In this special FamilyCast episode, I sit down with David Albin, a high-performing member of our Wicked Smart® community who just closed his first creative real estate deal—while juggling a demanding W-2 job and family life.

David brings a unique background to the table: 26 years in the military, 25 years in corporate accounting, and now he's diving head-first into real estate investing using creative financing. If you've ever wondered, "Can I actually do this while working full time?" or "What happens after my first deal?"—this is your episode.

We break down the real estate deal from start to finish, including how David landed the seller, how he sifted through buyers, and how he confidently closed a $26,000 payday—without ever owning the home. Plus, we unpack the incredible support system that helped him get there.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:30 Who is David Albin?

04:30 Why David decided to join the Wicked Smart community in 2023

06:00 How David incorporates real estate into his schedule

07:15 How the goal to supplement retirement grew

08:25 The power of community and camaraderie

11:20 What makes live events like QLS and In the Trenches so impactful 14:16 David's first creative deal

16:46 Switching from owner financing to assign out

18:11 Listing the property and getting flooded with buyer inquiries 21:51 How Nick and the team helped him vet buyers using Next Step forms 26:49 REI BlackBook, tracking, and scripting for your deals

28:00 Building confidence through the support from the community

32:02 Lessons learned from the first deal 35:09 Why you need to get to the next live event: QLS Live 2024

Quotables

"This started as a side hustle to build retirement savings. But once I did the first deal, I realized—it could replace the W-2."

"I felt like I was drowning at first. But once I got the scripts and the support, it clicked—and the deal closed fast."

"Getting to $26K on a property I never owned… that'll change how you think about income."

Links

QLS Live

https://qlslive.com

Real Estate On Your Terms and Deal Structure Overtime

https://wickedsmartbooks.com/podcast

FREE Master's Class

http://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast

FREE Strategy Session with Chris Pre

http://smartrealestatecoach.com/actionpodcast

QLS 4.0

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qlspodcast

Investor Resources

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/resources

Apprentice Program

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/apprenticepodcast

In the Trenches Bootcamp

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/ittbpodcast

3 Paydays Virtual Event

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/3paydayspodcast

REI Blackbook

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/REIBB-DD

7 Figures Funding

https://smartrealestatecoach.com/7figures-pod