Real Estate Rookie

If you bought and held 10 rental properties—each being paid down by tenants—imagine where you would be 10, 20, or 30 years from now. Financially free? Retired? Today’s guest isn’t worried about cash flow or making a quick buck. He’s using a proven, repeatable formula to build wealth with real estate, and in this episode, he’ll show YOU how to mirror his success! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Zach Stanley went from selling printers to buying a pair of rentals without really knowing what he was getting into. Now, at just 28 years old, Zach already has 10 properties to his name and over $1 million in total equity. The cherry on top? He brings in $3,500 in monthly cash flow, even though he’s playing “the long game” with his investments. This allows him to reinvest his profits, save for down payments, and scale his real estate portfolio faster! In today’s episode, Zach will show you how to find great real estate deals with “conservative” analysis and share the number one mistake new investors make when looking for properties. You’ll also learn why appreciation beats cash flow, especially if you want to scale quickly and build long-term wealth! In This Episode We Cover: How Zach scaled to 10 rental properties and over $1 million in equity Reinvesting your cash flow to build your real estate portfolio faster The massive advantage you gain by teaming up with an investor-friendly agent The rookie’s biggest “blind spot” when analyzing real estate deals Why a sales job can help prime you for real estate investing success And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Automate your real estate finances with banking and AI-powered bookkeeping. Claim your $100 bonus! Grab the Book, “Pillars of Wealth” Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 537 - BUILD, Don’t Buy: The Rookie-Friendly Investing Strategy with 6-Figure Upside Connect with Zach BiggerPockets Agent Finder BiggerPockets Calculators Zach’s Instagram Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-549 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

Making $65,000 in yearly cash flow from three rental properties?! Today’s guests are on a mission to create generational wealth, and they’re doing it with an investing strategy YOU can use to scale your real estate portfolio fast, too—small multifamily properties! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Daniel and Rebeca Hawthorne didn’t come from money, but they’re looking to reverse that trend and give their family a much better life. In just FIVE years, they have built a small multifamily portfolio of 32 rental units. How did they do it? In this episode, they’ll share how they leveraged home equity to buy their first, second, AND third rental property! Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Daniel and Rebeca have had a few tenant horror stories, including one that involves a fraudulent caretaker and over $30,000 in property damage. But despite all the hurdles and growing pains, they’re building massive wealth by amassing units and slowly converting long-term rentals into medium-term rentals for higher cash flow. Stay tuned to hear their full story from childhood poverty to financial freedom! In This Episode We Cover How Daniel and Rebeca scaled to 32 rental units in just FIVE years The blueprint to create generational wealth with small multifamily real estate Leveraging your home equity to fund investment property down payments How to defer capital gain taxes on your property sale with a 1031 exchange Freeing up your time, energy, and ability to scale by hiring a property manager And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-548 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’ve got some money. You’ve got your strategy. You’ve even analyzed a bunch of rentals. But you still can’t find real estate deals that cash flow. What gives? Today, we’re going to share three things YOU can do to turn more “okay” deals into great deals! Welcome to another Rookie Reply! We’re back with more questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, the best place to ask your questions and get top-notch advice from other investors. First, it can be disheartening to analyze rental properties and come up dry, but we’ve got a few simple adjustments that could change your fortune. We’ll also hear from an investor who’s worried about an appraisal that could break their deal and show them how to use it to their advantage instead! Finally, we’ll share the number one investing strategy all newbies should be paying attention to in 2025. This is a low-risk way for any beginner to break into real estate investing. The best part? It can be seriously profitable! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover: Three things you can do to find real estate deals that cash flow The number one thing new investors get wrong when analyzing properties Getting an even better deal by using an appraisal to negotiate with sellers The “hottest” investing strategy beginners need to pay attention to in 2025 How to “soup up” your cash flow with co-living and rent-by-the-room And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram BiggerPockets Agent Finder BiggerPockets Calculators Real Estate Rookie 195 - Financially Free in 2.5 Years by Buying “Low Risk” Rental Properties Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA from Equity Trust Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab the Book “Real Estate by the Numbers” Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 265 - Making $90K/Year with Just ONE Rental by Combining Compassion and Cash Flow Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-547 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

Could rentals give YOU financial freedom? Today’s guest took a giant leap of faith to invest in real estate, and it allowed her to quit her low-paying W2 job in just five years. If you’ve yet to take the first step in your investing journey, this rags-to-riches story will inspire you to get off the sidelines and into the game! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Earning just $28,000 a year as a lab tech and struggling to pay rent on a property she didn’t even own, Deandra McDonald was determined to buy a house and enjoy the long-term benefits of owning real estate. But when her lender told her she couldn’t qualify for a mortgage, Deandra did what so many aspiring investors are unwilling to do—she cut out ALL unnecessary spending to pay off her debts, rebuild her credit, and save for a down payment. In just 18 months, she was able to buy her first house—all while working the same low-paying job! And that’s just the beginning of Deandra’s story. After realizing that renting out a room in her new home could cover her mortgage payment, she caught the multifamily investing bug. Fast forward to today, and Deandra has built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio. Tune in to find out exactly how she did it and how you can copy her success! In This Episode We Cover The investing strategy that helped Deandra to quit her W2 job in just five years How Deandra bought her first property while making just $28,000 a year Fast-tracking your down payment by cutting unnecessary expenses Leveraging your current properties to grow your real estate portfolio The secrets to self-managing your properties (and keeping tenants happy!) How to seamlessly pivot from single-family homes to multifamily investments And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-546 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

Seeing investors with hundreds of rental units can be intimidating, but you DON’T need a massive real estate portfolio to achieve your financial goals. As you’re about to hear, buying just one rental property could allow you to live rent-free and put you on the path toward financial independence! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! From a young age, Ronny Heredia knew he wanted to achieve financial independence, but there had to be a better way than grinding away at a W2 job for 40-plus years. Naturally, he started investing in stocks, but before long, his curiosity had led him to real estate investing. He consumed as much information as he could, saved up some money for a down payment, and purchased his first property—a “luxury” house hack that covers his entire mortgage payment each month! Now, Ronny has (good) problems on his hands. Should he pay off his mortgage or buy more rentals? We’ll explore all his options in today’s episode. But that’s not all. Ronny will also share some of the real estate investing hacks he’s picked up along the way—like the easiest way to raise rent (and keep your tenants happy) and how to use 100%-free AI tools to find the best real estate deals in your market! In This Episode We Cover: Fast-tracking financial independence with a “small and mighty” portfolio Paying off your first property versus scaling your real estate portfolio How to eliminate your mortgage payment with the house hacking strategy The easiest way to negotiate rent increases with your tenants How to use AI to find “hidden gem” properties that other investors overlook And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Real Estate Rookie 429 - The Investing “Map” You NEED to Uncover Hot Markets, Neighborhoods, & Deals Real Estate Rookie 47 - 0 to 7 Deals in a Year Using Other People’s Money with Andres Bernal Ronny’s Instagram Browse AI ChatGPT Manage Your Rental with RentRedi! Collect Mobile Rent Payments, Find Qualified Renters, and Manage Accounting and Maintenance from Anywhere! Buy the Book, “The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor” Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 463 - The “Lazy” Landlord’s Guide to Finding (And Keeping) Tenants & Raising Rents Connect with Ronny Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-545 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

Do you have around $25,000 saved? Good news—you can invest in real estate! There are several ways to get started, but which investing strategy reigns supreme? We’ll show you how to get the best bang for your buck so you can buy your next investment even faster!   Welcome to another Rookie Reply! We went back into the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group and found more investing questions from beginners just like you. Today’s first question comes from an investor who’s struggling to pick a market. Should they hone in on a single area, or will scouring multiple markets speed up their search for the perfect deal? You might be surprised to hear where Ashley and Tony land on this one!   Then, we’ll hear from an investor who has saved $25,000 to put towards their first rental property. Like many rookies, they’re looking to scale their real estate portfolio fast, so we’ll share our favorite strategies for doing just that—including a few outside-the-box ideas. Finally, how do you vet a co-signer when screening tenants? We’ll show you how to cover all your bases! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! In This Episode We Cover How to start investing in real estate with just $25,000 (or less) The best ways to put low (or no) money down on a rental property How to pick the right market to invest in (and when to pick multiple!) The key to finding more real estate deals with a “narrow” buy box How to properly vet a co-signer for your new tenant’s lease And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-544 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

Have high interest rates and home prices affected your ability to buy cash-flowing real estate deals? If you’re struggling to find properties that pencil out, you don’t want to miss this episode. If there’s anyone who can teach you how to find great deals, even in this housing market, it’s today’s guest. He wrote the book on it! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re joined by fellow investor, On the Market co-host, and author of Real Estate Deal Maker, Henry Washington. Given today’s difficult market conditions, is Henry pivoting to another investing strategy? Nope! He’s sticking to “boring,” single-family and multifamily properties that he either rents out to tenants or flips for a profit. But he is changing how he analyzes deals, and he’ll show YOU how to do the same in today’s episode! Stay tuned if you want to know how to buy your first or next rental property in 2025. Henry will show you the four-step approach he uses to find undervalued deals today and how to buy discounted properties from builders looking to move old inventory. But that’s not all. You’ll also learn how to fund these deals using small local banks, retirement accounts, and other people’s money (OPM)! In This Episode We Cover: The four-step “shotgun” approach to finding real estate deals in today’s market Why the way you analyze deals must evolve (even if your strategy doesn’t!) Creative ways to source “undervalued,” off-market real estate deals in any market How to fund your next property by leveraging your retirement accounts Buying discounted properties from builders looking to “offload” inventory How to get your spouse on board with your real estate investing goals And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Henry’s Instagram Grab Henry’s Book, “Real Estate Deal Maker” Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter Find Investor-Friendly Lenders 5 Ways to Find Off-Market Real Estate Deals Like a Pro (00:00) Intro (00:45) Breaking Into Real Estate (03:18) Funding His First Deal (08:48) Analyzing Deals in THIS Market (12:48) “Conservative” Underwriting 101 (22:18) How to Find Deals TODAY (29:57) Getting a Spouse on Board (37:34) Connect with Henry! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-543 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

Making $6,000 in monthly cash flow from just four rentals?! Given the current housing market, it seems impossible, but today’s guest is about to show you the secrets to building a profitable real estate portfolio. There are opportunities out there—you just need to know where to look! While many beginners hope to one day earn enough rental income to quit their W2 jobs, Jamie Banks did the reverse—leaving her job to go all-in on real estate investing. This risky move paid off, as in just two years, she has already built a portfolio with enough income to replace her salary. She started out co-hosting, and while this strategy helped her learn the ropes of residential investing, it wasn’t going to help her build wealth. So, she turned her attention to buying rental properties instead—using her superpower, networking, to find private money lenders who could help fund her deals! Jamie’s journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing. She has heard “no” more times than she can count, tried several investing strategies, and bought a property that barely breaks even. But despite the setbacks, she has always found a way to learn and grow. And Jamie isn’t taking her foot off the gas any time soon. Stay tuned to hear how she plans to scale to $10,000 in monthly cash flow and break into commercial real estate! In This Episode We Cover How Jamie scaled to $6,000 in monthly cash flow in just TWO years The secret to finding “unlimited” money to fund your real estate deals Two strategies you can use to make money before you buy rental properties Using “inside information” to uncover the next up-and-coming markets How to pin down the perfect investing strategy for your long-term goals Getting a mix of stability and high cash flow with medium-term rentals And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-542 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

Many “experts” say you need a real estate LLC once you buy a rental property, but are they right? They also say you need money and great credit to invest in real estate, but we know of other creative ways to get started. Stick around to learn how! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Ashley and Tony have pulled more of your recent questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, and today’s first question comes from an investor who just bought their first rental property. Do they need to set up a limited liability company (LLC) right off the bat, or can they hold off until they grow their real estate portfolio? We’ll show them the best ways to protect their personal assets! We’ll also hear from an investor who wants to get into house hacking. The only problem? They live in an expensive market, and the deal they’re looking at doesn’t pencil out. Could pivoting to another investing strategy make it profitable? Finally, a lack of money keeps many beginners from breaking into real estate, but it doesn’t have to. We’ll share some creative ways to kickstart your investing journey if you don’t have a ton of money or credit! Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!   In This Episode We Cover: Whether you need a limited liability company (LLC) for your first rental property The differences between umbrella policies and LLCs (and which one YOU need) How to create more cash flow from a house hack (even in a pricey market!) How to start your real estate investing journey without much money or great credit Learning the industry and making extra money with real estate side hustles And So Much More! Links from the Show Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile Tony's BiggerPockets Profile Join BiggerPockets for FREE Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie YouTube Follow Real Estate Rookie on Instagram Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply “Like” Real Estate Rookie on Facebook The Millionaire Next Door The Psychology of Money Build Your Investing Network at BPCON2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply Grab “The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down” Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Real Estate Rookie 105 - Don’t Lose Your Portfolio to Lawsuits! Here’s How to Protect Yourself Real Estate Rookie 106 - Asset Protection for Rookies: 7 Wealth-Saving Answers from an Expert (00:00) Intro (00:31) Do You NEED an LLC? (06:32) House Hacking in a Pricy Market (13:50) Investing Without Money or Credit (23:56) Ask Your Question! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-541 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