Real Estate Rookie

Travis Watts grew up with frugal parents. They taught him about coupons, buying the off-brand products, and basic financial 101, but never taught him about real estate investing. In 2009, as the market was hitting unprecedented lows, he decided to start investing in real estate. He purchased a single family home to start, then started house hacking, moved on to some fix and flips, bought some vacation rentals, and before he knew it, he was a very active real estate investor.There was one problem though. Travis was working 90+ hour weeks in the oil industry, often working overseas for long periods of time. Travis was trying to run his active investing with his hectic schedule, but often found it hard to put a high level of effort into his rentals when so much of his energy was being exerted from his job. In 2015, Travis made the decision to become a passive investor.Passive investing isn’t for everyone, especially for those who want to be making the big decisions. Luckily, Travis didn’t mind having general partners make decisions for the syndications he invested in, if anything, he preferred it. Travis walks through what you need to look at before putting money into a syndication, including the general partners, the market, and the deal. He also talks through how to identify whether or not a syndication is being run well, and other passive investing strategies like investing in REITs.Many real estate investors will find themselves with lots of projects, lots of experience, lots of money, but little to no time. If you feel like this, it may be a good idea to start balancing some of your active investing with more passive cash flow opportunities!In This Episode We Cover The benefits of passive and active real estate investing Syndications and who they’re meant for 506(b) and 506(c) syndications and the differences between the two How to identify good general partners running syndications Becoming an accredited investor  REITs (real estate investment trusts) and other passive income strategies  How much money passive investors can make And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Charles Schwab Janus Henderson BiggerPockets Podcast 227: From Single Family Houses to $130,000,000 in Multifamily with Joe Fairless Ashley's Instagram Tony's Instagram Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie75 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Jennsey on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Jennsey is asking: what’s the next step after your first property, as far as financing and steps to scale to a larger portfolio.If you’ve gotten your first property, congratulations! Now you have the momentum and experience to go get more! The next steps that are most important are finding the money for your next deal, getting your systems and processes in place, and letting others know you’re a real estate investor looking for deals.Here are some suggestions: Save up for a conventional mortgage, link up with a partner, find a hard money lender, or find a private money lender Understand the fees and structures in each of these types of financing Put together a binder showing your past deal, your experience, and your goals Know how many doors you want to acquire and lay the foundation for that goal Every time you do something with financing, tenant management, or underwriting, make sure you document how you’re doing it And More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE).Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie74 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Believe it or not, Tony and Ashley haven’t met each other in real life...until now! They’re recording from the BiggerPockets headquarters in Denver, and they brought their partners! Tony’s wife Sarah and Ashley’s business partner Joe are here to answer the most common questions about partnerships and investing with someone else.What makes a great partner? Tony, Sarah, Ashley, and Joe all agree that a good partner has to have complementary strengths to you. Do you know how to do financing but are terrible at design? You should find a partner who loves design but doesn’t want to touch financing. Although it may not be the easiest task, one of the best ways to find a partner is to look at your weaknesses, your strengths, and look within your circle to find someone who could be the yin to your yang.Ashley also talks about the “partner presentation”. You may have heard this term before on the show. A partner presentation is essentially a binder including a bank statement, credit report, personal finance statement, and past deal history. This helps you show a potential partner that you’re coming from a position of strength and that you possess the competence to tag team a deal.Ashley, Tony and their partners also go over things like goal setting, partnership structures, LLCs, life insurance policies, and more. While many rookies feel they don’t have the experience to bring to a partnership, it’s important to know that you running the numbers, listening to the podcast, and having interest in real estate already puts your skillset above many others!In This Episode We Cover What Ashley and Tony look for in their partners What a good partner looks like and what you should avoid when partnering up Preparing your “partner presentation” for a prospective partner Setting goals and staying on the same page as a partner How to structure your partnerships so everyone is on the same page Umbrella policies, life insurance policies, and other partner protections And So Much More! Links from the Show Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Calculator Airbnb Asana BiggerPockets Events Learn the In's and Out's: How to Structure Partnerships as a New Investor Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie73 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Ricky on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Ricky is asking about the pros and cons of using a cash out refinance vs. using a HELOC (home equity line of credit), especially since you can pay down a HELOC and use it over and over again.Many real estate investors take advantage of HELOCs since you can get them for your primary residence or a rental property. That being said, HELOCs can come with variable interest rates and can be closed once up for renewal. Here are some points to consider: First see if your primary home qualifies for a HELOC, if not, go the commercial route Primary residences will get better interest rates compared to commercial HELOCs Cash-out refinances are a great way to get equity that's been built over time with a low interest, long-term loan HELOCs may require you to take out from them every year, or be penalized  You may be able to get HELOC closing costs waived, unlike on a refinance  And More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE).Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie72 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martin Neal started his career as a police officer during the great recession. His family convinced him to buy a condo since prices were near rock bottom, this is when Martin was bit by the real estate bug. When he was transferred to another police station, thus doubling his salary, he knew it was time to do something with the condo. He paid off the loan and set up a HELOC (home equity line of credit) so he could purchase cash flowing rentals!Now Martin uses the BRRRR strategy to buy homes that need rehabbing, rehab them, rent them out, and get them into conventional loans. As of now he has 11 properties with 16 doors, most of which was picked up just in the last 3 years.Martin has done what many investors advise against, worked with his family. He has his dad running management on some of his properties and helps when rehabbing them as well. How did Martin work with his dad without jeopardizing their relationship? He sat down with his father, laid out the roles and responsibilities of the project, and paid him for his time. It’s tough finding trustworthy workers and partners in real estate, so don’t disregard family just because they’re family!Martin also gives some great advice on finding high-quality section 8 tenants, many of which helped his real estate portfolio through the COVID-19 shutdowns due to their government subsidized rent. He also talks about buying homes off of auction sites, but making sure you’re able to do your due diligence before putting in an offer.In This Episode We Cover Using HELOCs to fund your future BRRRRs Having a defined plan so you can scale faster and with less headache  Having the bravery to buy more units, even when it pushes you into new territory Why townhouses may be an attractive asset in specific parts of town Working with family (without destroying your relationships) Buying homes at auctions  And So Much More! Links from the Show Rookie Podcast 55: Combining House Hacking and Live in Flips with Tyler Madden BiggerPockets Forms BiggerPockets File Place Google Spreadsheets Auction.com Cozy.co Tresta BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast 248: From Shop Teacher to Multifamily Syndicator with Todd Dexheimer BiggerPockets Podcast 075: Mobile Home Investing and Getting Started With John Fedro Brandon Turner's Instagram BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group BiggerPockets Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Rookie Rockstar Facebook Post Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie71 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Dane through Ashley’s DMs on Instagram (you can find her @wealthfromrentals). Dane is asking: should I sell or rent out my primary residence?  Whenever you’re moving from your current home to a new home, you have the option to sell or rent. While there isn’t one solid answer for everyone, you can find out whether selling or renting is the best option by looking at your market and your specific financial situation.Here are some suggestions: Get comps (comparables) on market rents from homes like yours Search through recently sold homes that are comparable to yours and find the median sales prices Pull out a home equity line of credit on your primary home to help buy your next primary home or more rentals Run the numbers as a sale and a rental, does it cash flow? Refinance for a lower mortgage payment and rent it out Run the numbers for EVERY scenario and make long-term decisions And more! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE).Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie70 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Becky Nova didn’t have a linear path to real estate like many others. She’s had times in her life when she was poor and times in her life when she was rich. Becky knew that she didn’t want to go back to those poorer times in her life, so when she was about to marry her husband, she was pushed to get herself out of debt and into a much more stable position. She worked a consulting gig, got herself debt-free, and decided she wanted to start house hacking!Now, Becky is off in the Dominican Republic, running her entire portfolio of 10 houses completely remote. Even more impressive, Becky used traditional financing for those rental properties! So how does she manage properties all the way in upstate New York while she’s thousands of miles away on the beach?Well-tailored systems and procedures is what Becky relies on. She refers to her phone as one of the best tools for real estate, since she can call her agent, her tenant, or her contractor whenever she needs something. Becky proves that you can run a rental portfolio long distance, and do it successfully to boot!This did take Becky some time, though. She designed the life she wanted and made her rental properties fit around that life, which is sometimes the opposite of what us busy real estate professionals do. Now, she can relax and enjoy her time travelling because she put the systems in place to automate her business!In This Episode We Cover Understanding what you really want and making your business fit your ideal life Getting off the “paycheck to paycheck” hamster wheel How Becky got 10 units in just over 2 years Joining local networking groups and your chamber of commerce to find deals How to find the best plumbers, contractors, electricians, and more through referrals Having systems in place so your