For the past 999 episodes of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast, we’ve heard stories from investors who have achieved financial freedom through rental property investing. However, when we started this podcast in 2013, it was a different time. The housing market had crashed just years earlier, prices were still recovering, and cash flow was abundant in many markets. But things have changed, and now we’re changing, too. Welcome to our 1,000th episode and your first look at the new BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast.

We’re getting back to the basics, sharing investor strategies that work in today’s market and showcasing the data investors need to know now so they can reach financial freedom faster. Our first guest on this new wealth-building journey is Scott Trench, CEO of BiggerPockets and rental property investor.

Today, we ask Scott, “Is financial freedom still possible through real estate, and if so, how do investors achieve it in this housing market?” Scott shares what both beginner and experienced investors must do now to reach financial freedom, who should even be investing in the first place, and the best beginner investment EVERYONE listening to this should be taking full advantage of. 

Ready to start building your path to financial freedom today? The BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast is the best place to be! 

We also want to thank David Greene and Rob Abasolo for their massive contributions—David Greene for nearly 7 years as a host and co-host of the podcast, and Rob Abasolo for many of the past 250 episodes. They did a fantastic job building on the foundations poured by our Founder, Josh Dorkin, and Brandon Turner and continued the work of changing millions of lives.

While we had hoped that Rob and David would continue to stay on as hosts in this rotational capacity, we completely understand their desire to move on to their next adventures, and wish them success in those endeavors, knowing that they will continue to change many lives with their thought leadership. We wish them the best of luck in their next endeavors.

In This Episode We Cover

The new BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast and what we’re changing starting today

Whether you can still achieve financial freedom through real estate in 2024

The best beginner strategy to start building wealth, EVEN with little money 

Who should begin investing in real estate and whether you have what it takes 

The problem with “passive income” and why hands-on rentals beat it 

Investing in affordable markets and who should start with out-of-state investing 

How you can become a millionaire without having a huge rental portfolio

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-1000th-episode-of-bpre

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Real estate investing offers a roadmap to financial freedom, but it’s far from easy. If you’re feeling the stress of ownership, whether it’s due to a difficult tenant or unforeseen expenses, you may be ready to throw in the towel. But before you sell your investment property out of frustration, you’ll want to hear what Ashley and Tony have to say!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Are you looking to increase rents? Choosing the right renovations is key, and in today’s episode, we’ll help you determine which projects to prioritize. We also talk about the one-percent rule—a popular benchmark investors use to determine whether a deal is good or bad. Should you buy a rental property that falls short of this golden number? Our answer might surprise you! Finally, we dive into turnkey properties, their pros and cons, and what you should know about them before you buy!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums!

In This Episode We Cover

What to do when you feel like quitting real estate investing altogether

When to sell a rental property (and where to redeploy your home equity!)

The BEST home renovation projects for raising rents

Whether you should buy a property that doesn’t meet the one-percent rule

The pros and cons of investing in turnkey rental properties

And So Much More!

(00:00) Intro

(00:55) Rent-Raising Renovations

(08:30) Should I QUIT Real Estate?

(18:14) When to Sell a Property

(29:46) Breaking the 1% Rule!

(37:13) Buying Turnkey Rentals

(44:39) Send Us Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-440

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Real estate bookkeeping is one of the tedious but necessary tasks that comes with owning a rental property. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the things that can make or break your real estate business. Can you do your own accounting? Should you hire a bookkeeper? It’s easy to become overwhelmed by your financials, which is why we’ve brought in a specialist to deliver a crash course on this crucial topic!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re joined by certified public account (CPA) Sarah Bratcher, who is going to share five things every investor should know about bookkeeping. Along the way, you’ll learn the differences between CPAs, bookkeepers, and financial planners so that you can make the right hire for your real estate business. Sarah also shares some of the biggest red flags to watch out for when hiring a CPA, as well as some telltale signs that it’s time to let your current CPA go!

But that’s not all! Commingling personal and business income is an issue that gets investors in hot water with the IRS, but fortunately, Sarah has a simple solution that will help you avoid legal pitfalls altogether. You’ll also learn how to set up software, systems, and accounts that make your life easier!

In This Episode We Cover

Five things every rookie investor should know about bookkeeping

How to choose an accounting software that best aligns with your investing goals

Red flags to look for when hiring (or firing!) a certified public accountant (CPA)

Why you NEED an investor-friendly tax preparer (and how to find one!)

Preventing liability issues by separating your personal and business income

The differences between CPAs, bookkeepers, and financial planners (and which one to hire!)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Find Investor-Friendly Tax and Financial Experts

Buy “The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

See Ashley at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Real Estate Accounting for Newbies

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) Advice for New Investors

(07:44) Software & Business Accounts

(17:15) Systems & Chart of Accounts

(24:48) Hiring (and Firing!) CPAs

(30:04) HUGE Bookkeeper Red Flags

(33:06) Connect with Sarah!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-439

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

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Every real estate deal is hard work, whether your investing strategy is house flipping, buy and hold, or even wholesaling. If your goal is to not only get a great deal under contract but also make money after closing, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When we last spoke with husband-and-wife investing duo Sean and Ann Wayne, they had completed twelve deals—an impressive feat for any new investor. But over the last three years, they have discovered all kinds of tips, tricks, and strategies that have helped them triple their output in that time. How did they do it? In today’s episode, they’re going to update you on their investing journey and share their findings with you!

Tune in as Sean and Ann teach you about flipping houses and home renovations. Along the way, you’ll learn about the importance of design proposals—your secret weapon for organizing rehab projects, managing your timeline, and keeping your budget in check. You’ll also learn how to save money on materials, the biggest dos and don’ts when working with contractors, and some of the biggest rookie mistakes to avoid on any project!

In This Episode We Cover

What you must know before starting your own house flipping business

Why crafting a design proposal is crucial before kicking off a rehab project

The number one mistake rookies make between contract and closing

Why it’s so important to define roles within your real estate business

How to find and keep a good contractor (and the dos and don’ts of managing them)

Why you can’t afford NOT to have a survey done before a house flip

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Buy “The Book on Flipping Houses”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

See Ashley and Tony at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Real Estate Rookie – Episode 63: Diverging From Corporate Life to Flip Houses Full-Time with Sean and Ann Wayne

(00:00) Intro

(00:44) Current Portfolio & Strategy

(05:55) How to Find Deals

(09:30) Working with the City

(15:24) Design Proposals 101

(17:52) Saving Money on Materials

(26:11) Getting Creative with Design

(30:41) KEY Advice for Rookies

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-438

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

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Not quite ready to invest in real estate? Maybe you’re still getting your finances in check or saving for a bigger down payment. In any case, don’t sit on your hands! While you wait, there are plenty of things you can do to become a more knowledgeable investor and prepare for your first deal!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today’s episode is jam-packed with essential tips for those who are just starting out. First, what market should you invest in? Ashley and Tony will show you how to identify up-and-coming neighborhoods before they explode! Most investors will also need to furnish a short-term rental or renovate a distressed property at some point in their journey. We’ll show you a hack that could help you save thousands of dollars when buying materials, furniture, and décor. At what point should you hire a bookkeeper? Can you manage your own books? Tune in for a few real estate accounting tips!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums!

In This Episode We Cover

What EVERY rookie must learn before investing in real estate

How to save thousands of dollars when furnishing (or renovating) your rentals

When to hire a bookkeeper for your real estate business (and how to do it yourself!)

How to analyze a market and niche down on up-and-coming neighborhoods

Required reading for new investors (and the best skills to learn!)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

See Ashley and Tony at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Real Estate Rookie – Episode 429: The Investing “Map” You NEED to Uncover Hot Markets, Neighborhoods, & Deals w/ Ariel Herrera

Check Out the BiggerPockets Market Finder Tool

(00:00) Intro

(00:49) Do I Need a Bookkeeper?

(06:43) Finding Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods

(12:48) The BEST Way to Fund Your Projects

(20:48) What to Know BEFORE You Invest

(30:18) Send Us Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-437

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owning rentals could help you become financially free, afford you more time with family, and allow you to travel the world. Whether you’re stuck in a career you dislike or you need a more flexible job, you’re about to learn that real estate investing could be your golden ticket!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Despite earning six-figure salaries as engineers, Emily Love and her husband were stressed, exhausted, and dissatisfied at their nine-to-five jobs. So, with the goal of one day trading their W2s for financial freedom, they set out to buy their first rental property. Little did they know that ONE deal would quickly snowball into a real estate portfolio with twelve doors—allowing them to leave their engineering careers behind and replace their income with a concoction of cash flow from rentals, co-hosting, and consulting!

