Author: josh

In This Article Sue McCormick is five years into a plan she long postponed while raising two kids as a single mom. “We are working on our 20th project as we speak,” she said. “We’ll finish our 20th project in a couple of weeks, and then we have two more in the pipeline.”  The Dayton native invests where she grew up for affordability, and because rebuilding old blocks brings her much joy. How She Got Started, and Why Dayton McCormick had always wanted to invest, but waited until life allowed it. Podcasts were the on-ramp that built confidence and a…

In This Article As of 2025, the Social Security Administration revised its insolvency forecast to 2032.  It won’t actually go bust, of course. But it also can’t continue on its current course of benefits and revenue. Something will have to give, and politicians from both parties have proposed solutions—none of them good news.  So what are these proposed Social Security reforms, and how am I preparing for them personally? Proposed Fixes for Social Security Like all government overspending problems, the solutions come in two flavors: spend less, or tax more. In reality, the government will probably combine both.  Here are…

In This Article I talk to short-term rental hosts all the time who are struggling to figure out why their place is not booking. They have followed the design tips, adjusted their pricing, responded to messages quickly, and done everything they were instructed to do.  The truth is, the problem often started before they ever welcomed a guest. It began when they bought. Buying in an unfriendly short-term rental market can be the last nail in the coffin. You can find a property just outside the city limits, or try your luck and hope you don’t get shut down, but…

There are dozens of ways to make money in real estate—including some tactics that are currently flying under the radar and quietly making smart investors a ton of money in 2025. The best part? Many of them are easier to implement than you probably think, and in this episode, we’ll show you exactly what’s working in today’s market!Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, Ashley and Tony are breaking down four of the top “niche” real estate investments that are paying big in today’s tough housing market. Adopting one of these investing strategies could give you a serious…

This investor turned a $25,000 rental property (yes, you read that right) into a real estate portfolio producing $5,000/month in actual cash flow. He had no experience, lived in a small town many would write off, and was working 60 hours a week. But small towns mean less competition and lower prices, and Dustin Cardenas was ready to take advantage. Seven years later, he’s financially free thanks to his small rental portfolio!Dustin’s small town of 30,000 people is located in one of the most affordable parts of the country. Houses routinely sell for $30,000 to $50,000, a down payment for…

In This Article This article is presented by Coastal Equity Group. If it feels like everyone you know is packing up the U-Haul and heading south, you’re not imagining it. Neighbors are trading in snow boots for flip-flops, colleagues are escaping sky-high rents for bigger backyards, and retirees are leaving the cold behind for warmer winters. The Southeast has officially become America’s migration magnet.  And this isn’t just a cultural trend. It’s backed by some of the strongest demographic and economic data available.  For real estate investors, the Southeast is not just “hot.” It’s on fire. The Numbers Don’t Lie…

Ashley Kehr:Have you ever heard of the Burr strategy? It’s the real estate investing method that actually scales your portfolio and fast. But what if you don’t have the cash to complete it? There’s a more beginner friendly Brr R method for those without six figures, and we’re about to share it with you. Tony Robinson:But after you burr for the first time, chances are you’ll be paying today’s sky high home insurance costs. But don’t worry, we’ve got some solutions to lower your insurance premium so your bill stays reasonable. Ashley Kehr:Finally, we’re going to share the lazy method…

In This Article When a property fails to sell at auction, it reverts to bank ownership—becoming what’s known as a real estate owned (REO) property. For investors, REOs often represent an opportunity to acquire distressed assets at potentially favorable terms. The latest August 2025 data from ATTOM Data Solutions reveals a sharp increase in REO activity nationwide, signaling that more properties are making their way through the foreclosure pipeline and back into the hands of lenders. For investors, this surge could mean expanded access to discounted inventory, but also the need for careful due diligence. The Numbers: August 2025 REO…

In This Article Detroit Rock City? More like Detroit “Rental City.” The Motor City’s emergence as a rental haven for investors after the dark days of the 1980s, ‘90s, and early 2000s is well known. Now the city is attempting to give its residents a better chance of homeownership. However, its new homebuying assistance program could also help new investors get on the property ladder. An exhaustive 2022 report by think tank Detroit Future City noted that there were over 42,000 landlords in Detroit. Landlords with five or more properties owned a third of the city’s rental housing. The attraction…

House hacking is still the easiest way to start investing in real estate—and it’s getting even easier. You no longer need to live with roommates, share spaces with tenants, and give up your home to offset your mortgage. Instead, thanks to some new methods, you may not even need to live with or next to a tenant at all. These “house hacking” methods still make you rich, still save you tons of money, and work in 2025. In fact, they’re so good, Dave and Henry are doing them right now, even in their 30s and 40s, even with spouses and…