business can run itself And So Much More! Links from the Show Brandon Turner Zillow Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Dave Ramsey DealCheck Rentometer Realtor.com BiggerPockets Calculators BiggerPockets Insights Rookie Podcast 10: 2 Long-Distance Rentals with $0 Down with Tony Robinson Lady Landlord's Financial Cheat Sheet  Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie69 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not uncommon that we make excuses for ourselves, especially when it comes to our businesses. A contractor may have let us down, or a tenant took advantage of a poorly-written lease, or our partner isn’t doing a job as well as we’d like. Are these problems fully forming because of the other person, or ourselves?Today we talk to Julia Galef, author of The Scout Mindset and host of the “Rationally Speaking” podcast. Julia is trying to answer a big question: how do we improve our reasoning and our decision making? For her, there is a big difference in mindset. Sometimes we have a scout mindset, which allows us to be more exploratory and see what really is going on. Then we also have a soldier mindset, which is when we’re seeing only our pre-existing beliefs. How do you know if you’re using your scout or soldier mindset? Ask yourself if you’re rationalizing your situation or just making excuses.This can be hard as business owners and investors because we often are the first to blame someone else for our problems. We even downplay our shortcomings, like when a novice flipper thinks he or she can do the electrical, plumbing, foundation, and flooring work without any prior experience. It’s important for us as people and investors to get honest feedback not only from our clients, tenants, contractors, and partners, but also from ourselves.In This Episode We Cover The difference between a scout mindset and a soldier mindset How to get out of fooling yourself into believing something that isn't true Jeff Bezos’s “30% Success” story  Implementing feedback in a way that is beneficial for you and those around you Leaning into confusion and finding the underlying causes Being a better real estate investor And So Much More! Links from the Show Jeff Bezos Amazon Tony Robbins Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/rookie68 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After moving from his home state of Georgia to Oklahoma, Dee Brock discovered a burning desire to buy rental properties. He had bought himself a primary residence and cosigned with his mother on her home, but knew he wanted to accrue units that could be cash flowing. He was then able to get a HELOC (home equity line of credit) on his primary and use it to buy a foreclosure. Everything was going well, but Dee wanted more structure, more advice, and more of a game plan. Someone at his church group suggested going onto a site called BiggerPockets, which later became a huge resource to Dee (and hopefully to you reading this now)! Now Dee knew how to vet tenants, get a cash out refinance, and run numbers like the pros. Dee developed a bit of a formula for how he sends in offers on houses. He finds a house he likes, sends it to his agent to get comps (comparables), averages those comps, multiples it by 80% (cash out refinance amount), then subtracts closing and maintenance. That’s the offer Dee puts in on the house and gives him the numbers he needs to feel confident about buying it. What if a house doesn’t appraise for the amount needed? Dee also has a workaround for that! Dee’s local credit union that lends to him allows him to use their ARV (after repair value) number OR an appraisal. This saves Dee tons of time and money if an appraisal isn’t needed!Now Dee is setting his sights on a new venture, self-storage units. We’ve seen a lot of successful real estate investors transition from residential buildings to self-storage, and for good reason. Less management, less maintenance, and other benefits described by Dee makes self-storage a no brainer for where he’s at in his investing career. In This Episode We Cover Using conventional primary residence loans to fund foreclosures  Section 8 tenants and the pros/cons of having them in your rentals Getting your spouse and family on board with real estate investing Opting for a bank’s ARV number instead of getting an appraisal The benefits of owning self-storage units Giving your tenants a rent reduction if they pay on time And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast Brandon Turner Zillow Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group Loopnet AJ Osborne's Instagram Realtor.com truepeoplesearch.com whitepages.com TurboTenant Dave Ramsey BiggerPockets Podcast 395: From Car Valet to $100k/Month… Seriously! with Thach Nguyen BiggerPockets Podcast 427: The 12 Week Year and The Danger of Long-Term Goal Setting with Brian Moran Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie67 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s question comes from Mitch on the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group. Mitch is asking two questions: How do you close on a property sight unseen and how do you finance off-market deals?Our two lovely hosts have expertise in both of these areas. Tony has bought a fair amount of property sight unseen and Ashley has used some very creative strategies for financing off-market deals.Here are some suggestions for both of Mitch’s questions: Get your agent, inspector, and general contractor to inspect a prospective sight unseen property Don’t waive the inspection clause, especially if you’ve never been in the property Look for lenders that aren’t traditional banks, especially those that work with investors Ask local banks if they offer any products that could help with your funding Use a line of credit or borrow against your stocks/other assets Ask for seller financing whenever possible And More! If you want Ashley and Tony to answer a real estate question, you can post in the Real Estate Rookie Facebook Group! Or, call us at the Rookie Request Line (1-888-5-ROOKIE).Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/rookie66 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices