Latest posts six columns

Popular finance advice often says to get out of debt. That message helps people who struggle with consumer loans, but it ignores a key truth. Debt can be one of the most powerful tools for building wealth when you use it correctly. The first step is understanding the difference between good debt and bad debt....

I have been through multiple real estate cycles over the last three decades. Peaks, crashes, sideways years, euphoric markets, fear-driven markets. And every cycle has something in common: Most people only recognize opportunity after it has passed. Right now, we are entering a period that smart investors have been waiting for.A rare window where leverage...

I did not come from money. I did not have wealthy parents, a trust fund, or special connections. When I started in real estate, I was earning $700 a month managing a 60-unit apartment building. Today, I own over 10,000 units, and those properties pay me every single month whether I work or not. People...

I’ve been in real estate for over three decades, and one thing has always been true: the market rewards investors who see shifts early. Right now, one of the biggest shifts underway isn’t grabbing mainstream headlines, but it’s transforming how investors build wealth. Welcome to the rise of build-to-rent communities (BTR) and alternative rental asset...

For the first time in years, renters, not landlords, have the leverage. Apartment owners across the country are offering months of free rent, slashing asking prices, and throwing in incentives just to keep occupancy up. According to The Wall Street Journal, the national average rent fell 0.3% last month, the biggest September drop in over...

If there is one thing I have learned in more than 30 years of real estate investing, it is this: emotion is the enemy of profit. Nowhere is that more obvious than in real estate bidding wars. A new study from the Rochester Institute of Technology analyzed 14 million home sales over 20 years. The...

When the federal government shut down on October 1, the direct consequences weren’t just about politicians debating budgets and bureaucrats packing up their desks. The ripple effect reached deep into real-estate markets across the country, and if you’re an investor (or thinking of becoming one), you need to pay attention. What’s happening? Because Congress failed...

Most people think that when you hit your 60s, you slow down. You ride off into retirement. You play golf. You coast. Your best days are behind you. For me, it has been the complete opposite. I am sharper, more motivated, and more curious now than I was in my 30s. And it is not...

Stay in the know and learn more about my thoughts on the latest real estate news and trends when you sign up for my Real Estate Edge Newsletter. It’s 100% free and provides invaluable knowledge on financials, real estate, and more.   Sign up for Ken’s Real Estate Edge Newsletter here!

Across the country, thousands of multifamily buildings built in the 1960s and 1970s are reaching the end of their useful life. If you’re a real estate investor, that matters a lot. These properties often look like great value-add opportunities, but beneath the surface are expensive surprises such as outdated electrical systems, failing plumbing, worn-out roofs,...

Most investors crowd into the same handful of “hot” cities. Austin, Nashville, Miami, Phoenix, chasing headlines and hoping the trend continues forever. But the best opportunities often live off the radar, in smaller markets that haven’t hit investors’ radar yet. After 30 years and 10,000+ units, I’ve learned that growth doesn’t always start in big...

When most people hear “tariffs on China,” they think of higher prices on electronics or cheap imports. But for those of us in real estate, tariffs do something far more serious. They ripple through construction costs, housing supply, mortgage rates, and affordability. The timing couldn’t be worse, with the Federal Reserve meeting later this month...

Every year, I watch business owners and real estate investors make the same costly mistake: they wait until tax season to start thinking about taxes. By then, it’s too late. If you want to truly minimize your tax burden, you can’t wait until April. The key is to plan before December 31st because that’s when...

Forget the Data. Listen to the Workers. If you’re a young adult trying to start your career right now, you’re facing one of the toughest job markets in years. On paper, government data claims the U.S. unemployment rate is low. But anyone paying attention to the real economy knows that’s not the full story. Behind...

There is a money lie that keeps people broke. You have heard it from well-dressed advisors, glossy brochures, and even family members who mean well. The lie is simple: “Hand your money to smarter people and they will take care of it.” It sounds comforting. It also keeps you from ever learning how money really...

For decades, Detroit was written off as a city of abandoned homes and shrinking opportunity. Then, investors showed up. They saw what others didn’t — low prices, rising rents, and an economy slowly rebuilding from the inside out. Today, Detroit is once again in the headlines, but this time for a very different reason. City...

For decades, the “ugly house” strategy was the go-to move for real estate investors. Buy cheap, renovate, and force appreciation. But in today’s market, the numbers don’t pencil how they used to. Renovation costs have skyrocketed. Contractors are in short supply. And the so-called distressed property discount is slimmer than ever. Many investors who cling...

Dead Money vs. Living Money Millions of Americans are sitting on record amounts of home equity right now. The problem? Equity looks great on paper, but by itself it does not pay the bills. That is why I call it dead money. The good news is that there are safe, strategic ways to put that...