The rental market is shifting—and not every strategy will win in 2026. So I'm breaking down the best rental property strategy for the year ahead based on what I'm seeing in my $5M+ portfolio and what's working for my students.

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If you're still accepting rent on Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp, you're not running a real landlord business—you're running a hobby. In this video, I break down why professional rent collection is the #1 system every landlord needs to scale past 1-2 properties, and I'll show you exactly how to set it up in less than 30 minutes.

You'll learn:

✅ Why Zelle is costing you money, credibility, and scalability

✅ The best rent collection platforms for landlords (free and paid options)

✅ How to transition your current tenants to professional payment systems ✅ The exact email template to send tenants when making the switch

✅ Why this one system sets the tone for your entire landlord business.

If you're serious about building a rental property portfolio that runs like a business (not a side hustle), this is where it starts. 

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Why Zelle is sabotaging your landlord business 0:30 - The 5 problems with accepting rent on payment apps 3:00 - What professional rent collection looks like 8:00 - The truth about setting expectations with tenants 10:00 - How to make the switch (step-by-step) 

📌 RESOURCES MENTIONED 

Apartments.com (free rent collection) 🔹 Avail 🔹 TenantCloud 🔹 Buildium 🔹 RentRedi . Baselane

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If this episode was helpful, you'll love my newsletter. I share practical real estate advice, real stories from the community, and the next smart move you can make. 

https://erikab.kit.com/f2f4df9a56 

✨ Would you like to work with me directly? Book a Call to work with me in 2026! 

https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7 

✨If you're looking to meet more like-minded people who are interested in building wealth, you'd love being in the room at The Owning It & Living It Experience. It's where real estate strategy, community, and clarity come together to help you make your next smart move. You can grab your ticket before the next price increase. 

https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com 

✨FOLLOW FOR MORE: YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content. https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/ 

🔎 ABOUT ERIKA 

I'm Erika Brown, CEO of Owning It & Living It. I've built a $5M+ rental property portfolio while working full-time and homeschooling my kids. Now I help high-income professionals scale their rental portfolios with systems, strategy, and support—no burnout required. 

#landlord #rentalpropertyinvesting #realestateinvesting #propertymanagement #landlordtips #rentcollection #realestatebusiness #passiveincome #wealthbuilding

🚨 I found a SQUATTER in my rental property, and it almost made me quit real estate forever. This is the property management nightmare story every landlord needs to hear.

If you’re trying to decide whether to self-manage your rentals or hire a property manager, this episode is for you.I break down:•

What went wrong with my property management•

How I found out I had a squatter•

Why investing in a landlord-friendly state is not the same as a landlord-friendly city•

The hard lessons I learned the hard way•

And why, despite everything, I’m still investing in real estate today.

This episode isn’t meant to scare you—but it is meant to prepare you.If you’re a landlord, a real estate investor, or someone debating between self-managing or hiring a property manager, this conversation will help you think differently about risk, systems, and where you choose to invest.

Sometimes the lessons that hurt the most are the ones that make us better investors.

🎧 Listen now and learn from my experience so you don’t have to repeat it.

✨If this episode was helpful, you’ll love my newsletter. I share practical real estate advice, real stories from the community, and the next smart move you can make.https://erikab.kit.com/f2f4df9a56

✨ If this episode resonated with you, you’d love being in the room at The Owning It & Living It Experience. It’s where real estate strategy, community, and clarity come together to help you make your next smart move. You can grab your ticker before the next price increase. -https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com

✨ Would you like to work with me directly? Book a Call to work with me in 2026!:https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

✨ FOLLOW FOR MORE:YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content.https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/

If you're making $100K-$300K+ and watching 30-40% of your paycheck disappear to taxes every year, this episode will change everything. You're not stuck paying those taxes — you just haven't learned the strategy wealthy investors use to legally eliminate their tax burden. In this episode, CPA and tax strategist Amanda Han reveals exactly how high-income W2 earners can use real estate (even just ONE rental property) to offset their W2 income and pay little to ZERO in taxes — 100% legally.

If you want a stronger cash flow this year, don’t start by buying another property — start by increasing the income potential of the properties you already own.

In this episode, I’m sharing three simple but powerful ways landlords can increase their income in 2026, including:

• adjusting your rental strategy to higher-income models like mid-term rentals, short-term rentals, or co-living • adding revenue-producing units such as ADUs, basements, or garage conversions • reducing vacancy — the silent income killer that drains landlords every year • and the small administrative tweaks (like cutting unused subscriptions) that add up big over time

These strategies help your rentals perform better without taking on more debt or adding extra stress.

And if you want a deeper breakdown of the biggest roadblocks keeping landlords stuck — and how to fix them this year — make sure you're registered for my January webinar.

✨ REGISTER FOR MY FREE CLASS The Biggest Roadblocks Keeping Landlords From Scaling — and How to Fix It January 20, 2026 at 7PM ET via Zoom

https://owningitandlivingit.com/landlord/

✨ UPCOMING: Early Bird for The OILI Experience 2026 is now open. Grab your ticket before the prices increase! https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com

✨ Book a Call to Work With Me in 2026!: https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

✨ FOLLOW FOR MORE: YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content. https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/

If you’re stepping into 2026 determined to improve your cash flow, protect your rentals, and scale smarter, this episode is for you.

We’re kicking off the year by talking about the real opportunities available for landlords in 2026 — and the roadblocks that keep so many people stuck. Before you make another move, you need clarity on what’s holding your portfolio back and how to break through it this year.

Inside this episode, I’m sharing three simple but powerful ways to cut your expenses as a landlord — strategies most investors overlook, even though they can save hundreds (and sometimes thousands) each year:

• How smart thermostats and routine HVAC servicing prevent expensive repairs

• Why an annual insurance review is non-negotiable — and how raising your deductible can reduce premiums

• How disciplined landlords can manage property taxes through a high-yield savings account • why hiring a real-estate-friendly CPA is one of the most profitable decisions you can make in 2026

These changes aren’t flashy — but they are transformative. This is how you protect your cash flow, strengthen your rentals, and scale with confidence this year.

And if you’re ready to remove the roadblocks that have been holding you back, make sure you’re registered for my free January webinar:

✨ REGISTER FOR MY FREE CLASS

The Biggest Roadblocks Keeping Landlords From Scaling — and How to Fix It January 20, 2026 at 7PM ET via Zoom

​​https://owningitandlivingit.com/landlord/ 

Come to my Conference!✨

Early Bird for The OILI Experience 2026 is now open. Grab your ticket before the prices increase! https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com

Book a Call to Work With Me in 2026!✨

Would you like to work with me this year? Book a call with me!

https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

FOLLOW FOR MORE:

YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content. https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/

Feeling stuck in your real estate investing journey? Want to scale your rental portfolio but not sure where to start? In this episode, I'm breaking down the three proven strategies that successful landlords use to make more money and grow their portfolios faster.

If you're tired of spinning your wheels and ready to make real progress this year, these strategies will transform how you approach your real estate investing business.

🎯 In This Episode, You'll Discover:

Strategy #1: The #1 Way Successful Real Estate Investors Make Decisions

Strategy #2: The Tools You Need to Guide Your Investment Decisions

Strategy #3: Why Doing Everything Yourself Is Holding You Back

📅 FREE LIVE CLASS - JANUARY 20TH ON ZOOM

👉 Register here: https://owningitandlivingit.com/landlord/

✨ Book a Call to work with me in 2026!: https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

✨ FOLLOW FOR MORE: YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content. https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/

2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Black and Brown investors — but not for the reasons you might think.

If you’ve ever looked at someone’s success and assumed they’re gliding through life with confidence and clarity… this episode will free you.

In Episode 3 of the Reinvention Series, Erika pulls back the curtain on what success actually looks like behind the scenes — the stretch, the doubt, the quiet fear, and the faith it takes to keep going when life feels heavy.

She shares the real story of the season that almost broke her while building her first conference, how she trusted God through uncertainty, and why the messy middle is where your identity shifts the most.

You’ll walk away knowing you’re not falling apart — you’re being stretched into the woman you’re becoming.

This episode covers: • what the “messy middle” looks and feels like • why fear doesn’t disappear when you become successful • how to reframe your thoughts through answered prayers • why stretching is necessary for elevation • the lie about success that keeps most women stuck • how to keep moving even when things feel uncertain • an invitation into the OILI Mastermind for women ready to live life on their own terms

If you’re tired of doing life alone and want more breathing room, options, and clarity — this is your episode.

✨ FREE GIFT:Download the Reinvention Prompt Guide — your first step toward clarity in your next season.

https://erikab.kit.com/a24b3bf66d 

✨ Register for my Last Class of the Year for FREE!:Make Work Optional with Real Estate. Click the link below to register!

https://owningitandlivingit.com/make-work-optional-webinar/

✨ UPCOMING:Super Early Bird for The OILI Experience 2026 is now open.

-https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com

✨ Book a Call to work with me in 2026!:

https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

✨ FOLLOW FOR MORE:YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily reinvention content.

https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/

If you’re a landlord and you’re heading into the end of the year without a clear plan, this episode is the checklist you didn’t know you needed.

I’m walking you through the three most important tasks every landlord should complete before December 31 to protect their cash flow, optimize their taxes, avoid costly surprises, and set themselves up for a strong start in 2026.

We’re covering:

✔ The financial moves that can save you money before the year ends

✔ How to evaluate your rentals like a true investor — not just a property owner

✔ The maintenance, renewals, and risk checks landlords often forget

✔ The vendor audit that could save you thousands next year

If you want to end the year organized, profitable, and ready to scale, start with this episode.

✨If this episode was helpful, you’ll love my Newsletter. I share practical real estate advice, real stories from the community, and the next smart move you can make.

https://erikab.kit.com/f2f4df9a56 

✨   If this episode resonated with you, you’d love being in the room at The Owning It & Living It Experience. It’s where real estate strategy, community, and clarity come together to help you make your next smart move. You can grab your ticker before the next price increase. 

-https://experience.owningitandlivingit.com

✨ Would you like to work with me directly? Book a Call to work with me in 2026!:

https://calendar.app.google/NMFNL2CYYPMP1FZn7

✨ FOLLOW FOR MORE: YouTube for long-form episodes + IG for daily, more real estate tips.

https://www.instagram.com/erikabrowninvestor/