Real Estate Rookie Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Making $1,200/Month by Turning His Home Into a Cash-Flowing Rental
Air Date: December 15, 2025
Hosts: Ashley Kehr & Tony J. Robinson
Guest: Alex Bozzie

Overview

This episode spotlights Alex Bozzie, a first-time landlord who turned his primary residence into a rental property generating $1,200 in monthly cash flow. Hosts Ashley and Tony walk through Alex’s journey—his motivations, decision-making process, practical steps from homeowner to landlord, and advice for fellow “rookies.” The discussion also covers financing strategies, preparing a home for tenants, rental listing tactics, and the realities of self-managing a property.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Deciding to Turn a Home into a Rental

• Family Influence: Alex always considered rental investing, as both parents owned rentals.

  "My dad was a landlord, my mom was a landlord...the prospect of passive income was always in my mind." —Alex [00:42]

• Timing: Lived in his primary home for 6 years before converting it; the decision accelerated by outgrowing the home after having a third child.

  “It was just a matter of what are we going to do with our starter? Are we going to sell it? Are we going to rent it?” —Alex [02:39]

• Key Factor: Locked in a low, post-COVID refinance rate of 2.6%, making holding the property much more attractive.

  “We were like, okay, we're not going to sell this when we've locked in historic rates.” —Alex [02:10]

2. Financing Strategies and Lessons

• Conventional Loans: Used conventional financing for both the first and second homes.

  “For the property we just bought our new primary, we did 15% about that.” —Alex [05:22]
  “…On the first one...probably five to seven.” —Alex [05:29]

• Discipline, Not Just Luck:

  "There's discipline involved there ... not just being lucky. There's a lot of other people that aren't taking the time to build that personal foundation first..." —Ashley [04:47]

• Tip: You don’t necessarily need 20% down for a conventional loan; there are options as low as 5%.

  “A lot of people hear conventional and they automatically think 20% down. But you said 15% on this one and 5 to 7% on the first one.” —Tony [05:34]

3. Preparing the Home for Tenants

• Catch-up Repairs & Deep Cleaning:

  "We had, I had three children at that point living in that home for six years. So it was lived in." —Alex [07:31] “We obviously had plenty of cleaning, lots of repairs, painted the walls, plumbing things we needed to fix...” —Alex [07:31]

• Move-Out Logistics: Allowed a two-week window between moving into their new home and tenant move-in, which made final preparations much easier.

  “If I could go back, just giving ourselves more time. It always just feels like a rush during move week…” —Alex [08:45]

4. Listing the Rental & Setting a Lease Price

• Tools & Comparables: Used Turbo Tenant for listing and rent estimate tools. Also, checked local market comps via marketplaces and platforms like Zillow and Facebook.

  "I used Turbo Tenant....I was able to use a rent estimate calculator...In addition to just looking at what other properties were renting out for in the area." —Alex [11:54]

• Tips for Setting Rent: Hosts add that calling local property managers, checking for vacancies, and querying Facebook groups can all help determine a strong, realistic rent price.

  “I always look [on Facebook Marketplace] ... Zillow, Apartments.com ... calling property management companies, posting in local groups...” —Ashley [12:56]

5. Self-Managing vs. Property Management

• Why Self-Manage: Budget constraints, personal attachment to the home, and a desire for direct involvement.

  “We're starting out with one property. We're really attached to that property ... willing to take the extra steps to go there and ... have a relationship with the tenant.” —Alex [14:44]

• Learning the Ropes: Experience working in proptech for a landlord software company was helpful, but emphasized the difference between reading about landlording and actually doing it.

  "It's one thing to learn about something...but then it's a completely another thing to actually do it right." —Alex [15:29]

6. Showings & Tenant Applications

• Showings: Alex did all individual showings himself, meeting 10-12 applicants with varied backgrounds, including out-of-state and virtual tours.

  “I think we, we had a good turnout...10 to 12 people ended up coming to look at the house.” —Alex [16:15]

• Personal Anecdote: His tenant ended up being someone who toured virtually from out-of-state.

  “She didn’t even live in Colorado, so I had to do a virtual walkthrough with her.” —Alex [17:41]

• Convenience Tip: Moving just two blocks away made showings effortless.

  “I had to drive less than a minute away to go show the house.” —Alex [18:12]

• Hosts’ Best Practices: Ashley prefers open house-style showings or scheduling windows using property management software to boost attendance and efficiency.

  “We would do like 15 minute windows for like an hour and then ... multiple people could schedule the same 15 minute window.” —Ashley [19:02]

7. Screening Tenants

• Systems First: Used Turbo Tenant to automate screening. Some applicants were denied based on clear criteria (criminal background, income, etc.).

  “It was good to be able to check for all that and have a tool ... and have it be accurate.” —Alex [21:18]

• Importance of Legal Compliance: Ashley stresses knowing state/local laws and fair housing rules; set metrics for income, credit, and background, and include these in the listing to pre-filter applicants.

  “Before you're even starting to list the property, you should know what your screening criteria is going to be and that it really fits the ... requirements by state and local laws and fair housing laws too.” —Ashley [21:45]

8. Looking Forward

• Next Steps: Alex would consider repeating the process, using the new (even higher-quality) home as a future rental, likely staying put through his children’s schooling.

  “I’m excited at the prospect of being able to rent this one out potentially in the future. So it’s absolutely in the cards to do that.” —Alex [27:33]

• Open to More Rentals: Is interested in acquiring rentals outside the “primary-first” pathway.

  “That's definitely something I want to look into more ... Real estate is always touted as the most stable way to do that.” —Alex [29:37]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You could hear for a lot of people, they're the golden handcuffs, or it's the golden goose depending on what you're trying to do.” —Alex [02:10]

• “It feels like a very customer service oriented business...” —Alex, on landlording [30:23]

• “My mortgage for the original property was $1,800 and we charge rent for $3,000. So it’s at $1,200 cash flow.” —Alex [31:22]

• “You don’t need to be an expert...Even if you’ve done one deal, your story could help inspire the next listener.” —Tony [32:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:42] – Alex’s background and initial motivation
• [02:08] – The power of a low, fixed interest rate in holding real estate
• [04:15-05:34] – Financing details and down payment options
• [07:31-08:45] – Preparing the home for tenants (repairs, cleaning, timing)
• [11:54-12:56] – Setting rent and using software for listings/estimates
• [14:44-15:29] – Why self-manage and how to learn the ropes
• [16:00-17:29] – Handling showings, variety of applicants, and efficiency tips
• [21:01] – Tenant screening process and ensuring compliance
• [27:33-29:37] – Planning for future rentals and broader investment goals
• [31:22] – The bottom line: $1,200/month in cash flow

Practical Takeaways for Rookie Investors

• Leverage your primary residence as your “first rental.”
• Locking in a low interest rate (particularly post-pandemic) can make holding a property far more profitable.
• Conventional loans can be accessed with as little as 5% down; don’t assume 20% is required.
• Use modern landlord software (like Turbo Tenant) for listing, screening, and process management.
• Give yourself ample time between moving out and tenant move-in to prep the property.
• Clearly define your tenant screening criteria, ensure legal compliance, and communicate requirements up front.
• Self-management works for entry-level landlords, especially with a manageable property and personal attachment.
• Treat tenants as valued customers—excellent “customer service” means long-term success.

Contact Alex:
Email: alex@turbotenant.com

Want to share your own rookie real estate journey? Apply at biggerpockets.com/guest.