Inventory is up. Home prices are slipping. The housing market is shifting fast. There’s a lot of noise out there—but what does it all mean for rookie investors? Whether you’re looking for your first, second, or fifth rental property, today’s conversation will help you make sense of the latest real estate data and gain a serious edge in 2025!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! With more homes being listed for sale and days on market creeping higher, it looks like we’re heading towards a buyer’s market. To help break it all down, we’re joined by Dave Meyer, head of real estate investing here at BiggerPockets. Investors could have the upper hand in the months ahead, and in this episode, we’ll show you how to negotiate lower prices and concessions—all while managing your investment risk in an uncertain market.

You’ll also learn where to find crucial national and local data online (for free!) and how to use it to uncover promising markets and deals—without falling into the trap of analysis paralysis. We’ll even share some of our favorite beginner-friendly investing strategies in today’s housing market—ones that we’re trying ourselves!

In This Episode We Cover

Why today’s housing market offers a rare window of opportunity for investors

Why buyers have more negotiating power due to higher supply and days on market

Must-have tools and resources Dave uses for real estate market analysis

The best, low-risk investing strategies for rookie investors to adopt in 2025

The secret to beating analysis paralysis and landing your FIRST real estate deal

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-576

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Welcome to another Rookie Reply, where Ashley and Tony answer questions from the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group.

This time, we’re covering questions like:

What to do when your property taxes skyrocket and threaten your cash flow.

How to handle guest refund requests and negative reviews in short-term rentals.

Resolving title issues after paying back a co-owner.

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-574

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Struggling to tell a cash cow from a money pit? Is the thought of a critical misstep keeping you from deal analysis altogether? Not anymore! We’re going to show you exactly how to analyze a rental property from scratch. Whether you’re looking to buy your first rental property or sharpen your skills, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, Ashley and Tony are breaking down the entire process of analyzing rentals, step by step. First, you’ll need to pin down your investing goals and buy box. Then, we’ll show you which real estate metrics actually matter when crunching the numbers and how to find each of them. We’ll also equip you with several tools and resources that will do the heavy lifting for you, allowing you to analyze deals faster and find that first deal MUCH sooner!

Whatever your investing strategy—house hacking, flipping, or short-term rentals—this process will give you the confidence to make savvy investing decisions going forward. Stick around till the end for a challenge that will give you hands-on deal analysis experience and an exclusive giveaway that could fast-track your investing journey!

In This Episode We Cover

How to analyze a rental property, step by step (even as a complete beginner)

The crucial first step you need to take before analyzing any real estate deals

The hidden rental property expenses that could derail your investment

Which deal analysis metrics matter most (and the fastest ways to find them)

Dangerous pitfalls to avoid when estimating a property’s rental income

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-574

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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One messy, imperfect, low-cash-flow rental property could change your life forever, but maybe not in the way you’d think. No one retires off ONE property, but that first property can provide the education, mindset, and momentum to fuel your second, third, and fourth deals. Today, we’re breaking down our first real estate deals—the ups, the downs, and mistakes we made that YOU should avoid!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! In this episode, we’re winding back the clock and sharing how we got started in real estate. While Ashley invested in her own backyard and found a partner to help fund the deal, Tony invested out of state and managed renovations remotely. You’ll hear how we stabilized the properties, rented them out, and, eventually, sold them for a big payday!

Whether you’re new to the world of real estate investing or struggling to take action, this episode has something for you. We’ll share why finding your first deal is more important than finding the “perfect” deal, how to use real estate partnerships to fast-track your investing journey, and what we’d do differently if we were starting over today!

In This Episode We Cover

How Ashley and Tony found and funded their first real estate deals

The secret to managing a successful renovation project from afar

Creative ways to buy your first rental property with little money out of pocket

How to use the power of partnerships to scale your real estate portfolio

Why we ended up selling our first properties (and how much we made!)

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-573

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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He had no money, no experience, and no idea how to renovate a house... but he still pulled off two real estate deals by 22.

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today’s guest, Steele Evangelisti, shares how he went from a 16-year-old stock dabbler to a full-time W2 employee buying a duplex right out of college. With just a 5% down conventional loan, $3K in seller assist, and pure hustle, Steele pulled off a house hack/live-in flip hybrid that came with a leaky roof, an electrical nightmare, and a totaled car…all within the first month.

But he didn’t stop there.

Steele saved aggressively, moved back in with his parents, and six months later had enough to buy property #2 using the same creative financing tactics. Whether you’re looking to buy your first property or scale without big money, Steele’s blueprint is proof that you don’t need perfect timing or deep pockets to get started.

In This Episode We Cover:

Buying your first property with just 5% down and seller assist

How to handle costly surprises like leaks, bad wiring, and tenant turnovers

Using YouTube (and now AI!) to self-renovate without experience

Saving $30K fast, even on a starter salary

How to confidently push past fear and analysis paralysis

And So Much More!

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Want to invest in real estate but fear you don’t have the time or energy? You DON’T need to quit your day job to build a cash-flowing real estate portfolio, and today’s guest is proof. In just two years, he scaled to six rentals (12 units) while holding down his nine-to-five—all thanks to a strategy that stretches your money further than you thought possible!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! After immigrating to the US, Hoai Nguyen took the traditional path of college, career, marriage, and children. But when he realized he’d be stuck in the rat race until normal retirement age, he went looking for a better way to build wealth—and found it in real estate. Starting with just $40,000, he used the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) to buy six rental properties in only two years!

Despite Hoai’s rapid success, the journey hasn’t been easy. In fact, his first few properties gave him his fair share of headaches, from leaks to lawsuits. But by taking action, learning through experience, and staying consistent, he gained the confidence to keep buying rental properties. Tune in and he’ll show you how to do the same!

In This Episode We Cover

How Hoai built a 12-unit portfolio in just two years (while working a full-time job)

How to find overlooked real estate deals on the multiple listing service (MLS)

The secret to getting your spouse on board with your investing goals

Scaling fast with the BRRRR strategy (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat)

Common investing mistakes that will cost you time and money (and how to avoid them!)

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-572

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Welcome to another Rookie Reply, where Ashley Kehr and Tony J Robinson answer questions from the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group.

This time, we’re covering questions like:

What real estate investing strategy should an investor start with in today's market?

How much money do you actually need for your first deal?

What happens if your property is cash flow negative, and how to pivot?

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-571

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Money—it’s the number one thing that keeps new investors from buying a rental property. Maybe you’ve got your market and buy box figured out, but the finances? Not so much. But not to worry—today, we’ve brought a personal finance expert on to help with these common challenges. Whether you’re starting from zero or already working hard to build a financial foundation, this episode is for you!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Amberly Grant, fellow real estate investor and co-host of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, joins the show to share her own personal finance tips for someone who’s looking to break into real estate investing. Whether you’re deep in debt or struggling to save, Amberly has been in your shoes and provides a clear blueprint anyone can use to get from point A to buying a rental in record time.

Along the way, we’ll point out some financial red flags that could be keeping you broke and show you how to break free. We’ll also share with you how to create an anti-budget that makes saving easy, the best place to stash your real estate funds, and creative ways to increase your income so you can throw even more money at that first down payment!

In This Episode We Cover

How to save for your first rental property—even if you’re starting from scratch

Simple steps you can take today to get your financial house in order

The financial red flags that could be keeping you broke (and how to break free)

Creating an anti-budget that fast-tracks saving for a down payment

How to diversify your investment portfolio (beyond real estate!)

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-570

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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You DON’T need a huge network, online presence, or social media following to invest in real estate. This small-town investor got started the old-fashioned way—picking up the phone and pounding the pavement—which helped him scale his real estate portfolio to 25 rental units in just five years. Want his personal playbook? Then stay tuned!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When the University of Minnesota Crookston dropped its football program, former offensive coordinator Jared Hottle didn’t know where to turn. After moving back to his home state of Iowa in search of his next career move, a friend introduced him to BiggerPockets. Jared caught the real estate bug, became a licensed agent, and started driving for dollars. It wasn’t long before he had closed on not one but two duplexes—in the same week!

Since then, Jared has scaled to 25 rental units in just a few years. What’s more? He’s done it without a big personal brand, social media presence, or podcast, and prefers to hustle offline and host his own local meetups. In this episode, he’ll share why real estate investing is a “contact sport,” how to use partnerships to grow your portfolio faster, and when to pivot to another investing strategy!

In This Episode We Cover

How Jared built a real estate portfolio with 25 rental units in just FIVE years

How to find off-market deals using the driving for dollars strategy

Estoppel agreements explained (and why you NEED one when inheriting tenants)

How to build your investing network without a strong online presence

The secret to a successful real estate partnership (and how to structure one!)

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-569

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Should you use retirement funds to buy rentals, pay for renovations, or scale your real estate portfolio faster? Saving for a down payment can be tough, and dipping into a retirement account might seem like a tempting shortcut. But is it worth paying the hefty penalty? We’re breaking it all down on today’s episode!

Welcome to another Rookie Reply, where Ashley and Tony answer questions from the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group. First, what do you do when a tenant wants to end their lease before it even starts? There are several factors to consider, from your state’s landlord-tenant laws to additional turnover costs, but we’ll steer you in the right direction.

Next, we’ll hear from an investor who’s considering withdrawing funds from their Roth IRA before retirement age to build their portfolio faster. Is it worth it? We’ll crunch the numbers and find out! Finally, where should you list your short-term rentals online, and how do you prevent your property from getting double-booked? As our resident short-term rental expert, Tony has the answer, and it’s much simpler than you might think!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

In This Episode We Cover

Whether you should use retirement accounts to buy more rentals

The real cost of withdrawing from your Roth IRA before retirement age

What to do when a tenant unexpectedly backs out before their lease begins

Where to list your short-term rentals online (and how to avoid double-booking!)

The best property management software for your Airbnb business

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-568

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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Is 2025 a scary time to invest in real estate or your biggest opportunity yet? Whether you’re scaling back or doubling down, this episode is your survival guide for today’s shifting market. Ashley and Tony are sharing the pivots they’re making to shore up their rental portfolios and grow their wealth faster!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! When your portfolio no longer aligns with your investing goals, it’s time to make changes. That’s exactly what Ashley and Tony are doing in 2025—tweaking their investing strategies, offloading unprofitable properties, and trimming the fat from their businesses to create more cash flow. Stay tuned and we’ll show you how to do the same!

This year, Tony is rolling out new, high-ROI amenities across all of his short-term rentals, while Ashley is BRRRR-ing (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) her primary residence and preparing the property she plans to one day turn into her dream home. Stick around till the end to hear about our new investments outside of real estate—from index funds to tech startups and more!

In This Episode We Cover

The biggest rental portfolio pivots Ashley and Tony are making this year

Adapting your short-term rental strategy for an oversaturated Airbnb market

Why reinvesting in your portfolio often beats buying more rental properties

The high-ROI Airbnb amenities that will make your properties stand out

How to instantly boost your cash flow by cutting unnecessary business expenses

When to SELL an underperforming property (and where to invest the money!)

And So Much More!

Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-567

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

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