BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast
BiggerPockets
BiggerPockets
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.
6h ago
Has real estate finally bottomed? Ben Miller , CEO of Fundrise ( managing over $7B in real estate), says it’s so. And he’s not just talking about commercial real estate. If true, one particular type of real estate investment could do exceptionally well over the next year, but most people (even Dave!) are going in a different direction. Where could the next big real estate boom happen? We’re getting into it! To continue this prediction season, Ben joins us to walk through a few crucial economic outlooks that could greatly affect the housing market . From AI stunting hiring to inflation actually going down (below 2%!), American wage trends changing dramatically, and the assets that will perform best , we’re getting his take as someone who manages billions of dollars in real estate. Want mortgage rates to go down? We need lower inflation , and Ben says there’s good news on the horizon for stable prices. New technology adoption could lead to much lower inflation (even deflation in some cases). Could this be what reignites the housing market as mortgage rates react to a more stable economy? Ben gives his full take, with some surprises even Dave wasn’t prepared for. In This Episode We Cover The bottom for real estate prices? Why Ben thinks it’s here (or very close) The end of runaway inflation : How AI could kill the concern over rising costs More Americans making less, and what happens when AI takes tens of millions of jobs The one type of residential real estate that is poised to perform best in 2026 A new AI tool that could be pivotal for rental property investing research And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1215 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
2d ago
Your real estate agent is ignoring you and not sending you deals. You told them you’re interested in investing, but they’re leaving your texts on “read.” This happened a lot to Dave and Henry until they started saying the right thing to agents . Now, they have more investing opportunities than they can handle. What’s the secret to landing an agent who will put you first ? They’re sharing the tactic today. We’re back, taking questions from the BiggerPockets Forums , helping you invest in real estate wherever you are. Speaking of locations, an investor is worried about this “big city” they’re about to invest in. But Dave and Henry push back, calling this one market a “sleeper” city for investment properties , one that Dave is actively looking to invest in . A house hacker with a high DTI ( debt-to-income ratio ) sees a property down the street that they want to buy. But with maxed-out credit, how can he make it work? We’ve got multiple options anyone can try. Would you buy a property with 0% down and a 100% loan? This investor is scared of overleveraging himself, but is it worth it for the low investment? Finally, we’re giving you actual steps to lower (or at least stabilize) your renovation budget even with rising material and labor costs. Do NOT start buying toilets in bulk, we’ll tell you why… In This Episode We Cover Signs of an investor-friendly agent , and the easy way to weed out average agents The most underrated real estate investing area in the country that is still affordable How to invest in real estate when your DTI (debt-to-income) is maxed out The real risk behind a VA loan ( 0% down loan ) and how to ensure you’re not biting off more than you can chew Flipping or BRRRRing ? How Henry and Dave keep their costs on budget And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1214 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
4d ago
Within three years , this high school teacher bought eight rental units , giving him an extra $1,600/month in pure cash flow and helping him pay for his child’s future. Through a combination of affordable markets, “reverse BRRRRs ,” and beginner-friendly renovations , Ben Vidovich has built financial freedom that middle-class America rarely achieves. With his first child on the way, Ben knew he needed something more than the retirement account he was throwing his money into. As a high school teacher living in one of America’s most expensive markets , buying a rental property nearby was far from possible, and Ben wasn’t sitting on piles of cash. So, Ben hunted down “affordable” markets across America, took the leap, and bought his first rental property, a duplex , for under $200,000 . Three years later, he’s perfected the reverse BRRRR strategy to scale quickly , using local banks to fund renovations and rehabs on multiple homes, all from thousands of miles away. Now, he’s starting to buy these houses in cash for better passive income and the ability to leverage them to buy even more rentals. This is a repeatable, middle-class investing strategy anyone can follow , and Ben is actively using it in 2025! In This Episode We Cover How to invest in real estate on a middle-class salary (while living in a pricey market) The “reverse BRRRR” strategy that you can use to put $0 down on renovated rentals Inherited tenants : worth it for the instant cash flow or problem for your portfolio? Beginner-friendly renovations that rookie investors can perform from out of state Is it worth it to buy rental properties in cash? How Ben uses paid-off properties as leverage to scale faster And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1213 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
Dec 12
Before you buy your first (or next) real estate deal, you need to know one thing— how to calculate cash flow on a rental property. The problem? 99% of investors do this wrong and get burned as a result. That’s why after buying dozens of rental properties, we’ve come up with arguably the most accurate way to calculate real estate cash flow , and today, we’re showing you how to do it, too. Joining us is Ashley Kehr from the Real Estate Rookie podcast , who’s been buying rentals routinely for over ten years now. We’ll use the BiggerPockets Rental Property Calculator (which you can try for free !) to run numbers on a real rental property Dave is looking to buy right now. You’ll learn exactly how to estimate both fixed and variable expenses , how much emergency reserves to set aside, how to account for property management fees , vacancy , repairs , and more, plus what to do to instantly boost your potential cash flow before you buy! In This Episode We Cover How to calculate cash flow on any rental property before you submit an offer The easiest way to increase your cash flow if it’s not hitting the mark What a good deal looks like to Ashley and Dave (when they’d submit an offer) How to estimate your expenses (accurately) so you get the most cash flow possible How much cash flow should you be making in 2026? And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1212 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
Dec 10
We know you’ve been thinking about it. Dreaming about it. Talking to your spouse, friends, and family about it. Take our advice: don’t do it…yet. Obviously, we’re talking about the one thing every real estate investor is after: quitting your job . It’s the goal of every rental property owner to have enough real estate cash flow to pay for your life, tell your boss it’s over, and walk out the door, fading away into the sunset. But quitting your job for rentals could add years to your financial freedom timeline , limit your ability to scale your real estate portfolio , and force you back into the job market when things get tough. Today, we brought on someone who’s proof that keeping your job makes you richer (quicker) in real estate . Paul Novak has worked full-time for 20 years. At record speed, he acquired eight rentals in just five years . And guess what? In five more years, he could be financially independent and retire early, IF he keeps his job and invests. The best part? Paul has unlocked secret, low-interest loans that W-2 workers have easy access to but rarely know about, helping him supercharge his rental portfolio. If you really want to quit, do it. But if you actually want to get wealthy with real estate, listen to this episode. In This Episode We Cover How Paul scaled to eight rental units while working a full-time s chedule The secret loan to fund your real estate deals that W-2 workers have easy access to Why you’ll retire much sooner if you keep your W-2 job vs. quitting Should you work in the real estate industry if you don’t like your job? The benefits of going full-time into real estate (only quit if these are worth it) And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1211 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
Dec 8
Home prices are about to “bend”...but will they break? The 2026 housing market could be another year of a correction , but how low could we go? Last week, we gave our mortgage rate predictions for 2026 ; this week, we’re focusing on home price forecasts . The housing market is stuck, and something needs to give. Americans can’t afford homes at these high prices, but with so many “locked-in” homeowners, where will the new supply come from? There are a few scenarios that could unfold , with different results that could greatly impact your buying, selling, and wealth-building . This year feels…different. And while Dave shares his “most likely” scenario for home prices , two other scenarios (“upside” and “downside”) aren’t worth ruling out just yet. One “X factor” could shoot home prices high, with Americans rushing back to buy. But a downside risk could drive our correction even deeper . Dave describes the rental properties he’s looking to buy during this year of opportunity, along with the rules you must follow so you don’t get burned. In This Episode We Cover 2026 home price predictions and whether the correction will continue into next year The one crucial factor driving home prices (and what happens when it changes) The “range” that home prices could be in this year , and what inflation -adjusted prices will look like The “X factor” that has a chance to reset the hot housing market and drive down mortgage rates What Dave is buying now and his exact buy box for “ The Great Stall ” market we’re entering And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1210 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
Dec 5
By the time you finish this episode, you’ll have your exact plan for financial freedom through real estate , starting in 2026. See if you can answer these questions right now: How much money do you want to make every month? When do you (realistically) want to retire? How much real estate will it take to get there? And which strategy will actually get you to the finish line? If you can’t answer all four of those questions, you’re like 99% of real estate investors —buying properties just to “build wealth.” While “building wealth” is worth striving for, it’s not actually a true goal. It's what keeps investors working longer , unsure of when or if they’ve “made it” or how much farther they have to go. If you do one thing before 2026, do this: define your financial goals . Today, Dave shows you exactly how to do that. You’ll learn the formula to calculate your financial freedom number , how much real estate you’ll need, how long it will take, the one- and three-year goals you should set now, and the best real estate strategies for your situation . You could be retired in under 10 years if you start in 2026 . What are you waiting for? In This Episode We Cover How to actually retire with rental properties in 10 years (or less) with a personalized strategy The best real estate investments for those with low money or little time How long it will take you to replace your income with real estate 2026 goal-planning that is achievable and gets you closer to early retirement How it’s possible to double your money in a matter of years by reverse engineering your investments And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1209 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
Dec 3
How does a 9th-grade dropout end up retiring early in his 40s with over 50 rental properties that generate the highest possible cash flow ? And we’re not talking about big properties —no apartment buildings or commercial real estate. This investor built the perfect rental property portfolio from duplexes and triplexes — small multifamily properties that any new investor can buy. Instead of taking his energy and buying larger properties, he reinvested in the ones he had, which made him even more money , allowing him to scale faster. Matt (the Lumberjack Landlord) and his wife have self-managed over 100 rental units , meaning all that cash flow goes to them. Using his “acquire, stabilize, optimize” formula , Matt’s rentals make hundreds more in cash flow per unit than other properties. This has allowed him to retire in his 40s, all while supporting his family of six. Today, he’s showing you how you can make the most from your rental properties , too. Simple utility changes, smart renovations for higher rents, cheap (and efficient) upgrades, and more can put hundreds of dollars back in your pocket every month . Plus, he shares how to keep your best tenants, even during tough economic times. If Matt could do it all while working 60+ hour weeks, why can’t you? In This Episode We Cover How to make the most cash flow possible by self-managing your rentals Bigger isn’t better : Why Matt exclusively buys small multifamily properties The “formula” for the rental portfolio that can retire you in your 40s How to afford your first rental property even if you’re low on cash Why every investor should talk to local banks first about financing their rentals Easy ways to keep your best tenants even when the economy gets shaky Would you live in a jail? Why Matt’s tenants pay to get put behind bars And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1208 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
