Podcast
BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast
Hosted by BiggerPockets · EN
Want financial freedom through real estate investing? Then the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast is for you. Sit down every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with Dave Meyer, the Head of Real Estate at BiggerPockets, as he uncovers tried and true tactics and shares candid conversations with real estate investors who are building wealth in today’s market. Join Dave to walk through deals that went right (and wrong) and learn the strategies you can deploy—start growing your side income today to take control of your financial future.
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Episodes
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6 Green Flags Most Real Estate Investors Miss
2d ago00:24:14Summary readyThere are six “green flags” most real estate investors completely miss, but can make them serious wealth. Any of these six will allow you to buy an undervalued investment property, increase its value (and rents), and walk away wealthier than the other investors who simply glanced past it. The best part? These are often turn-offs for ordinary homebuyers, so your competition is even slimmer. Henry has been buying properties like these for years, and if he stumbles upon one with any of these six green flags, he stops and evaluates it. These signs are so powerful, they could allow you to buy a $250K on-market property that’s secretly worth $350K…just nobody knows it! So what are the six green flags? We’re going through each, piece-by-piece, from unused “space” that commands higher rents, to “free” land that can help you cover your down payment or renovation costs, and even secret second units most homeowners are completely unaware of. Find any of these, and it’s the needle in the haystack most investors wish they could buy. In This Episode We Cover Got extra square footage? Here’s how to turn space into tens of thousands in more equity One thing that every primary bedroom should have that’s missing from older houses Why Henry always looks for homes on a large lot (hint: it can pay for your investment) How to turn an unused basement into an entirely separate unit (but it requires this) Arguably the easiest way to raise rents without renovating the property And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1284. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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If a Rental Doesn’t Pass This “Test,” Don’t Buy It
4d ago00:34:50Summary readyIf you’re about to buy your first rental property, or are buying another, hear this. In today’s market, investors are growing more nervous before making a down payment on a property. That could be tens, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars you’ve worked for, and putting it in the wrong rental could set you back years to financial freedom. But if it’s the right property, you could fast-track your independence. So, how do you know which one is which? In this episode, Henry and I are sharing the “stress-tests” to perform before you buy a rental—if it doesn’t pass, we won’t buy the property, no matter how good the deal “looks”. But that’s not all, we’re answering other questions from the BiggerPockets Forums about how much money you should have in the bank before you BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat), how to get around the hardest part of managing rental properties, and whether lowering rent is worth it for a great tenant (not so straightforward). In This Episode We Cover The “stress tests” we perform before we buy any rental property (you should, too) Feeling nervous before buying your first rental? Here’s why you’re not alone Lowering rent for a long-term tenant: Is sacrificing cash flow worth it for peace of mind? How much money should you have before you BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) an investment property? And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1283. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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She Started Investing in Her 50s, Now She’s Retired with 4 Rentals
6d ago00:48:01Summary readyWant to retire with rentals so you can buy back your time and travel the world? Despite a successful 35-year engineering career, today’s guest was still financially dependent on her nine-to-five—until she pivoted to real estate investing. In just four years, she has bought four rental properties and left her W-2 job for good. When Sandy Lee’s 50th birthday arrived, she realized she wasn’t quite where she wanted to be in life. At a crossroads in her career and still needing at least another five years at her current job before retirement, Sandy was ready for a drastic change (and a new challenge!). Now, with four short-term rentals and a highly profitable real estate business, Sandy has officially retired and designed her dream lifestyle, where she gets to travel throughout the year while spending only a few hours per week on her real estate portfolio. Whether you’re starting in your 20s or 50s, it’s never too early or too late to invest in real estate, and Sandy is living proof! In This Episode We Cover How Sandy built a four-property rental portfolio in just four years Making $5,000 in monthly cash flow from ONE rental property How to build a real estate portfolio that supports your ideal lifestyle Scaling a large portfolio versus having 100% paid-off properties What really moves the needle for Airbnb revenue and occupancy When to hire a “revenue manager” for your vacation rental portfolio And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1282. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Buy a $500K/Year Income Stream? This Is How to Do It
1w ago00:42:17Summary readyWhat if, today, you could “buy” a $500K/year income stream? You could replace your salary. You could become the boss immediately and reach financial freedom faster. It’s not a gimmick, it’s not a scheme, it’s something much more boring than that. In this episode, we’re talking about how to buy a business, especially small businesses, with Acquiring Minds’ Will Smith. Will spends his days interviewing the overlooked, but highly profitable, business owners who do exactly what we’re talking about today—find a boring business, buy it, improve it, profit, and repeat. Even the small businesses Will mentions can earn their owners hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. So, how do you get in on it? Will breaks down who should buy one of these businesses, where to find businesses for sale, how much they sell for, the returns you can expect, and the best business types to buy. Dave is heavily considering buying a business to complement his real estate portfolio. And after this episode, you’ll probably be feeling the same. In This Episode We Cover DON’T build a business, buy instead: entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) explained How much small businesses make (they can replace your salary!) The best business types to buy that have consistent, safe revenue What any beginner can do right now to find businesses for sale Who should (and should not) buy a small business, and how much they sell for And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1281. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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How to Find $150K Rental Properties in 2026
2w ago00:27:01Summary readyYou’re looking online and seeing properties priced at $300K, $400K, $500K, or more. As a real estate investor, that won’t cut it. What if you could get a deeper discount—we’re talking $150K rental properties. Don’t think it’s possible? Henry has been getting deals just like this in 2026, buying them, making upgrades, and walking into serious equity with way less money in. How does he find them? Today, we’re sharing the exact methods. This is how to find off-market properties priced well below your area’s average, even in 2026, even with methods people have written off as dead. This is the quick guide to getting your first off-market real estate deal. Henry goes over how to spot the “situations” that lead to lower prices, the list he builds to target the best potential investment properties, the methods he uses to contact sellers (it’s not just cold-calling), and the tool he recommends every beginner to use to choose their deal-finding method. Plus, if you don’t have time to search for deals, we’ll share an easier method to get them sent to you. In This Episode We Cover How to find investment properties for around $150K even in 2026 The off-market deal-finding methods beginners can use to get their first discounted property The two things Henry needs on his off-market list before he starts contacting sellers Got no time to look for deals? This method gets deals sent straight to your inbox How to use AI to speed up your deal-finding method and get in the game faster And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1280. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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7 Rentals in 2 Years by Buying in an Affordable Market Everyone Ignores
2w ago00:34:23Summary readyNick Burke knew he wanted to invest, but in his high-priced New Jersey market, buying a cash-flowing rental property was close to impossible. He needed to find an affordable market, somewhere with population growth, equity upside, and houses below the $100K price point. He did it, but in a city, 99% of investors have completely written off arguably too soon. Now, Nick owns a rental property portfolio of seven houses, using the “BRRRR” method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat), to build an entire rental portfolio with very little money out of pocket. He’s done what most investors never thought of—buying his first true rental with a credit card, managing renovations from hundreds of miles away, and going 50/50 with a partner when he didn’t have the cash. If any of that sounds too risky for you, Nick proves that if you’ve got your head on straight, you can make it work with all of these options. Just two years later, Nick’s portfolio has made him hundreds of thousands of dollars richer in equity, and he’s even gotten paid to buy rentals! All it took was taking the leap and realizing he, too, could build wealth in real estate. This is his exact strategy for scaling so quickly, without a ton of cash to start. In This Episode We Cover How to use the BRRRR method to make tens of thousands in equity immediately Buying a rental property with a credit card?! The 0% interest move Nick made that paid off The #1 most important person on your out-of-state investing team (you cannot miss this!) Nick’s exact buy box for finding an affordable, cash-flowing real estate market Investing while working a 9-5 job? Why it’s more than possible even if you’re managing renovations And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1279. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Homes Sit on Market for Longest in Years | May 2026 Housing Market Update
2w ago00:35:42Summary readyIt’s the middle of Spring, traditionally the busiest time in the housing market. But this year…things have changed. The market isn’t following regular patterns; some new concerns and opportunities are emerging and starting to approach the horizon. Are real estate investors prepared for what’s about to come? We’re back with this month’s housing market update, going over everything from mortgage rates to foreclosures and housing crash risk, how long homes are sitting on the market, and a silver lining for investors that most Americans are missing. But there are some concerns. One all-important metric for real estate investors is changing, and many rental property owners aren’t prepared for it. This could lead to lower profits, reduced cash flow, and, for those already struggling to pay the mortgage, foreclosures. Who’s in danger, and which areas of the country are most at risk? Plus, with delinquency rates rising and foreclosures increasing, are we at the tipping point of entering a dangerous housing market, or is this merely a return to normal, working its way through the system? In This Episode We Cover May 2026 housing market update: mortgage rates, foreclosures, rent trends, and more Why investors may see their cash flow get squeezed, especially in these areas More price cut opportunity? Homes sit on the market longer, but when should you bid? Americans (surprisingly) get back to buying, with pending sales seeing significant changes Updated risk of a housing crash: Does climbing delinquency signal a bigger problem? And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1278. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Would We Ever Invest in Tenant-Friendly States?
3w ago00:33:05Summary readyAre “tenant-friendly” states actually making investors richer? Ever since we started investing, people have always told us to invest in “landlord-friendly” states—places with quicker eviction laws, no or limited rent control, and fewer license requirements and fees. But most Americans will know that the top-appreciating markets like California, New York, Washington, and Hawaii are tenant-friendly. Are investors leaving money on the table by not investing in these more regulated markets? Today, we’re getting to the bottom of it. We’ll explain what a tenant-friendly vs. landlord-friendly state is, the real dangers of investing in a tenant-friendly state, whether rent control could kill your real estate investing business, and why not all “landlord-friendly” states are so friendly to your bottom line. The question is: would we invest in any of these “riskier” markets for landlords? Yes, but with one big caveat. If you can lock one specific skill down, you can invest in the most tenant-friendly states without ever going through an eviction, and make huge appreciation along the way. In This Episode We Cover Landlord-friendly vs. tenant-friendly states: the biggest differences between the two Do tenant-friendly states actually make investors more money? Rent control, rental licenses, and long evictions: how to plan for all of them States with the worst (and best) laws for real estate investors Would we invest in a tenant-friendly state? And if so, how would we protect ourselves? And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1277. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Snowballing to 14 Rental Units and $8,000/Month Cash Flow (Starting with $15K)
3w ago00:37:57Summary ready5 paid-off rentals vs. 15 rentals with mortgages. We get this question a lot: Should I pay off my rental properties or use the cash flow to keep scaling? Many investors believe you need a dozen or more rentals to become financially free. So, in today’s show, we’re going to show you the overlooked math behind having five paid-off rental properties, and whether it’s worth it to keep scaling to over a dozen doors. I’ve modeled out both scenarios (pay off rentals vs. buy more) to see which gets you to financial freedom faster, which leaves you with a bigger net worth, and which pumps out more cash flow so you can do what you want with your time. We’re using real, inflation-adjusted numbers: $400K home prices, $250/month cash flow, 30-year loans. These are the types of deals we’re buying even in 2026. So which scenario would Dave pick? Dave has a clear answer on the option he thinks is best for most real estate investors, and what to do if you pay off your rental properties but want to scale slowly when the right deal arrives. If you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket, this is the episode to hear before you make a move. How Logan scaled to 14 rental units and nearly $8,000 in monthly cash flow Buying his first rental property at 18 with no credit, no experience, and just $15,000 Several ways to find off-market rental properties for sale (and fund them!) How to scale your real estate portfolio faster while keeping your W-2 job Why house hacking is a no-brainer for people looking to break into real estate And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1276. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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5 Paid-Off Rentals vs. 15 with Mortgages: The Math Will Change How You Invest
3w ago00:24:59Summary ready5 paid-off rentals vs. 15 rentals with mortgages. We get this question a lot: Should I pay off my rental properties or use the cash flow to keep scaling? Many investors believe you need a dozen or more rentals to become financially free. So, in today’s show, we’re going to show you the overlooked math behind having five paid-off rental properties, and whether it’s worth it to keep scaling to over a dozen doors. I’ve modeled out both scenarios (pay off rentals vs. buy more) to see which gets you to financial freedom faster, which leaves you with a bigger net worth, and which pumps out more cash flow so you can do what you want with your time. We’re using real, inflation-adjusted numbers: $400K home prices, $250/month cash flow, 30-year loans. These are the types of deals we’re buying even in 2026. So which scenario would Dave pick? Dave has a clear answer on the option he thinks is best for most real estate investors, and what to do if you pay off your rental properties but want to scale slowly when the right deal arrives. If you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket, this is the episode to hear before you make a move. In This Episode We Cover 5 paid-off rental properties vs. 15 rentals with mortgages: which makes more money? How much faster do you reach financial freedom if you pay off your mortgages early? The multi-million dollar difference between the two scenarios (but is it worth it?) How Dave is combining the two scenarios to “harvest” his cash flow while scaling Proof you don’t need a huge portfolio to become a multimillionaire And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1275. Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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