Do you dream of leaving your job and becoming a full-time real estate investor? You won’t want to miss this episode! Emily shares how she reverse-engineered her cost-of-living number to set clear investing goals, used the profits from her first property to build her portfolio, and created multiple streams of income in her real estate business!

In This Episode We Cover

How Emily and her husband replaced TWO six-figure salaries with real estate

Why your FIRST real estate deal is so important for achieving your investing goals

How to scale a portfolio that allows you to leave your nine-to-five job

Reverse-engineering your cost-of-living figure to find your investing strategy

How to start (and scale!) your own co-hosting business from scratch

The BEST ways to find high-quality contractors for your renovation projects

How to extract multiple income streams from your real estate business

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Try Hospitable, The Highest-Rated Vacation Rental Software

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Buy the Book “Start with Strategy”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

See Ashley at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Real Estate Rookie – Episode 347: How to Quit Your W2 Job and Become a Full-Time Real Estate Investor

(00:00) Intro

(00:48) Life Before Real Estate

(07:31) Current Portfolio & First Deal

(15:16) “Snowballing” with Rentals

(21:28) Leaving Her W2 Job

(26:58) Creating Other Income Streams

(34:59) How to Start Today!

(36:54) Connect with Emily!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-436

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re holding out for the “perfect” deal, you’ll always be on the sidelines. Today’s guests weren’t afraid to take on a challenge with their first rental property, and it paid HUGE dividends. Not even an expensive market or extensive rehab could stop them from making money and reaching their investing goals!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Noreen and Derek Eddy are a real estate investing power couple who took a big risk with their first deal—a distressed, multifamily property that had recently been foreclosed on. To make matters worse, they were forced to turn their renovation project into a live-in flip once their contractor didn’t hold up his end of the bargain. Rather than straining their relationship, this DIY project brought them closer together, and today, the property’s revenue covers most of their mortgage!

In this episode, you’ll learn all about the low-money-down loan you can use to finance your property and renovation costs, as well as a lesser-known strategy you can use to find rare deals in a competitive market. Finally, Noreen and Derek will offer advice on dealing with tenants and how to get along while living under the same roof!

In This Episode We Cover

Whether you should buy a multifamily property as your FIRST investment

203(k) loans explained, their pros and cons, and when to get one

How to cover your mortgage using the house hacking strategy

Finding rare deals outside of the multiple listings service (MLS)

How to become a landlord and what to include in your lease agreements

Why tenant placement is the KEY to a successful house hack

And So Much More!

(00:00) Intro

(00:53) Finding a RARE First Deal

(13:07) 203(k) Loans Explained

(18:28) Investing with Your Spouse

(20:46) Numbers on the Property

(25:29) House Hacking with Tenants

(32:38) 2AM Police Visits!?

(39:11) What’s Next for the Eddys?

(42:43) Connect with Noreen & Derek!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-435

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Home renovation projects aren’t cheap, and it’s easy to let your budget spiral out of control if you’re not careful. Fortunately, we have several tips, tricks, and hacks that will help you save a fortune on your rehabs—from finding deals on materials to an investor hack that gives you money back every time you place an order!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Are you investing out-of-state? We’ll show you how to find, vet, and manage contractors from miles away in today’s episode. Not sure if you’re ready to buy your next rental property? In this episode, we’ll break down a listener’s financials and help them (and you!) make the right choice. But that’s not all. Perhaps you’ve thought about renting by the room to help cover your mortgage but don’t know whether house hacking is for you. Make sure you listen to Ashley and Tony’s advice before diving in!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question on the BiggerPockets Forums!

In This Episode We Cover

The BEST places to find materials for your home renovation projects

How to save money on material orders with THIS investor hack

When to buy your NEXT property (and why you always need an exit strategy!)

How to find, vet, and manage contractors when investing out-of-state

What you MUST know before using the rent-by-the-room investing strategy

And So Much More!

