Ready to build your real estate empire… but not sure where to begin?
Think of us as your personal trainer.
From detailed breakdowns of real-world deals… to one-...
Middle-School Teacher Makes $100K in 6 Weeks on Her FIRST Deal
Laura Sides had zero real estate investing experience not too long ago. But, within just six weeks, she made $100,000 on her first real estate deal. How is that even possible? That type of profit is usually reserved for expert real estate investors, not middle-school science teachers! Today, Laura is uncovering the fast-flipping formula that helps her do quick, profitable real estate deals even in her competitive market.
During a beach vacation to Florida, Laura read the personal finance and investing classic Rich Dad Poor Dad, and, seemingly overnight, her brain rewired as she became dead set on multiplying her money instead of working for every dollar. So, she took out a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy her first real estate deal, but where would it come from? A chance encounter with a neighbor would set her on a path that would change her life forever.
Now, she’s cracked the house flipping formula, has two killer rental properties she uses as her own vacation homes, and makes significantly more than her teacher’s salary working on her schedule, building wealth her way. Want to be like Laura? We ALL do, and today, she’s sharing how you can do it, too!
In This Episode We Cover:
How Laura made a six-figure profit in just six weeks on her FIRST real estate deal
The house flipping formula Laura uses to buy low-stress, quick flips that make great profits
Why you should ALWAYS be friendly with your neighbors (they might sell you their house)
Using a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy your first investment property
What Laura looks for on property listings as telltale signs they’ll be good deals
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
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Laura’s Instagram
Land More Off-Market Deals with Crucial Property Owner Contact Information from DealMachine
Buy the Book, “The House Flipping Framework”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
How to Start Flipping Houses for Huge Profits in 2025 (Step-by-Step!)
Connect with Laura
(00:00) Intro
(01:02) ZERO Investing Experience
(04:49) I’ll Buy Your House!
(08:56) $100K Profit on FIRST Deal!?
(12:41) From 1st Flip to Beach House
(19:55) Laura’s Portfolio
(22:32) The Fast Flipping Formula
(26:41) Finding Deals
(34:18) Connect with Laura!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-512
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
--------
41:30
5 Things to Know Before Buying a Duplex, Triplex, or Quadplex (Rookie Reply)
Thinking about buying a duplex, triplex, or even a quadplex? Small multifamily properties are often some of the BEST investments for cash flow, especially if you plan to live in one of the units! But how does this type of property differ from a single-family home? What do you need to know before buying? Listen in to find out!
Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re scouring the BiggerPockets Forums and answering more of your questions. After covering the ins and outs of small multifamily investing, we’ll get into financing your first property. What’s the best loan for first-time home buyers—FHA, conventional, or another option entirely? We’ll put them head-to-head and point you in the right direction! Finally, we’ll discuss several ways to use your home equity to grow your real estate portfolio. From 1031 exchanges to lines of credit, there are all kinds of options!
Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!
In This Episode We Cover:
What you NEED to know before buying a small multifamily property
The pros and cons of FHA and conventional home loans
Putting twenty percent down versus paying private mortgage insurance (PMI) with less money down
How to defer capital gains tax through a 1031 exchange
The BEST ways to leverage the home equity in your rental property
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
FreddieMac PMI Calculator
Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply
Buy the Book “The Multifamily Millionaire, Volume 1”
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
Real Estate Rookie 261 – How Nancy Rodriguez from ‘Love Is Blind’ Hit Financial Freedom BEFORE Fame
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-511
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
--------
35:50
How I Spent My $36K Home Renovation Budget for the Highest Rents
Home renovations can substantially increase your equity and cash flow on a rental property, but when doing one, there are two key things you need to pay attention to: budgets and timelines. Today, rookie real estate investor Rene Hosman is back to teach you how to do both after just finishing a three-month, $36,000 rental renovation where she turned an outdated apartment into a cash-flowing condo!
Rene was able to rehab the entire unit (two bedrooms, one bathroom) with a budget of around $30,000, and although she may have gone slightly over, her returns look nothing less than phenomenal. How did she do everything—new floors, electrical, bathroom, AND furnishings—with such a reasonable budget? If you’re ready to renovate your home or rental property, take her tips.
Rene goes through every aspect of the project: the good (renting it out right after finishing) and the bad (a BIG flood in the master bedroom), plus everything in between. She’ll share what she chose to DIY, what was smarter to hire out, and how she paid for it all. We also get the final numbers of the renovation—what the property appraised for AND how much it’s renting for now!
In This Episode We Cover:
How to stay on budget and on timeline when doing your next home renovation
Unexpected costs that led to thousands of more dollars in renovation expenses
Whether you should buy the materials or let your workers buy them instead (cost-saving tip!)
