755 episodes
She Bought the Property No One Wanted. It Had a Hidden Income Stream ($3K+/Month).
07/20/2026 | 32 mins.People think you need a dozen rental properties to achieve financial freedom. You don’t. Buy the right property in the right location, and it may only take one. Just ask Hana and Easton Jones, whose tiny back unit pays their entire mortgage and then some—allowing Hana to quit her W-2 job and live out her dream of being a stay-at-home mom!
Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Hana and Easton were a couple of 25-year-olds with regular jobs. How could they possibly afford real estate around Los Angeles? Driven by the dream of homeownership, they sacrificed, they saved, and when the time came, they bought the house no one wanted. It wasn’t perfect. It needed work. But it also had its own hidden income stream—a small ADU (accessory dwelling unit) that now covers their $3,300 mortgage each month!
In this episode, they break down their exact savings strategy, what it looks like to house hack an Airbnb, and how Hana was able to buy back time with her kids. Whether you live in an expensive city or want a way out from your nine-to-five, this story delivers the inspiration you need to take the next step in your real estate journey!
In This Episode We Cover:
The ADU (accessory dwelling unit) that makes $3,000-$5,000+ per month
How to save aggressively for a down payment (even on a normal salary)
Why Hana and Easton chose to put more money down on their house hack
The “overlooked” property that allowed Hana to step away from her W-2 job
How this frugal couple got creative on a $30,000 renovation budget
And So Much More!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices- The housing market looks very different than it did just a year or two ago. Home prices are softening, rates have eased slightly from the highs of 2023 and 2024, and sellers are more willing to negotiate than they've been in years. But rookie investors still want to know: Is 2026 actually the right time to buy?
Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today we’re answering three pressing questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. You just got your first rental property under contract–what’s the next step? Is out-of-state investing the answer to areas that don’t cash flow, and if so, how do you manage a property from afar? But perhaps most importantly, does it even make sense to invest in real estate in 2026?
Ashley and Tony break down the 2026 market, the contract-to-closing checklist every rookie investor needs, and the exact steps Tony took to build an investing team over 1,000 miles away!
Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!
In This Episode We Cover
Whether it still makes sense invest in real estate in 2026
The one data point that tells you whether a real estate deal is worth it
The full contract-to-closing checklist you need to get your keys on time
What to do when you can’t find cash flow in your own market
How to build your team (from scratch) when investing out-of-state
And So Much More!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-745.
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 - When buying your first rental property, everyone gives you the same advice: play it safe, get a long-term tenant, and collect the rent. But that same house, run as an Airbnb, can often make two or three times the cash flow. So which investing strategy should you actually use for your first deal?
Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re settling this debate once and for all: short-term rentals or long-term rentals? We both grabbed a real, middle-of-the-road property from our own portfolios, put them head to head, and broke down the three things that actually matter for rookie investors: the money, the workload, and the risk.
Ashley’s long-term rental might have the edge when it comes to ease of management, but Tony's short-term rental tax loophole gives certain investors a way to (legally) slash their tax bills by thousands. There is no one-size-fits-all answer here. But by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly which strategy fits your investing goals!
In This Episode We Cover
Real properties with real numbers from Tony and Ashley's portfolios
Why measuring your cash-on-cash return is crucial when comparing these strategies
How much time it actually takes to manage a long-term or short-term rental
The biggest risks to consider before committing to either strategy
How to potentially slash your tax bill by thousands with the short-term rental loophole
And So Much More!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-744.
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 - Your first rental property rarely comes from sitting back and waiting. It usually comes when you put yourself out there, talk to others about what you're building, and stay in the game long enough for the right moment to show up. That’s exactly what today’s guest did, and it led to a wild deal that kickstarted her real estate portfolio!
Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Stephanie Wagner spent nearly 20 years in a full-time job, putting her real estate dreams on hold through a marriage that wasn't working. Then, she used her divorce as the starting line. Six months later, she closed on her first real estate deal, a duplex she was able to house hack. Today, she owns five rental units and even has her real estate licence!
Stephanie shares about the everyday moment that led to buying an off-market deal, the second deal that involved a tricky tenant situation, and the mindset shift that separates the investors who start from the ones who never do. If you've been holding out for the “perfect” moment to invest in real estate, Stephanie's story is proof that you just need to take action!
In This Episode We Cover
How Stephanie bought three rental properties while working nine-to-five
The pivotal moment that led to Stephanie’s first property (an off-market duplex!)
The benefits of using a real estate agent on an off-market deal
Why the quality of your rentals matters more than your number of doors
Raising rent on long-term tenants with fixed incomes
And So Much More!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-743.
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 - You've got very little savings, almost no credit history, and you want to buy a rental property. Most people would tell you to wait, but today, we’re giving you clear, actionable steps you can take toward getting that first property under contract!
Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! Today, we’re answering three questions that cover the anatomy of a first deal: where the money comes from, where the deal comes from, and what it will really cost you.
First, suppose you have no money or credit. Can you still invest in real estate? Another investor wants to know if wholesalers are worth using, and finally, we’ll hear from an actual wholesaler who’s looking for the best ways to estimate rehab costs so he can deliver deals investors actually want to buy!
Tony explains why finding great real estate deals is the number one tool every rookie needs in their toolbelt, and Ashley shares a wholesale real estate strategy that nobody in the industry is using yet!!
Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!
In This Episode We Cover
How to invest in real estate when you have low money and no credit
How to save for your first down payment (fast!)
The best investing strategy for buying rentals with low money down
The wholesaling strategy explained (and how to buy a wholesale deal)
How to estimate rehab costs as a complete beginner
And So Much More!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-742.
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
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About Real Estate Rookie
Ready to build your real estate empire… but not sure where to begin?
Think of us as your personal trainer.
From detailed breakdowns of real-world deals… to one-on-one coaching sessions and a warm, welcoming community… hosts Ashley Kehr and Tony J Robinson bring on a wide range of guests to tackle the “newbie” questions you've wondered about but might be afraid to ask.
Looking to 10X your real estate investing business this year? This show isn’t for you.
Looking for your first, second, or third deal -- or envisioning a more modest portfolio? Step right up.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we’ll arm you with the tips, tools, and roadmaps you'll need as you embark on your journey toward financial freedom.
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