Ever felt like your dreams in real estate are bigger than your bank account? I get it — I’ve been there myself. In this episode, I share my personal journey from clueless first-time landlord to building a real estate business that actually cash flows. We’re talking about the reality behind the old saying “it takes money to make money,” and why it doesn’t always have to be your money. If you’ve been stuck believing you can’t get started without a fortune in your wallet, this conversation will flip your thinking and open your eyes to creative ways of getting capital to launch or scale your investing.

 

We’ll also break down the different types of capital you can use, why getting “capital ready” is the real game-changer, and what I learned the hard way about buying rentals, flipping houses, and making mistakes that nearly cost us everything. I’ll even walk you through an exercise to calculate exactly how much money you need to reach your real estate income goals — and how to find it. Whether you’re dreaming about your first flip or ready to build serious wealth, you’ll walk away knowing how to take actionable steps toward your goals.

 

Timeline Summary

[0:00] - Welcome to the Radio Finders podcast — your guide to finding your first or next deal.

[1:44] - Feeling like your wallet’s empty? Why not having enough capital doesn’t have to stop you.

[5:12] - My early days in real estate: clueless mistakes, flipping houses, and starting out with nothing.

[8:15] - The phrase that haunted me: “It takes money to make money” — and how I learned it doesn’t have to be true.

[14:14] - The entrepreneur bug: from selling candy to exploring franchises, and how those same instincts apply to real estate.

[18:00] - Our turning point: flipping our first house on purpose to buy rentals and create income now — not 30 years from now.

[20:16] - Why real estate is a powerful investment: cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits, and more.

[23:04] - The “how much capital do I need?” exercise — breaking down the math to hit your income goals.

[26:02] - How to become capital ready so banks and private lenders see you as worth lending to.

[28:39] - A personal story about how being bankable helped us keep our business moving when deals got tough.

 

5 Key Takeaways

 

1. Capital doesn’t have to be yours – You can leverage other people’s money through private lending, partnerships, or creative financing to grow your real estate business.

2. Being bankable matters – Building your creditworthiness and having your finances in order makes it easier to get funding when you need it.

3. Education reduces mistakes – Learning the right strategies up front can save you from costly errors like buying unprofitable rentals or flipping without a plan.

4. Define your income goal – Use the simple exercise from this episode to calculate how many flips or rentals you need to reach your desired monthly income.

5. Real estate is a real business – Treat it like one, and it can create both immediate income and long-term wealth — but only if you take action.

 

If you enjoyed this episode, do me a favor: rate, follow, and share the podcast with someone who needs a push to get started in real estate. And don’t forget to leave a quick review — it helps us reach more deal finders like you!