Category: <![CDATA[Podcast]]>

Are you tired of toiling in the trenches… and ready to run a business that cranks out profits without your constant involvement?

That’s what today’s guest has managed to do! In this episode, Michigan-based investor Mike Simmons shares exactly how he went from moderate success to $1 million in annual profit.

You’ll learn why Mike switched gears from flipping to wholesaling real estate, what he’s learned from spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on various marketing channels, and the four-point checklist you must use when considering any kind of partnership.

Ultimately, expert marketing tactics are fine and well. But to scale, you’ve got to master leadership and hiring—topics Mike covers in great detail here and in his new book, Level Jumping.

So pick up a copy (see link below), and share this episode with a friend, family member, or fellow investor who you think would enjoy it!

Do you dream of stepping back from the day to day and working on your business rather than in it? Of course you do!

AJ Osborne has achieved that goal—and having experienced a harrowing health emergency that incapacitated him for months (see show 286), this Boise, Idaho, investor is ultra-qualified to discuss the value of documenting, delegating, and streamlining your real estate business so it can run without you.

AJ owns and operates over 1 million square feet of self-storage. Today he breaks down the seven-step process he uses to improve operations, unlock hidden value, and scale fast.

If you’re thinking, “I don’t do deals that big,” rest assured: AJ reveals that he actually lost money on his very first deal but gained a ton of wisdom, which he’s generous enough to share with us today—and which applies across the board.

Plus, AJ shares a tip on financing deals that may totally change the way you think about growing your portfolio!

Check him out, and pick up a copy of his book, The Investor’s Guide to Growing Wealth in Self-Storage: How to Turn a Real Estate Asset into a Thriving Business.

On today’s show: the massive impact of just a few flips and a few small multifamily rental properties.

Starting in 2017, that combination allowed our guest Megan Greathouse to step aside from her W-2 job (her husband still works) and spend much more time with her two young kids… all while dedicating just 5 hours per month to self-managing her portfolio in St. Louis.

Want to know how she did it? Megan spells it all out in this episode and provides the exact tools and templates she uses to maximize her efficiency—enabling her business to serve her and allowing more time for what really matters.

Give Megan a follow, and share this episode with a friend, partner, spouse, or family member who you think might enjoy it!

Yesterday, Marcus Maloney showed us how he built his deal-finding machine. Today, he tells us how he’s hanging onto it by making two big shifts in his business.

When the pandemic hit, lenders got nervous… and that put a couple of Marcus’ deals in danger. So did he give up? No! He tapped his own network of private lenders to provide financing to his end buyers—a win-win-win.

Plus, Marcus tells us why he’s shifted focus to the Midwest since we first spoke and how he worked out a deal with a “great tenant” who wound up unemployed and unable to pay rent.

Wondering how to adjust your business to the new normal? Check out this episode, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast so you won’t miss the next one.

From “bad drug dealer” in his youth… to earning a master’s degree, then jumping into real estate at age 36 and crushing his first deal!

Today, Marcus Maloney shares his wild ride in Part 1 of two episodes this week. This one was recorded before the coronavirus pandemic, so we don’t discuss that topic. Tomorrow, we’ll dive into how Marcus pivoted to keep doing deals in these trying times.

In this episode, you’ll learn how Marcus used just $200 to launch his career, how he acquired nine rental properties, and how he’s completed dozens of local (Phoenix) and long-distance (Chicago) real estate transactions.

He also discusses the strategies he’s using to generate leads, how he builds trust with both sellers and buyers, and how he works with acquisition managers, who take a cut of the deals they bring him.

Plus—the guys have a great conversation about performance coaching and why the thing that’s holding you back probably isn’t something you’re going to fix at a real estate boot camp.

Marcus was nice enough to take some time out from riding his Harley to share some of his hard-won wisdom, so say hello to him on the BiggerPockets Forums, where he’s a frequent contributor.

And don’t forget to subscribe to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast so you won’t miss the next show!

Flipping with no money down… in Hawaii? You heard that right.

Greg Gaudet actually considers himself “risk-averse” and still holds a full-time job, but he’s able to make nice chunks of change by hustling to find deals and managing rehabs for Brandon’s team on Maui.

Today, Greg walks us through his journey from “rock bottom,” including bouts with addiction and homelessness, to living the life of his dreams, buying a Porsche cash, and owning a handful of properties free and clear.

You’ll learn the right way to approach investing in condos, how to bring value to a potential partner or mentor, how Greg manages risk by keeping his living expenses low, and the mindset shifts that allowed him to 1) get clean and 2) “get out of his own way” in the real estate business.

This is truly one of the most powerful stories we’ve told on the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast, and it’s guaranteed to get your wheels spinning!

After yesterday’s deep dive interview discussing 2 disastrous flip projects, we have a solo show for you today.

And the title says it all, really.

Brandon and David boiled down nearly 400 podcast episodes, countless forum threads, books, and real-life conversations, and their own missteps and now present: the Top 10 Ways Real Estate Investors Lose Money.

These aren’t the only ways to go wrong in this business, but at some point you’re in danger of falling into at least one of these traps.

So, what did we miss? Let us know in the forums, the comments section on our show notes, or in the Official BiggerPockets Facebook Group. And be sure to subscribe to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast so you won’t miss an episode.

You can put a dollar number on the losses Spencer Cornelia took on his first two long-distance flips… but it’s hard to quantify the value of the lessons he learned and is now passing on to you.

We noticed Spencer’s thread detailing his struggles in the BiggerPockets forums and invited him on the show; he bravely accepted.

In this episode, you’ll learn the pitfalls to watch out for when taking on heavy renovations (anywhere, but especially long-distance), how to ensure quality work is getting done, and the dangers of letting projects drag on when you’re locked into expensive short-term financing.

Plus, it’s not a total downer… because Spencer’s seeing a bunch of success with his new Youtube venture, and plans to continue investing in (less aggressively leveraged) real estate projects.

Brandon and David add their own perspectives having made some similar errors in their careers, and tomorrow in Part 2 they’ll break down the 10 Deadliest Mistakes Investors Make.

New investors: heed the advice in these two shows! And as always: run your numbers conservatively, know your own risk tolerance, and run deals by trusted advisors before jumping in.

Interested in someday making the leap to bigger investments? Don’t miss this one!

Ben Leybovich and Sam Grooms join us for a high-level conversation about how they transitioned from flips and smaller assets to 100-plus-unit, value-add multifamily deals.

Since the first part of this show was recorded pre-coronavirus, we brought the guys back on to hear their thoughts on today’s market and get an update on how their business is doing amid the volatility (spoiler: pretty well!).

What happens to a no-money-down BRRRR investor when a pandemic breaks out, lending standards suddenly tighten, private money lenders get skittish, and property values quickly drop?

Today, Josiah Smelser returns to the show and tells all.

In Part 1 yesterday, we learned how Josiah built a $4M portfolio by buying, renovating, renting, refinancing, and repeating using both hard money and private money.

Coronavirus hit him hard. And if he didn’t have cash reserves, credit options, and the right mindset, it might have totally wiped him out.

When the virus hit, Josiah had 10 properties he needed to refinance. It was a perfect storm: His private money lender immediately pulled funds, his refinance bank changed their terms, and property values dropped—all at once—meaning he would need to bring way more cash to the table.

What happened next? Listen to this episode to learn about how Josiah made it through the nightmare and came out on the other side… with more equity and reduced interest payments.

Real estate investing isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. But if you keep your mind right, plan your exit strategies, and maintain cash and credit lines, you too can survive the curveballs thrown your way.