This might be the fastest path to FIRE we’ve ever seen. In just two years, Emily and James were able to retire early and travel the world full-time. They didn’t have a trust fund, some huge inheritance, or a winning lottery ticket. But they did make some serious sacrifices, cutting almost everything unnecessary out of their lives to retire early and quit the jobs they were itching to get out of. How’d they do it? 

After realizing they were throwing away every cent they made, James stumbled upon a popular personal finance blog. He devoured it that day at work and came home a changed man. The AC temperature was going up, the restaurant expenses were going down, and he was deadset on achieving financial freedom. His wife, Emily, needed some convincing. But, with time, they both became locked in on FIRE. They moved to a cheaper house, rode bikes to work, and rarely ate out anymore. 

Just two years after discovering FIRE, they achieved it, and they did it without millions of dollars in the bank. And here’s the thing: you might be able to do it, too, IF you’re willing to put in the work. How much money are they living on? How did they cut their expenses so significantly? And how do you convince your partner or spouse to follow you on the path to financial independence? Emily and James are showing you how in today’s episode! 

 In This Episode We Cover:

How NOT to convince your partner/spouse to chase FIRE (do THIS instead)

Cutting your expenses significantly and how to save money every single month

The big lifestyle changes you must be willing to make to retire early 

Rental property investing and how to have income property cash flow fuel your FIRE

Why you DON’T need to be a millionaire to retire early 

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

The BiggerPockets Money Podcast

Rethink The Rat Race

Check Out "BiggerPockets Money"

Reach FIRE Faster with the Personal Finance Classic “Set for Life”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Saving Money

Connect with Scott

Connect with Mindy

(00:00) Intro

(01:51) Poverty to Overspending

(06:42) Convincing Your Spouse on FI

(09:39) 0% to 85% Savings Rate

(17:00) Buying $50K Rentals

(23:59) Retiring on $31K/Year

(30:10) The Secret to FIRE

(33:13) Are They Still Retired?

(35:06) Advice for Finding FIRE

(36:54) Connect with James and Emily!

(37:49) Use These FIRE Tips

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-502

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Mike Baum owns just one rental property, but this one property alone has changed his life. It’s allowed him to become such an investing expert that he’s constantly being asked for his opinion on the BiggerPockets forums, and he provides some of the most well-thought-out investing advice on the internet. So why does he have just one rental property, and why doesn’t he grow using his expertise? The answer isn’t that obvious. 

You wouldn’t know it, but Mike is permanently disabled. After overworking so hard that he ended up losing his vision, he was placed on disability for the rest of his working career. This high achiever was forced to slow down and find something else that could replace his day job. Shortly after his diagnosis, he found BiggerPockets and turned a family vacation home into a short-term rental.

Now, he’s got systems and processes that help him self-manage with very few headaches, and he will probably keep this property as his one and only rental for life. Why didn’t he “FOMO” in when everyone was gobbling up real estate in 2020? Why didn’t he grow his portfolio to become the next tycoon? Mike has some clear answers for why he did what he did, and after listening to him, you might change what you want, too. 

In This Episode We Cover

Why you DON’T need a large real estate portfolio to find financial success when investing

Why Mike tells beginner investors that they should NOT buy a short-term rental property

The systems and processes Mike made to automate his vacation rental self-management (so he works less!)

One thing you should do NOW before you start investing in real estate (it’s free!)

The real result of “FOMO” investing and how to stop shiny object syndrome from blowing you off course 

And So Much More!

Links

Short-Term Rental & Airbnb Investing Forum

The BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

(00:00) Intro

(03:03) Losing Sight After Overworking

(05:53) Empty Lake House?

(09:21) Managing a Vacation Rental

(12:49) Know This BEFORE You Buy

(18:00) Just ONE Property

(21:25) No-FOMO Investing

(26:49) A “Very Interesting” 2025

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-501

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Covering your entire mortgage payment in ONE day?! Today’s guest is proof that you don’t need a full-blown real estate portfolio to start making money. She has only ever owned one property, her primary residence, but it brings in up to $16,000 a month being rented out part-time!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When searching for her first home, Nicole Lulinski Weill wanted a property that could bring in some extra income. She started looking at duplexes and homes with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) before stumbling on her dream house—a vintage home that had been used for film productions—and deciding to tap into its money-making potential as well. 

Despite not owning any “rentals,” she can pay her mortgage with a single project. The best part? This unconventional strategy is scalable! Now that Nicole has proof of concept, she plans to buy more of these niche investments in emerging markets and rent them out in the same way!

If you want to make money without house hacking or becoming a landlord, you don’t want to miss this episode! Nicole will show you where to find a money-making primary residence, how to rent out your home to film production companies, and steps to protect your home from damage along the way!

In This Episode We Cover:

How this rookie investor covers her entire mortgage payment in ONE day

Why you DON’T need to own rental property to make money in real estate

How to turn your own primary residence into a money-making machine

Renting your home out to film production companies for a huge payday

Crucial steps to protect your house from damage while renting it out

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Nicole’s Instagram

Buy the Book “First-Time Home Buyer”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

Real Estate Rookie 497 - $1,000,000/Year with 22 Rentals by Focusing on This Ultra-Profitable Niche

(00:00) Intro

(00:59) Buying (and Renting!) Her Home

(10:51) Permitting & Logistics

(14:42) Paying Her Mortgage in a Day?!

(17:53) Protecting the Property

(22:450 Extra Fees & Rental Rates

(26:27) The Booking Process

(37:08) Connect with Nicole!

(33:39) Scaling & Revenue

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-500

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What’s the right investing strategy for YOU? In this episode, we’re going to hear from an investor who has scaled their real estate portfolio to twenty rentals in just TWO years! Despite their rapid success, they feel “stuck” and aren’t sure which strategy to use moving forward. Stay tuned as we show you how to choose the right strategy while helping them get unstuck!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, Ashley and Tony are diving into the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group to answer more of your recent questions. After showing you how to nail down an investing strategy, we’ll get into landlord anonymity and provide you with several creative ways to protect your personal information from tenants. But that’s not all. We’ll also discuss short-term rental rates and share the dynamic pricing tools we use to find the “sweet spot” for ANY property or market!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

In This Episode We Cover:

How to nail down the perfect real estate investing strategy for YOU

Creative ways to hide your personal information from tenants

How to return security deposits to tenants (while staying anonymous!)

Determining the ideal nightly rate to charge (for your short-term rental and market!)

Maximizing your Airbnb revenue with the BEST dynamic pricing tools

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

OpenPhone

Google Voice

PriceLabs

Beyond Pricing

Wheelhouse

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-499

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

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Don’t have a ton of money to invest in rental properties? No problem! You don’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to start building wealth. Chris Young, a (not-so) rookie investor from Southern California, started with just five percent down. He bought a $500,000 home in pricey Los Angeles for just $25,000 out-of-pocket. Now, Chris has four rental properties, one of which he uses as a vacation home, and hundreds of thousands in equity! Plus, he did it all while working a W2!

Chris knew he wanted to invest in real estate early on. So, when he started his full-time job, he also got his real estate agent license, allowing him to have a backup source of income in case his career didn’t work out. But, thankfully, his real estate has been doing more than alright! He performed a “live-in BRRRR” (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) on his first property, making him hundreds of thousands in equity, then bought another one!

But, after attending BPCon, Chris knew he needed a true investment property. What gets you monthly cash flow and a vacation home to use whenever you want? A short-term rental! But not everything went as planned—one unlucky event put his entire house out of commission for months! However, Chris is still thrilled that he has bought this property. He shares why he picked its specific market, how he dodged local competition, and did it all with just ten percent down!

In This Episode We Cover:

How to start building your real estate portfolio with just five percent down!

The “live-in BRRRR” strategy that made Chris hundreds of thousands of dollars 

Picking your vacation rental market and why you DON’T want to go where everyone else is

Using a ten percent down second home loan to buy your first short-term rental 

The one very unlucky event that cost Chris $40,000 (you CAN’T avoid it!) 

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Grab the Book, “Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Real Estate Rookie 486 - Quitting His Job with Real Estate After Cracking the Cash Flow Code w/Miller McSwain

Connect with Chris

(00:00) Intro

(02:24) 5% Down First Property

(06:57) Property 2 (Rent-by-Room)

(11:04) Finding 1st Short-Term Rental

(19:36) 10% Down Sequoia Vacation Rental

(29:26) Losing $40K!

