November 17, 2025
I Cracked the Code for More Cash Flow & Less Risk (Rentals + Private Lending)
Real Estate RookieAbout this episode
Rookies are often told to stick to one investing strategy , but today’s guest is going against the grain by combining the long-term appreciation of rental properties and the passive income of private money lending . Want to build a diversified real estate portfolio that can weather any kind of market shift or job loss ? He has the blueprint! Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast ! Shalom Yusufov’s first real estate deal wasn’t your average single-family rental. In fact, it wasn’t a rental at all, but a private lending opportunity that gave him a whopping 11% return. Leaning on the experience from that first deal, Shalom has gone on to complete several private money deals, start his own fund , and buy nine cash-flowing rental units in just ONE year! But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. In this episode, Shalom discusses one of the deals that went south and why it’s so crucial to vet both the property and the borrower on every private money deal. He also talks about why you should always have multiple exit strategies , and why becoming a landlord isn’t quite as time-consuming as some would have you think! In This Episode We Cover: How to get into private money lending (even if you don’t have a ton of cash!) The number one thing new investors get wrong when vetting a private money deal How to lower your investing risk with a diversified real estate portfolio Why you should always have multiple exit strategies when lending to other investors Choosing the right market to invest in when your backyard is too expensive And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-641 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