Are you a new college graduate (or a concerned parent) wondering if it is possible to buy a house? Spoiler alert: It is absolutely possible! It may be easier for someone further along in life, with a more established financial situation, but that does not mean you have no chance of qualifying for your first mortgage right out of college. There are many tactics that college students can actively pursue to improve their financial position, and they can continue the momentum into what I believe to ...
Aug 15, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1401
Are you a new college graduate (or a concerned parent) wondering if it is possible to buy a house? Spoiler alert: It is absolutely possible! It may be easier for someone further along in life, with a more established financial situation, but that does not mean you have no chance of qualifying for your first mortgage right out of college. There are many tactics that college students can actively pursue to improve their financial position, and they can continue the momentum into what I believe to ...
Aug 14, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1400
The pursuit of financial independence (FI) is a journey that promises freedom, security, and the ability to live life on your own terms. However, this path isn’t always straightforward—nor without pitfalls. It’s tempting to focus solely on financial freedom, but obsessing over it can have unexpected downsides that affect your overall happiness and well-being. We’ll discuss the true journey to financial independence and the risks of fixating on it, as well asexplore other ways to lead a balanced,...
Aug 13, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1399
As we all know, one of the main advantages of investing in real estate is the tax benefits. Many of the investors who I meet for the first time are broadly aware of depreciation, expenses incurred through renovations, and operating costs. However, many don’t know about the steps they need to take to maximize their deductions or about costly mistakes that could attract the unwanted interest of the IRS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 12, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1398
Success in real estate does not require securing “great deals.” It requires great fundamentals: location, a reliable tenant segment, and properties that attract those tenants. A Personal Case Study Let me share my own experience. In 2016, my partner and I bought a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, one-story townhome. We paid the asking price of $180,000, which was then the fair market value. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 11, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1397
The good news is that the inflation rate is on the decline. The bad news is that it still exceeds the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%. As a result, the Federal Reserve announced last week that it will maintain the current interest rate of 5.25% to 5.5%. In a statement, the central bank noted: “Economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. Job gains have remained strong, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated. In re...
Aug 10, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1396
Guru programs are notoriously difficult to assess in terms of quality or outcome for their students. Some students rave about their gurus, while some complain about how they got ripped off by a fake guru. There are a few patterns that raise yellow and/or red flags that I want to call out that are concerning and should make you skeptical when deciding whether to spend thousands (or sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars on guru training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...
Aug 09, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1395
Since first being introduced in 2023, Florida’s Live Local Act—the $711 million package offering developers tax breaks and bypassing local zoning restrictions to create more affordable and workforce housing—has been a lightning rod for controversy. Local municipalities and residents argued that the increased height of buildings would ruin the character of neighborhoods and that the affordable housing component could cause residents to head to the suburbs. Not surprisingly, it is back in the head...
Aug 08, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1394
A lot has changed since New York City began strictly enforcing Local Law 18, which effectively banned short-term rentals in the city. But it’s unclear whether improved housing affordability, the goal of the crackdown, is one of those changes. An Airbnb analysis released in January found no evidence that the new rules had impacted rent prices or rental inventory, even amid new construction completions, and the city hasn’t reported any changes in housing affordability metrics attributable to the l...
Aug 07, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1393
After a decade of relative stability in mortgage rates, the last few years have seen unprecedented volatility and changes in mortgage rates. Interest rates are often a key concern for real estate investors, as mortgages are often the difference between a cash-flowing deal and a dud. Since spring 2022, when the Federal Reserve embarked on its latest rate-hiking cycle, interest rates on the most popular loans for real estate investors, DSCR loans (part of the non-QM loans category), have moved at ...
Aug 06, 2024•24 min•Ep. 1392
The BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast is about to hit a huge milestone—our 1,000th episode! Real estate has changed quite a bit since we started this podcast, so we’re making some changes, too. We’re bringing on new guests and new formats while focusing on investing tactics and strategies that work in TODAY’s housing market. Oh, and did we mention fewer ads, too? We’re still delivering the time-tested knowledge, inspiration, and news you expect from the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast so YOU c...
Aug 05, 2024•1 min•Ep. 1391
Home prices are rising across the country, but luxury home prices are skyrocketing. According to data from Redfin, luxury home prices rose twice as fast as non-luxury homes in the first quarter of 2024. But even as prices jumped, sales are still rising, even as prices for non-luxury homes have declined. The median-priced luxury home sold for a record $1.225 million in the first quarter of 2024, up 8.7% year over year. At the same time, sales of luxury homes were up 2%, compared to a decline of 4...
Aug 05, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1391
You’ve probably heard of the term “lipstick on a pig.” In house-flipping parlance, it means doing basic cosmetic upgrades that camouflage the underlying issues beneath the paint and Sheetrock. California house flippers will have to put their makeup away and bring out the heavy machinery because a new law—Assembly Bill 968 (AB-968), effective July 1—mandates a comprehensive disclosure of repairs and renovations from sellers who flip one-to-four-unit properties within 18 months of buying them. The...
Aug 04, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1390
For any real estate investor, understanding current market conditions is crucial. Right now, most investors are finding themselves in an environment where great investment deals are more scarce while competition is high. In practice, this means that as a real estate investor, you will miss out on many deals on properties advertised on the open market. To try and mitigate the effects of tough competition, you have two options: One is to try and generate more leads and somehow react faster than yo...
Aug 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1389
Now is a great time to be in the vacation rental business. According to short-term rental data and analytics website AirDNA, travelers are spending big on luxury vacation rentals—the more unique, the better. Recent occupancy rates for well-furnished homes increased from 49.1% to 55.9% between 2019 and 2023, with the overall STR market generating a groundbreaking $64 billion in revenue in 2023. While long-term rental landlords might balk at those occupancy rates, it’s worth remembering that vacat...
Aug 02, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1388
We identified a seemingly great target property in Sherman, Texas, which is about an hour north of Dallas in the high-growth path-of-progress area along Interstate 75 on the way up to Oklahoma. There were two structures in the deal, including 13 apartments—a mix of studios, one-, and two-bedrooms. We did the underwriting, looked at the full financials, and saw that the vacancy rate was low and that all tenants were on a year lease. With very little leverage, we would net about $4,000 a month fro...
Aug 01, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1387
Want to invest in real estate but don’t want the headaches of landlords, financing, renovations, renters, permits, inspectors, direct mail campaigns, and all the other hassles that come with a real estate investing side hustle? Me too. I’ve owned dozens of single-family rental properties, but today, I only invest in real estate passively. Passive real estate investments include notes, funds, real estate syndications, and real estate crowdfunding investments. None is inherently better or worse th...
Jul 31, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1386
Turnkey property investing can be a great option when you are just starting out on your real estate investing journey or when you want to cast a wider net with your investments beyond your local area. When done right, turnkey investment can be a part of a long-term real estate portfolio-building strategy. However, with turnkey investing, the same things that make it an attractive investment formula are also those that can make it challenging. The most significant challenge is dealing with potent...
Jul 30, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1385
Mortgage payments are decreasing, which has some house hunters returning to the real estate market. According to the latest data from Redfin, for the four weeks ended Dec. 31, 2023, the median mortgage payment was down 14% compared to October’s all-time high. Meanwhile, the weekly average rate in early January 2024 was at 6.66% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, compared to 7.79% in October. This means homebuyers are finally getting a break from skyrocketing interest rates. And as rates start to...
Jul 29, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1384
As a real estate investor, you must always remember one thing: every type of investing strategy involves risk. With that in mind, it’s good practice to learn more about low-risk real estate investing strategies. You may come to find that these provide the perfect balance of risk and profit potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 28, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1383
In November 2023, Fannie Mae implemented a game-changing reduced down payment requirement of just 5% for two-to-four-unit properties for conventional loans. This presents a golden opportunity for house hackers looking to purchase or refi a two-to-four-unit property. However, few sources have broken down what this means for investors. Here, I’ll look at this new product, compare it to alternatives, and discuss what this means for real estate investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
Jul 27, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1382
Home sales fell to one of the lowest levels on record in May as high prices, elevated mortgage rates, and a housing shortage continue to keep buyers on the sidelines. According to data published by Redfin, there have only been two months in the past decade with fewer home sales: when mortgage rates jumped to a 23-year high in October 2023 and in May 2020, during the early days of the pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 26, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1381
The U.S. housing market is facing an affordability crisis. The combination of high home prices, high mortgage rates, and decreased spending power has driven housing affordability to its lowest level in decades. As such, it is difficult for investors and homebuyers alike to identify cities where they can afford to buy property. But, there are still great opportunities to buy real estate, even on a budget. I’ve done the research and have identified the 10 most affordable markets for real estate in...
Jul 25, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1380
With mortgage rates and home prices high, more homeowners are staying put, according to a report by Redfin. The number of homeowners looking to move to a different metro area started to decline in the fall of 2023, dropping to 23.9% in November 2023. That marked the lowest share in a year and a half and below the 26% seen last summer. While some of it also has to do with remote work becoming less popular with employers, the rate of mobility among homeowners has steadily been decreasing since the...
Jul 24, 2024•11 min•Ep. 13679
Real estate investing can be a one-and-done deal or a strategy with more work but potentially higher profits. If you’re an investor looking for ongoing passive income, the BRRRR method may be a good option. The BRRRR method means you buy, rehab, rent, refinance, and repeat. It’s a cycle to build a robust real estate portfolio by purchasing undervalued properties using the equity of an existing investment property, renovating the new property, renting it out, and repeating the process. Learn more...
Jul 23, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1378
When my husband and I got married, we bought our first place—a brand-new, 1.5-bedroom condo—in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. At the time, the Bed–Stuy neighborhood was rough—for example, a biker gang that loved to throw huge all-night parties was headquartered at the end of our block, and there were abandoned buildings every few feet, often rustling with the sound of homeless inhabitants. Back in the early aughts, this ZIP code was not for the faint of heart. But at $375,000, a solid C-/D neighb...
Jul 22, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1377
Remember the container ship that got wedged in the Suez Canal in March 2021? Within days, hundreds of ships halted. In less than a week, 12% of global trade halted. This is merely one simple example of volatility. A tiny event in some remote corner of the world made life perilous and unpredictable for a billion people. The shockwave reverberated across the Earth. There are many more examples like this. COVID-19 spawns in Wuhan, China, and creates a once-in-a-100-year worldwide pandemic. Or more ...
Jul 21, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1376
Since 2006, my team and I have delivered almost 500 Las Vegas investment properties (> $130 million). The properties had an annual appreciation of 15% and annual rent growth of 7% (2013 through December 2023), and our average vacancy rate stayed below 2%, including during two major economic turmoils: 2008 housing crash: Zero decline in rent and zero vacancies. COVID pandemic eviction moratorium: No impact. So why did our clients’ properties perform when most others did not? Learn more about your...
Jul 20, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1375
Do you want to get started in real estate investing but don’t have the funds to purchase an entire property? Fractional real estate investing may be the answer you’re looking for. Fractional investing offers lucrative opportunities to own part of a property rather than an entire one. Fractional real estate ownership can be affordable for startup investors who want to enter the real estate market. But what is fractional investing? And is this the right investing model for you? Learn more about yo...
Jul 19, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1374
A December report issued by staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) discusses several potential modifications to the accredited investor definition, as suggested by sources like the Investor Advisory Committee and the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 requires the SEC to review the definition every four years in light of changes in the economy. The goal is to maintain sufficient protection for unsophisticated investors while provid...
Jul 18, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1373
