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...
On paper, the U.S. economy looks strong. Unemployment is low, inflation has cooled from its 2022 peak, and GDP continues to expand. But if you ask the average American how they feel, the answer is very different. Consumer sentiment today is nearly as pessimistic as it was during the 2008 financial crisis or the stagflation...
Foreclosure Fears Grow as Google Searches for Mortgage Help When you’ve been through as many market cycles as I have, you learn to pay attention to the quiet signals before the headlines hit. And right now, one of those early signals is starting to make noise. Google Trends recently showed a sharp increase in searches...
