rental deals 401(k) loans, HELOCs (home equity lines of credit), and other ways to fund your rentals Why interest rates don’t matter as much as you think they do How to run your numbers on rentals so you’re ALWAYS making money Why you don’t need a dozen or more rentals to reach financial freedom And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1123 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

The housing market is going through another significant shift. Sellers have lost even more control as price cuts become common in some top markets. Rents are flat, but will they stay this way? The Trump administration presents a groundbreaking proposal that could greatly affect many real estate investors. This is May 2025’s housing market update, where we’re filling you in on all the biggest stories affecting real estate! The market “softening” continues. Inventory is rising, and sellers are realizing this isn’t 2022 anymore. Price cuts have become common in Texas, Florida, and California. But other markets are still seeing price jumps, so have the southern states become the new buyer’s markets? Investing opportunities could be here for the right buyers, and Dave has already made a move, locking up his latest investment to capitalize on what’s to come. But what about mortgage rates? Do we have any hope that we’ll get below 6% this year? Dave shares his updated mortgage rate “range” for 2025. Have Section 8 renters? You’ll want to hear the end of today’s episode as a new proposal from the Trump administration could slash Section 8 funding, putting tenants and landlords in a tricky position. All that, and more, in today’s episode! In This Episode We Cover The housing market “shift” pushing us into a bigger buyer’s market The end of Section 8? A new proposal from D.C. could cause major cuts Markets with the most price cuts and areas where prices are rising instead Mortgage rate forecast and the range we could hover around for the rest of the year Investing opportunities with “juicier” returns as sellers lose control Rent price updates and which properties will get hit hardest as vacancy rises And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1122 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

This is how to find investment properties that make real money in 2025. No “off-market” deals, no mailing letters, no cold calling—we’ll walk you through how to find profitable, on-market rental properties that anyone can spot in any market across the country. Plus, how to separate “upside” potential from money pits that aren’t worth the price. Dave has been buying rentals for 15 years, and he’s showing you his exact method. If you’re used to browsing listing sites like Zillow, Realtor, or Redfin, prepare to get your mind blown. We just released a brand new tool, BiggerDeals (100% free, by the way), that allows you to quickly search on-market properties and instantly get their cash flow, cash-on-cash return, cap rate, and rent-to-value ratios. This trims down your search time for properties by a massive margin. Now that you’ve used BiggerDeals to find your next potential rental, Dave will show you how to run the numbers in-depth to ensure you’re buying a deal, not a dud. If the numbers work, and it fits your buy box, it’s time to make an offer! The deal-finding and analysis can all be done in minutes, which means you’re WAY closer to your first (or next) rental property than you thought! In This Episode We Cover How to find profitable rental properties in any market in just minutes with BiggerDeals Why you DON’T need to find “off-market deals” to invest in real estate The “funnel” approach to finding rentals and how to trim down your search time by 90%+ Using the rental property calculator to easily run your numbers How to estimate variable expenses on your next investment property The one thing you should always do before you offer on a property And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1121 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