From making 5k a month to owning a decent rental property portfolio and making over 30k a month (95% passively).
My start: I was a 23-year-old with a dream to change my life after struggling with bills and even living in my car for a while. I didn’t come from money, so I decided to work hard—working 2-3 jobs a week for the next 3 years. After saving up 80k, I wanted to buy back my time.
I always wanted to get into real estate, but being from California made it difficult. I spent years searching for a way to invest with minimal capital and attended a lot of real estate events. At one of those events, I met an older guy in his 60s who was already doing what I wanted to do. He liked my drive and helped me get started—I bought my first rental 2 months later.
Fast forward 7 years—now at 33, I own 53 cash-flowing rental properties. I’ll keep this simple for anyone just starting out.
Strategy overview: Look for 2+ bedroom houses that need minimal work. They don’t have to be in your state—if you build a good team, you can invest anywhere. I look for deals that profit $500+ a month. If it doesn’t cash flow, I don’t buy it. Down payments are between 18k-26k per unit, with each property costing $80k-130k.
Money down: I put 20% down on each property using DSCR loans—there’s no limit to the number of loans, and they don’t affect my personal credit.
Credit: Aim for a credit score of 740+ for the best rates. If you have bad credit, you can still buy with a larger down payment.
Asset protection: Keep properties out of your personal name for protection—I close all my deals in an LLC.
Property type: I mainly buy single-family homes. They’re cheaper to acquire, and I’ve scaled to 40+ units this way.
Repairs/maintenance: Build a reliable local team to handle repairs. Spend 30 minutes a day working on this to make progress.
After closing: Clean up the property, review the inspection report, and make it rent-ready. Start marketing for tenants.
Marketing: Whether you prefer private or government-assisted tenants, use trial and error to find the best way to attract applicants.
Tenant screening: I do a credit and background check. Sometimes, I negotiate to help with lower deposits or move-in assistance if needed.
Management: Good property management is crucial to keep things as passive as possible. Make sure to vet any managers you hire.
With 50k, you could get 2 units if you buy smartly, adding an extra $1,000 a month in cash flow. This can help you reach your goals, save for the next property, or buy back some of your time.
I’ve worked extremely hard for this—if you’re willing to do the same and not waste time, you can do it too! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Cheers!
This doesn’t seem usable outside the US. No bank will give a loan without a backup/guarantee. You also have to pay back monthly. You can’t use one home to get another loan to buy a third. That’s only in the US.
Real estate is possible only with a lot of money. To get 53 properties in many countries, you’d need at least $20-30M.
You can’t buy 2 properties for $50k and make $1,000 a month. That’s a 24% annual return, which seems unrealistic.
@Remy
I get where you’re coming from, but it depends on the market and strategy. It’s possible to find good deals if you look beyond typical markets. Just takes patience and a good plan.
Rowan said: @Remy
I get where you’re coming from, but it depends on the market and strategy. It’s possible to find good deals if you look beyond typical markets. Just takes patience and a good plan.
@Remy
Just admit you don’t know what you’re talking about. In many countries, 20% down plus property security is enough for bank approval. With the right plan, it’s possible to get 53 properties over 7 years.
Taj said: @Remy
Yes, you do. There are interest-only loans, but they rarely make sense for most people.
But how do you make money if you have to pay $600 monthly for 10 years? You can’t charge $1,000 a month—that’s illegal here. You can only charge up to 70% of your monthly loan.
@Remy
If I can find someone willing to pay $4k a month when my mortgage is $1k, then I can. The ‘70% of monthly loan’ rule doesn’t make sense here. I don’t think that law exists.
Jonas said: @Remy
If I can find someone willing to pay $4k a month when my mortgage is $1k, then I can. The ‘70% of monthly loan’ rule doesn’t make sense here. I don’t think that law exists.
Is it really viable to pay $1,000 monthly for a property and rent it out for $4,000?