(30:01) Setting Yourself Apart

(39:44) Connect with Chris!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-498

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

You can make money in real estate—with or without owning rentals! How? There’s a growing segment of the industry that rookies NEED to know about. It’s more lucrative than long-term rentals, more consistent than short-term rentals, and today’s guest is bringing in $1 million a YEAR with it!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Jesse Vasquez has mastered the medium-term rental strategy, bringing in over $1 million in revenue each year from twenty-two rentals. But here’s the thing. You don’t need a huge real estate portfolio to use this investing strategy and repeat his success. In fact, you don’t need to own ANY rentals to get started, making it the perfect option for new investors. But make no mistake—you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty to build this type of real estate business!

In today’s episode, Jesse will show you how to tap into this emerging segment of the market. You’ll learn how to build your network, land your first contract, and become a trusted “broker” for human resource and recruiting companies throughout your market. You’ll also learn the ins and outs of setting up medium-term rentals and how to convert an existing rental property into a thirty-day stay!

In This Episode We Cover:

The corner of the real estate industry that investors are still overlooking

How to set up your own medium-term rental property in 2025

How to build your network, land your first contract, and earn money from referrals

The clients that make the BEST guests (and how to find them!)

Must-have amenities to include with your medium-term rental property

How Jesse makes over $1 million in annual revenue from twenty-two rentals

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Buy the Medium-Term Rental Guide “30-Day Stay”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

How to Invest in Medium-Term Rentals

Connect with Jesse

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-497

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

Are you looking to grow your real estate portfolio and build wealth faster? There’s a tax “loophole” that allows you to sell your property and roll your equity (and profits) into a bigger and better rental property—all while deferring thousands of dollars in taxes. Stay tuned to learn how to use a 1031 exchange to your advantage!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, Ashley and Tony are answering some of your recent questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. After discussing 1031 exchanges and “like-kind” properties, we’ll help an investor determine if they should sell or rent a property that, despite the potential to bring in decent monthly cash flow, has some costly capital expenditures looming. Next, is it better to stabilize a rental property by making home improvements that help you raise rent or use the same funds to buy another property? We’ll dive into the numbers and show you which option gives you the highest return!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

In This Episode We Cover:

The tax “loophole” that allows you to defer thousands of dollars in capital gains tax

Building wealth and growing your portfolio with a 1031 exchange

Whether you should rent or sell a property that needs major repairs

When to stabilize your current portfolio versus buying another property

Prioritizing renovations that increase home value and allow you to raise rents 

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Put Your Vacation Rental on Autopilot with Hospitable

Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply

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

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

What Is a 1031 Exchange in Real Estate? How to Guide & Examples

(00:00) Intro

(00:46) 1031 Exchanges

(11:50) Should I Rent or Sell?

(18:43) Making Home Improvements

(23:59) Ask Your Question!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-496

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

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Burned out at your W2 job? Tired of climbing the corporate ladder? Starting a real estate business could give you financial freedom, but is it worth giving up the security of a biweekly paycheck? This entrepreneur thinks so, and today, she’ll give you the blueprint for forging your own path in real estate!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Melissa Shelton is not only an investor, but also the founder of Dear Valentine, a business that blends luxury, hospitality, development, and management. Quitting her nine-to-five job to become a full-time entrepreneur wasn’t an easy decision since she had worked tirelessly for many years to reach the top of her field. But, in the end, her “why” won out, and she mustered up the courage to go all-in on her dream!

In this episode, Melissa will show you how to launch a “small and nimble” real estate business. You’ll learn how to set goals, grow your clientele from scratch, and build a business plan that keeps you afloat. But that’s not all. Melissa also has tips for limiting overhead costs, finding deals that give the highest returns, and hiring people who propel your business forward!

In This Episode We Cover:

How to start a real estate business that gives you financial freedom

How to get your “foot in the door” and land your first client

Creating multiple income streams that insulate your new business venture

Crafting the perfect “pitch” that gets new investors and partners on board

How to overcome the fear of failure when pursuing entrepreneurship

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Melissa’s Instagram

Canva

Buy the Book “The Quitter’s Manifesto”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Stay-at-Home Mom to “Accidental” Investor with a $600K/Year Business

Connect with Melissa

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) Catching the Real Estate “Bug”

(04:59) Leaving Her W2 Job

(09:42) Preparing for Entrepreneurship

(21:51) A Day in the Life

(23:37) Melissa’s Business Model

(27:04) How to Find Clients

(35:56) Staying “Small and Nimble”

(39:36) Connect with Melissa!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-495

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$50,000 cash flow from ONE rental!? Not many properties will give you this kind of return in today’s housing market, but this investor beat his competition to an innovative investing strategy, and it’s paying huge dividends. Want to find out what it is and how he did it? You don’t want to miss this one!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Garrett Brown envisioned himself running restaurants or operating hotels before real estate investing took him down a different path. He got his real estate agent license, flipped a few houses, and then, in a full circle moment, put his background in hospitality to good use—buying three condos at a discount and converting them into short-term rentals. But when Houston, Texas, like many Airbnb markets, became oversaturated in 2021, Garrett landed on a new strategy that would allow him to stand out. It gives vacationers a taste of the great outdoors without sacrificing the luxuries and comfort of a cozy home!

If you want to know how to earn five-figure cash flow from a single rental and keep your vacation rentals booked year-round, stay tuned. We’ll also get into why you should document your investing journey online (even if you’re just starting) and the trick to finding discounted properties!

In This Episode We Cover:

How this investor makes $50,000 in annual cash flow from one rental “unit”

The innovative rental property that blends luxury and the outdoors

How to stand out in any market by offering “unique stays”

Where most short-term rental bookings are coming from in 2025

Why every rookie should document their investing journey on social media

Scoring a deep discount on property by knowing a seller’s motivation

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Pre-Order the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals”

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Real Estate Rookie 91 – 8 Units, 10 Wholesale Deals, and $0 Spent on Marketing w/ @liliinvests

Connect with Garrett

(00:00) Intro

(00:53) Agent to Investor

(04:00) Garrett’s FIRST Deal

(09:59) The Motivation to Sell

(14:21) Creating “Unique Stays”

(21:54) Land Hacking 101

(28:04) Permitting Challenges

(32:28) Funding the Dome

(35:42) Cash Flow & Bookings

(44:31) Connect with Garrett!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-494

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Many people invest for appreciation. Others invest for tax benefits. But some investors want enough monthly cash flow to replace their W2 income and help them quit their nine-to-five jobs. When can you go full-time with real estate investing? How many rentals do you need? Stay tuned!

Today, Tony and co-host Garrett Brown are diving into the BiggerPockets Forums, and our first question comes from someone who has launched six vacation rentals in just five years. Should they diversify their portfolio? Are they ready to become full-time investors? We’ll share our thoughts! We’ll also hear from someone who’s thinking about selling an equity-rich property to pivot to short-term rentals in the Midwest. Listen in as we show them how to choose a market and set up their Airbnb business. But that’s not all. One investor has bought a rental property that is already booked months in advance. Can they cancel those bookings? Raise their nightly rates? Stick around to find out!

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

In This Episode We Cover:

When to leave your W2 job to focus on real estate investing full-time

How to diversify your real estate portfolio without changing your strategy

When to sell your rental property and tap into your home equity

The top factors to consider when analyzing a short-term rental market

How to manage your vacation rental portfolio in five hours per week (or less!)

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Ashley's BiggerPockets Profile

Tony's BiggerPokckets Profile

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group

Real Estate Rookie YouTube

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

Pre-Order the Book “Smarter Short-Term Rentals”

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

Real Estate Rookie 297 – Traveling the World Thanks to One $6,500/Month Rental Property

Connect with Garrett

(00:00) Intro

(00:36) Diversification & Leaving Your W2

(08:40) Choosing a Vacation Rental Market

(17:52) Managing Short-Term Rentals

(24:58) Airbnb Fees & Using Home Equity

(27:58) Occupancy Rates & Pricing

(33:32) Connect with Garrett!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-493

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