Episode Summary
Welcome back to the Luxury Rental Doctor Podcast! 🎧
What if the biggest obstacle to building your rental empire isn't the market, the money, or the strategy—but the team you're working with?
In this raw, unfiltered session recorded live at our exclusive retreat, Dr. Rachel Gainesboro pulls back the curtain on one of the most critical (and overlooked) aspects of real estate investing: firing your family members as realtors and hiring professionals who actually understand investor deals.
If you're a busy professional tired of realtors who don't get it and lenders who don't have creative solutions, this is your playbook for building a team that closes deals, not excuses.
💡 Key Takeaways
- Fire Your Family Realtor: Just because they're family doesn't mean they're qualified—most family realtors don't understand investor deals and can cost you serious money.
- First-Time Buyer vs. Investor Realtor: If your realtor asks about school districts and square footage, you're talking to the wrong person.
- Your Team Needs to Know You're an Investor: Realtors, lenders, designers, and tax strategists all need to understand you're building a business, not buying a personal home.
- Utility Over Eccentricity: Design for guests, not yourself—contractor-grade furnishings matter when kids are jumping on beds and guests have varying needs.
- The Right Questions Matter: Asking how many houses a realtor sold to investors (and what percentage bought again) reveals their true expertise.
- Non-Responsive Realtors Aren't Always Bad: Busy realtors are closing deals—just make sure you're prepared with pre-approval letters so they take you seriously.
- Second Home Loans = 10% Down: You can stack these loans up to 10 times with Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac—a game-changer for portfolio growth.
- Bank Statement Loans for Self-Employed Docs: Look poor on paper due to write-offs? These loans use bank statements, not tax returns, to qualify you.
- Freddie Mac > Fannie Mae for Proximity: Freddie Mac doesn't require 50+ miles between properties like Fannie Mae does—perfect for local investing.
- Condo Hotel Financing is Tricky: Ask realtors to explain warrantable vs. non-warrantable condos before you waste time on deals that won't close.
- Lender Shopping is Essential: Create a comparison table with rates, minimum credit scores, LTV, closing costs, and property types to find the best fit.
- Word Choice Matters with Lenders: Say "second home loan" instead of "investor loan" to access 10% down options instead of getting pushed to 20-25%.
🗂️ Topics Covered
[00:00:00] Introduction: Raw Retreat Footage
Dr. Rachel sets the stage for an unfiltered session teaching busy professionals how to fire family realtors and build an investor-focused team.
[00:02:00] Why Your Family Realtor is Costing You Money
The problem with working with family: they treat you like a first-time homebuyer, not an investor building a portfolio.
[00:03:00] The Realtor Wake-Up Call
Dr. Rachel's personal story of hiring family realtors in 2018 who focused on bedroom counts and school districts instead of profitability.
[00:04:00] Your Entire Team Needs to Know You're an Investor
Why realtors, lenders, designers, and tax strategists must all understand you're running a hospitality business.
[00:05:00] Designing for Guests vs. Personal Use
Contractor-grade furnishings, utility over style, and why your designer needs to think about guest durability.
[00:06:00] Questions to Ask Your Realtor
The exact questions that separate investor-savvy agents from first-time buyer specialists.
[00:07:00] Don't Bombard Realtors with All Questions at Once
Sprinkle questions naturally throughout conversations to avoid sounding like you're interrogating them.
[00:08:00] Non-Responsive Realtors: When It's Actually a Good Sign
Busy realtors are closing deals—just make sure you're prepared with pre-approval letters so they prioritize you.
[00:09:00] How to Be Taken Seriously by High-Quality Realtors
Show up prepared, know your market, and have your financing ready before reaching out.
[00:10:00] Key Realtor Questions Breakdown
How many houses did you sell last year to investors?
What percentage of your investors buy again from you?
Are you familiar with local STR/MTR regulations?
[00:11:00] Off-Market Deals & Flat Fee Offers
Creative realtors will write offers for a flat fee on off-market properties—ask if they're willing.
[00:12:00] How to Make Your Offer Stand Out
In competitive markets, you need a realtor with negotiation strategies, not just someone who submits offers.
[00:13:00] Condo Hotel & Warrantable Condo Financing
Understanding the financing nuances for beachfront condos and condo hotels before you waste time.
[00:14:00] Firing Family Realtors: Dr. Rachel's Brother-in-Law Story
How her husband fired his own brother (who admitted he wasn't good at it anyway) and why family doesn't equal expertise.
[00:15:00] Questions to Ask Lenders: The Comparison Table
Create a spreadsheet comparing loan products, rates, credit scores, LTV, closing costs, and property types.
[00:16:00] Loan Products Breakdown
Initial loans, refinance products, property types covered, down payment requirements, and experience requirements.
[00:17:00] Second Home Loans, Jumbo Loans, and Rental Income Consideration
Understanding which lenders offer creative products and how to leverage rental income for qualification.
[00:18:00] The Magic Words: "Second Home Loan" Not "Investor Loan"
How to access 10% down Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loans by using the right terminology.
[00:19:00] First Home Flex Plan & Physician Loans
Leveraging 3.5-5% down first-time buyer benefits and 0% down physician loans for dentists and pharmacists.
[00:20:00] Second Home Loans: Freddie Mac vs. Fannie Mae
Why Freddie Mac is better for local investing (no 50-mile distance requirement).
[00:21:00] DSCR, Conventional, and Jumbo Loans Explained
Business-purpose loans, conventional financing, and how jumbo loan thresholds vary by state.
[00:22:00] Bank Statement Loans for Self-Employed Physicians
How to qualify when you "look poor on paper" due to tax write-offs and dedctions.
🎙️ Featured Host
Dr. Rachel Gainsburgh
Founder, Luxury Rental Doctor | Real Estate Investor | Educator for Busy Professionals
Dr. Rachel is a physician-turned-real estate investor who teaches high-income professionals how to build passive wealth through short-term and mid-term rentals. Known for her no-nonsense approach, she's helped hundreds of doctors, dentists, and pharmacists fire their family realtors, find investor-savvy teams, and scale portfolios without sacrificing their careers.
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Hosted by: Dr. Rachel Gainsburgh
Show: The Luxury Rental Doctor Podcast
Trading burnout for breakthrough—one property at a time.