(00:00) Intro

(01:01) Rent-By-The-Room Strategy

(08:30) BEST Places to Buy Materials

(16:35) Should I Buy Another Property?

(21:39) Managing Contractors Remotely

(34:32) Send Us Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-434

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting a real estate business is one of the best ways to achieve financial freedom, replace your W2 income, and leave your nine-to-five. Why? Because you don’t need a ton of money OR a rental property to get started. Today’s guest built a million-dollar business with just $150, and in this episode, she provides the blueprint for you to do the same!

Brittany Hailey and her husband were living in an expensive market and working low-paying jobs when they were introduced to short-term rentals. They eagerly bought a house and turned their mother-in-law suite into an Airbnb, and right off the bat, this tiny rental skyrocketed to the top of the listings and covered 100% of their monthly mortgage payment. With proof of concept, Brittany decided to launch her own management side hustle with just $150. Little did she know that this fledgling business would soon allow her to quit her W2 job and bring in over $1,000,000 in annual revenue!

Ready to launch your own profitable real estate business from scratch, just like Brittany did? Tune in as she shows you how to start a vacation rental management company with little to no money and scale it into a wealth-building machine. Along the way, you’ll learn which services to offer, how to compete with national brands, and how to keep homeowners and guests happy!

In This Episode We Cover

How Brittany started a real estate business with $150 (and grew it to over $1,000,000!)

Covering your entire mortgage payment by converting extra space into rentals

How to create multiple streams of income within your real estate business

The FIRST hire you should make when building your real estate team

The advantages small businesses have over national vacation rental brands

How to keep homeowners and guests happy when managing a short-term rental

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Join the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Property Manager Finder

See Tony and Ashley at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Grab Your Copy of “Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth”

Real Estate Rookie - Episode 373: Wiping Out $130K of Debt in ONE Year With THIS “Steady” Real Estate Business with Nicole Rutherford

(00:00) Intro

(00:48) Launching Her Airbnb

(05:22) Leaving Her Nine-to-Five

(12:41) Vacation Rental Management 101

(18:44) What Services Should You Offer?

(23:30) Competing with National Brands

(26:19) Creating Multiple Income Streams

(35:12) How to Build Your Team

(40:52) Over $1 Million in Revenue?!

(44:12) Connect with Brittany!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-433

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone can buy rentals, whether you have some money to deploy or very little to your name. With seemingly everything working against her, today’s guest managed to buy not one, not two, but THREE properties to support her and her daughter on their journey to financial freedom!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Bella and River are a mother-daughter investing duo who, just a few years ago, were facing dire circumstances. In a short amount of time, Bella lost her eyesight, foreclosed on her home, and went through a divorce—leaving her with low income and no immediate way to increase it. But when a family member introduced her to real estate investing and brought her a deal, she jumped at the opportunity. Today, this duo has a small portfolio of three rental properties and five doors!

In this episode, you’ll hear about the unique strategies Bella and River are using to choose their markets, vet contractors, screen tenants, complete home renovations, and manage their portfolio. Stick around until the end to hear how they plan to take down their next property, a short-term rental in Indiana, and achieve financial freedom within the next five years!

In This Episode We Cover

How THIS investing duo built a small real estate portfolio from scratch

Putting no money down on an investment property with seller financing

Creative strategies for vetting contractors and screening tenants

What to do when a rental property isn’t projected to cash flow

How to assemble and manage a team when investing out-of-state

How Bella and River are on track to reach financial freedom in FIVE years

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Join BiggerPockets for FREE 

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Property Manager Finder

See Tony and Ashley at BPCON2024 in Cancun!

Real Estate Rookie – Episode 415: $9K/Month Cash Flow, Scaling FAST, & Saving Thousands in Taxes by Doing THIS w/Riley McFarland

Buy the Book on Medium-Term Rentals, “30-Day Stay”

00:00 Intro

00:41 Losing Her Health, Home, & Marriage

04:15 Discovering Real Estate

10:43 Current Portfolio & FIRST Deal

17:32 Building Teams (Out-of-State!)

22:54 Finding New Markets

29:04 How to Vet a Contractor

33:54 How to Vet a Contractor

35:21 Connect with Bella & River!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-432

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices