Writing on real estate, company building, and the rental industry.

What's the Best Legal Structure for Owning Real Estate?

Start with the risks you need to address, not a complicated ownership chart. Compare personal ownership and an LLC with your advisers, and ask what each option protects, costs, and requires to maintain.

Read article

Use S.O.L.I.D. Screening to Find Responsible Residents

A friendly conversation doesn't verify a rental application. Use a repeatable process, relevant criteria, and documented verification to make clearer decisions, including conditional approvals with adjusted deposits where allowed.

Read article

My Tenant's Lease Is Coming to an End. Now What?

An Oregon lease's end date doesn't automatically mean a move-out or another annual signing. We generally prefer month-to-month tenancies and manage rent decisions, owner goals, and move-outs as part of the ongoing relationship.

Read article

How to Market a Rental So People Know What They're Getting

A useful rental listing helps people find the property, understand what it offers, and take the next step. We use several advertising channels, with clear photos, factual details, and screening criteria available before applying.

Read article

What I Look for in a Rent-Collection Tool

A good rent-collection tool does more than move money. Look for a clear ledger, accessible receipts, understandable payment status, and an easy way for residents to pay and check their account.

Read article

"I Don't Move Out Until the 7th." But... Today Is the 7th

We agreed on a move-out date, but when I arrived for the keys, the resident thought the 7th was still ahead of him. Here's what happened, why I gave him another day, and how we coordinate move-outs now.

Read article

Real Estate Investing Baby Steps

Your first rental starts with manageable steps: save beyond the down payment, learn the market, budget conservatively, and plan for management. Keep reserves and simple records so one repair doesn't derail the investment.

Read article

When Does It Make Sense to Pay Off My Properties?

Paying off a rental can improve cash flow, while keeping a loan can leave money available for other investments. Start with the income you need, the loan you have, and the reserves your properties still require.

Read article

Making a Rental Walk Through a "Walk in the Park"

A useful rental walk-through starts before anyone opens the door. We prefer individual appointments, a phone conversation beforehand, and confirmation before the tour, so everyone arrives knowing what to expect and what comes next.

Read article

Responsible Tenants Are the Drummers of Rental Real Estate

A good property needs more than financing and systems. Residents who pay as agreed, care for the home, and communicate respectfully help keep it running. Good management means holding up our side of that relationship, too.

Read article

Real Estate Investing Produces Gyroscopic Cash Flow

Rental income can feel passive between bursts of work. Scheduled inspections, preventive maintenance, and documented systems help keep a property operating without depending on someone remembering every detail.

Read article

Seek Unity With Your Spouse Before Investing in Real Estate

Before buying a rental, agree on what ownership will mean for your money, time, and daily life. Start with who will manage it, then work through the property, repair plan, costs, and risks together.

Read article

How Much Should You Charge for Rent?

Start with comparable rentals, then account for condition, competition, vacancy, and timing. Here's how I turn a rent estimate into a practical pricing plan for owners.

Read article

Make It Easy for Residents to Tell You About Problems

Residents sometimes put off reporting problems because they're embarrassed or unsure how you'll respond. Here's how clear communication, calm follow-through, and a real emergency plan help owners care for their rentals.

Read article

Earn More by Charging Less Rent

The highest monthly rent does not always produce the most income over a year. A $50 discount once left me $700 ahead, while chasing an extra $600 on another home led to four months of vacancy. Here is how I weigh pricing, retention, and turnover costs as an owner and property manager.

Read article

Finding The Wedge: How We Provide Outsized Real Estate Profits

Successful real estate investing hinges on finding "the wedge" — the gap between a property's current value and its potential after strategic improvements. This principle, borrowed from business acquisitions, guides the approach to identifying opportunities to add value through increased rents, operational efficiencies, or physical upgrades. By focusing only on properties with a clear wedge, this strategy consistently delivers outsized returns.

Read article

What To Expect During a One-On-One Intro and Due Diligence Call

When investors meet with me, they often want to know what we’ll discuss and if they need to prepare anything. In general, there are two types of calls: an introductory 30-minute session to discuss your background and goals and a more detailed due diligence call focused on specific investment opportunities. Each call is designed to provide you with the information and clarity you need to make informed investment decisions.

Read article

How Our Passive Investors Earned 26.9% On One Deal

We purchased a pre-foreclosure house for $160K and raised $95K for loan reinstatement, repairs, and to help the owner relocate. Investors were offered a straight 8% return on their investment. The process of assisting the owner, making necessary repairs, and selling the house took 107 days (3.57 months). After the sale, investors were paid 8% ($7,600), which annualized to a 26.9% percentage rate.

Read article

42 Questions Passive Investors Should Ask When Analyzing a Real Estate Deal

Passive real estate investing is mostly passive, but there is some upfront due diligence to decide if a particular offering aligns with your goals. The best way to do that is to ask the sponsor questions before you transfer your funds. When considering investing in something, I ask questions about the sponsor, the property manager, the property, the surrounding market, the business plan, the construction plan, the loan, and the legal documents. Here are my top questions.

Read article

Why Affordable Housing Is So Hard To Solve, Here's How To Solve It

The affordable housing challenge in the US is complex due to factors like rising construction costs, demand for larger homes, unprofessional landlords, and the limitations of rent caps and HUD assistance programs. But there's still a way to solve the problem. Some solutions will take decades to impact affordable housing, but some can be started today by investors everywhere.

Read article

Clear and Concise Real Estate Syndication Terms and Definitions

Like any industry, there are special terms that are helpful to know. Here are some of the most common ones in plain English. Bookmark to reference later.

Read article

Why I'm Actually Fine with the Blueprint For a Renters Bill of Rights

An Oregon landlord's opinion on the White House Blueprint For A Renters Bill Of Rights – it's probably not what you expect.

Read article

6 Helpful KPIs To Always Consider When Investing In Real Estate

It can be overwhelming when you start evaluating real estate deals. That's especially true if you're stepping in as a Limited Partner without prior personal investing experience. You're relying heavily on the Operator and their due diligence - trust is vital! To build that trust, it helps to know 6 key performance indicators (KPIs) when investing in multifamily real estate. That gives you the knowledge and confidence to spot a good deal that aligns with your investment goals.

Read article

What are Self-Directed IRAs? (And How To Invest In Real Estate With One)

A Self-Directed IRA is a retirement account that lets you invest in alternative investments like real estate, but the restrictions are important to know. SDIRAs are also confusing. They're absolutely worth learning about, but you're not alone if you still don't get it. My goal is to give you enough details that a) you can talk about them intelligently and b) you'll feel confident about setting one up.

Read article

3 Ways Billionaires Diversify Their Wealth. Are You Doing All of Them?

When most people accumulate wealth, they start looking for ways to maximize their returns while diversifying. Diversification is good, but it's not as simple as "diversify all of it" because there are different types of investments, purposes, and risks. It's also not as simple as Mark Cuban's "Diversification is for idiots" philosophy. So, what framework can help you approach diversification more strategically?

Read article

7 Tried & True Ways You Can Passively Invest In Real Estate

Passive real estate investing is when you provide the funds to someone else who finds, buys, repairs, manages, and eventually sells a property. There are multiple ways to structure this, which all have different risk/reward profiles. Here are 7 of the most common ways.

Read article

Kiyosaki's #1 Lesson: Buy Assets That Put Money In Your Pocket

I'm a fan of Robert Kiyosaki. My mom introduced me to him in 7th grade after she heard him in an interview about a new (at the time) book called, "Rich Dad Poor Dad." His #1 recommendation is to buy assets, which he defines as anything that puts money in your pocket.

Read article