Five rental properties are all you need to change your life. This income alone could cover all your bills, allowing your entire paycheck to go toward investing as you're fast-tracked to financial freedom and early retirement. Even if you’ve got a demanding job with long hours and limited free time, investing in real estate is STILL the right move. Today’s guest was able to utilize her (very limited) downtime to build a rental portfolio of six units, all while managing her hectic day job. Now, she’s in a great position to retire early and is even eyeing her dream retirement house as we speak.

Jessica Cruel is editor-in-chief at Allure & SELF, but before the big title, she was living in expensive Newark, New Jersey, looking to invest in real estate while making less than six figures a year. After watching her ex-boyfriend successfully do a real estate deal, she thought, “If he can do it, I can do it better.” So, she bought a rental with multiple units but a sizable renovation checklist. It took her two years to turn it around, but now, she’s cashing the checks that will fund her early retirement.

Six years later, Jessica has a six-unit portfolio, with enough income to cover her bills and a hunger to build her small, slow-but-steady, financial freedom-enabling real estate portfolio. If she can do it in her pricey area, why can’t you? 

In This Episode We Cover

The single best strategy for starting in real estate (it will save you a TON)

Why you DON’T need a huge real estate portfolio to retire early 

How to invest in real estate even with a demanding day job

How NOT to get your AC unit stolen while you’re away (seriously) 

Buy your retirement home now! How to have your dream home pay for itself

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1135

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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

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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

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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

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“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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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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

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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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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