Furnishing your rental property for cheap and where Rene finds low-cost, quality furniture
How to negotiate with your bank so you can get a LOWER interest rate when you refinance
How much cash flow Rene will make off of this small (but mighty) medium-term rental
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
BiggerPockets Forums
$1,000,000/Year with 22 Rentals by Focusing on This Ultra-Profitable Niche w/Jesse Vasquez
Maximize Your Real Estate Investing with a Self-Directed IRA
Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year
Grab Your Copy of “The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs”
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
How to Do Your FIRST House Flip in 2024: Budgets, Renovations, and Loans w/Rene Hosman
Connect with Rene
(00:00) Intro
(01:07) Property Renovation Progress
(03:35) How to Hit Your Renovation Timeline
(06:56) Staying On-Budget
(11:38) Unexpected Costs...
(19:29) Building Your Renovation Budget
(21:18) Paying for Materials and Rehab Expenses
(30:42) Furnishing the Property
(32:18) Refinancing and Rent Numbers
(40:12) Connect with Rene!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-510
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
--------
47:43
How to Invest in Real Estate in 2025 (For Beginners!)
Want to start investing in real estate but don’t know where (or how) to begin? Even as a brand-new beginner, you can buy your first investment property in 2025, regardless of how high home prices and interest rates get. Today, we’ll break down how to find your first investment property, finance it, build a team (so you’re not doing all the work), and manage it to start building real estate wealth.
Feeling scared to start? Thousands of rookies were in your shoes at the start of 2024 and are now experienced investors. It’s common to feel fear before buying an investment property, which is why, in this episode, we’re going over the common worries and pitfalls that stop investors from starting and how you can get around them!
We’ll even share the exact markets we’re looking to buy in this year, what types of properties we think have the most potential, and get into interest rate predictions for 2025! Don’t sit on the sidelines; this is your chance to get into the game!
Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to supercharge your investing this year!
In This Episode We Cover:
How to start investing in real estate in 2025, even if you have zero experience
Beginner steps to start and the two things you MUST do now before you buy
The real estate markets we’re looking to buy in during 2025 (copy our strategy!)
What to do if you’re too scared to start and stuck in analysis paralysis
Building your investing team so you don’t have to do all the work
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
BiggerPockets Calculators
BPCon2025
BiggerPockets Forums
Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources
Landlord-Tenant Laws of the US
Join BiggerPockets Momentum 2025 to Supercharge Your Investing This Year
Grab the Book “Long-Distance Real Estate Investing”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
BiggerNews: This Area Has the BEST Cash Flow Potential in the Country (Lake Effect Cash Flow)
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-509
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
--------
53:02
The BEST Ways to Find “Rare” Off-Market Real Estate Deals in 2025 (Rookie Reply)
Are great real estate deals gone for good? Not so fast! High interest rates, inflated home prices, and low inventory have made things difficult for investors, but by looking beyond the multiple listing service (MLS), you could uncover off-market properties that fly under the radar. In today’s episode, we’ll show you how!
Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! If you’re struggling to make the numbers work in today’s housing market, you’re not alone! Tune in to learn how we find “rare” rental properties that are either undervalued or overlooked. Not sure where to start your investing journey? We’ll share three key factors that will help you narrow down your options and pinpoint the best real estate market for you. Stick around till the end as we discuss lease renewals, tenant turnover, and how to deal with a renter whose financial situation has changed!
Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!
In This Episode We Cover:
Creative ways to find more off-market real estate deals in 2025
Three key factors to consider when choosing a market to invest in
Why proper deal analysis is even more crucial when buying off-market
How to determine whether you should offer tenants lease renewals
Keeping your BEST tenants and avoiding costly tenant turnover
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
PropStream
Privy
NeighborhoodScout
BrightInvestor
Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply
Buy the Book “Finding and Funding Great Deals”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
5 Ways to Find Off-Market Real Estate Deals Like a Pro
Real Estate Market Analysis for Beginners | Rookie Resources
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-508
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
Ready to build your real estate empire… but not sure where to begin?
Think of us as your personal trainer.
From detailed breakdowns of real-world deals… to one-on-one coaching sessions and a warm, welcoming community… hosts Ashley Kehr and Tony J Robinson bring on a wide range of guests to tackle the “newbie” questions you've wondered about but might be afraid to ask.
Looking to 10X your real estate investing business this year? This show isn’t for you.
Looking for your first, second, or third deal -- or envisioning a more modest portfolio? Step right up.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we’ll arm you with the tips, tools, and roadmaps you'll need as you embark on your journey toward financial freedom.