Episode Guide

The exploration of real estate investment illuminates the distinction between investing and speculation, with Paula Pant returning to guide hosts Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett through valuable insights. Brad shares his painful experiences with speculative property investments and reflects on the lessons learned. The discussion emphasizes understanding fundamental concepts, such as the price-to-rent ratio and cap rate, while encouraging listeners to identify their own risk profiles in investing. Paula highlights the importance of starting the investment journey despite fears, suggesting that gaining experience through action is crucial. The episode also underscores the significance of a solid decision-making process over merely focusing on outcomes. A thoughtful approach to choosing investment niches and strategies can lead to better decision making and ultimately, a pathway toward financial independence.

Episode Timestamps

Episode Notes for ChooseFI Podcast

Episode Summary:

Brad shares his painful real estate experience as a cautionary tale, highlighting significant financial losses from speculative investments in North Carolina. Real estate expert Paula Pant discusses critical investment strategies, the importance of understanding real estate fundamentals, and comparing investment approaches. Listeners are encouraged to confront fears, set realistic expectations, and remember that successful real estate investing requires education and patience.

Key Takeaways:

Learning from mistakes is crucial in real estate investing.
Distinguish between investing (long-term) and speculating (short-term).
Fundamental investment strategies include understanding the 1% rule and cap rates.
Education and gradual progression in real estate investing are vital for success.

Timestamps & Topics:

Podcast Intro: Introduction to the podcast and theme of financial independence.
Introduction to Real Estate Mistakes: Brad reflects on his significant financial mistakes in real estate investing.
Learning from Failure: Brad recounts a speculative property investment that resulted in substantial losses.
- Key Quote: "This was without question the biggest financial mistake of my life." - Brad
Common Misconceptions in Real Estate: Paula discusses the misconception that as long as rental income covers a mortgage, the investment is safe.
Start Your Investment Journey: Paula emphasizes the importance of overcoming the fear of investing.
- Key Quote: "The only way to get ahead is to get started." - Paula
Understanding the 1% Rule: Explanation of the 1% rule as a guideline for evaluating rental properties.
- Key Quote: "You should not buy any property unless it meets the 1% rule." - Paula
Cap Rate Calculation: Paula explains how to calculate cap rate and its importance in real estate.
- Key Quote: "If you wouldn’t buy something in cash, then don’t buy it with a loan." - Paula
Discussion on Short-Term Rentals: Paula talks about the differences between traditional rentals and short-term rentals like Airbnb.

Actionable Takeaways:

Evaluate investment strategies using the 1% rule and cap rate calculations.
Start investing with knowledge to avoid costly mistakes.

Seven Expensive Rental Property Mistakes to Avoid

Episode Mentions:

Previous Episode: "Foundational Steps to Financial Independence"

FAQ:

What is the 1% rule?
- The 1% rule states that the gross monthly rent of a property should be at least 1% of its purchase price.
How is cap rate calculated?
- Cap rate is calculated as net operating income divided by the value of the asset.

Speaker Highlights:

Brad Barrett: Co-host of ChooseFI who shares personal investment experiences.
Paula Pant: Real estate expert who provides insights on smart investing.

Podcast Extro:** You've been listening to ChooseFI Podcast, where we help middle-class America build wealth one life hack at a time.

Navigating Real Estate Investing: Lessons from the ChooseFI Podcast

Introduction to Real Estate Investing

Real estate investing can be a pathway to financial independence, but it's essential to approach it strategically. Learning from others' mistakes—like that of Brad Barrett, co-host of ChooseFI—can provide you with invaluable insights. Brad's experience with speculative properties in North Carolina serves as a cautionary tale for potential investors.

Recognizing Speculation vs. Investing

Understanding the difference between speculation and investing is crucial. Speculation often involves purchasing properties based purely on the assumption that their value will rise, without necessarily considering their income potential. This was Brad's mistake, as he invested in bare land expecting appreciation rather than rental income. In contrast, real estate investing seeks to generate consistent income while leveraging knowledge and strategic planning.

Starting Your Real Estate Journey

Overcoming Fear and Taking Action

The journey begins with overcoming fear. Paula Pant, a trusted real estate expert, emphasizes that "the only way to get ahead is to get started." It’s common for aspiring investors to delay due to fear or uncertainty. Starting small and learning through action can address these fears.

Evaluating Properties with the 1% Rule

To identify potential rental properties, employ the 1% rule as a guideline. This rule suggests that the monthly rent of a property should be at least 1% of its purchase price. If you consider a $100,000 property, it should ideally rent for $1,000 per month. This rule helps you quickly filter out properties that may not yield sufficient returns.

Understanding Cap Rate

Alongside the 1% rule, familiarize yourself with cap rate (capitalization rate). This metric assesses the profitability of an investment property based on its income-producing potential. The formula is straightforward:

Determine annual rental income.
Subtract operating expenses (such as property taxes and maintenance).
Divide the resulting net operating income by the property's value.

Using these metrics will allow you to analyze and compare properties effectively.

Choosing the Right Neighborhood

Classifying Neighborhoods

When considering properties, evaluate neighborhoods based on their classifications (A, B, C, or D):

Class A: Affluent neighborhoods with luxury amenities—ideal yet often expensive.
Class B: Mid-range neighborhoods with potential for solid investment returns.
Class C: Affordable options with higher risks but substantial upside potential for new investors.
Class D: Areas typically less desirable and associated with higher risk—best avoided for beginners.

Choose neighborhoods that align with your investment goals and risk tolerance, predominantly aiming for Class A or B for better returns.

Investing Strategies

Buy and Hold vs. Short-Term Rentals

Consider buy and hold as a foundational strategy. This involves purchasing properties to rent them out long-term, thereby generating a steady cash flow. Alternatively, short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb) require different skills and management but can also provide significant income if managed correctly.

Paula advises that if you want to enter the short-term rental market, ensure the property meets the criteria for a long-term rental first. This way, if short-term strategies fail due to changing regulations, you can pivot to long-term rentals.

Continuous Education and Resource Utilization

The real estate market is dynamic, necessitating ongoing education and awareness. Resources like Paula Pant’s free e-book on "Seven Expensive Rental Property Mistakes to Avoid" can help you avoid common pitfalls.

Building Knowledge and Experience

Investing in education should be a priority for aspiring real estate investors. Engage with communities like ChooseFI, where you can dive into podcasts, courses, and discussions that enhance your understanding of the real estate landscape. Seek out mentors within your network who can share their experiences and provide guidance.

Conclusion

Real estate investing can be a powerful tool for achieving financial independence, but it’s fraught with potential pitfalls if approached haphazardly. By learning from the experiences of others like Brad and Paula, you can avoid common mistakes, adapt effective strategies, and build a portfolio that aligns with your financial goals. Remember, the key to success is continuous learning, strategic planning, and a willingness to take that first step.

Now that you have the tools and insights, it’s time to take action on your investment journey. It's all about making informed decisions and taking steps toward your financial independence.

Paula Pant comes back to the show to discuss real estate as a path to Financial Independence.

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Brad's Real Estate Story

Back in 2005, Brad bought a speculative property in North Carolina as an "investment opportunity."

[Buying and selling bare lots] was without question one of the biggest financial mistakes of my life.

Brad was buying bare lots of land with the assumption that they would increase in value over time. Although the property lot was beautiful, its value came tumbling down with the real estate crash. Unfortunately, the real estate mistake ended up costing Brad and Laura north of $100,000, more with the compound.

This wasn't investing, this was speculation...I have learned a lot of things...investing and looking at real estate as a business. So, I think that kind of brings me to this point; where I want to move forward intelligently, but there are questions that I have.

Based on that mistake, Brad avoided real estate investing until now. However, this time he wants to go about it the right way. Since real estate is one of the three big ways that someone can achieve wealth, it is worth investigating.

Paula Pant is on the show today to help shed some light on common real estate questions.

Paula's Story

After hearing Brad's story, Paula sympathized over how easily her real estate story could have turned out differently. Like Brad, she jumped into real estate without a lot of background research but it happened to work out in her favor.

I often say that appreciation is speculation...if you are making a decision based purely on the assumption that an asset will rise in value over time, and there is no other value that is inherent to that asset, other than your speculation of its future value...that is speculation.

Typically, the only way to make money through a bare land purchase is to rely on the appreciation. Although there are some ways to produce an income on a plot of land, that is not the approach Brad was taking.

Paula's First Property

When Paula bought her first property, it happened to work out well for her. However, she made it clear that just because her deal worked out does not mean that she approached it the right way. As outlined in Annie Duke's book, Thinking in Bets, the results are not always indicative of the right approach. Don't let the result fool you into thinking that it was a good decision.

She bought a triplex across the street from where she was renting. Although she did not understand the fundamentals of real estate at first, that first property helped her learn them.

She bought this property with the assumption that if the rent pays the mortgage, it will all work out. She made her calculations based on what the property was being sold for and the amount of rent she was paying across the street.

Listen: House Hacking With Coach Carson

Real Estate With Paula Pant

The industry of real estate covers an extremely wide swath of niches and strategies including:

Flipping housings
Tax liens
Rentals
Bare land speculation
Mobile home parks
Commercial properties
Residential properties

So your niche might be mobile home parks. Your niche might be commercial properties such as office buildings or warehouses. Your niche might be residential properties which are defined as properties with four or fewer units. Any of those could be niches that you choose to focus on. In addition to that, you also have strategies. Your strategy might be long-term buy and hold. Your strategy might be flipping, you know there are a large number of different strategies. And depending on that combination of niche and strategy that you select, under this big umbrella universe of real estate, your experience is going to be different, your projected returns are going to be different, and the level of involvement that you will have is going to be different.

Paula took the time to investigate many of these niches and strategies and settled on long-term residential buy and hold. It is not better or worse than any other combination, but it is the strategy that works for her.

It is more important to be an expert in a narrow field than it is to find the best field. My competitive advantage comes from mastery in a given arena, rather than from picking the "best" arena.

Plus, her first property was a residential property. She felt that it made more sense to build on that first experience rather than starting from scratch. She also liked that it was easier to get a mortgage on residential properties and the sheer volume of opportunities in the residential arena.

How To Choose Your Niche And Strategy

If you are struggling to pick a niche and strategy, remember it is important to decide at some point. Don't let analysis paralysis get to you!

The only way to get ahead is to get started. And what I've seen for a lot investors, or aspiring investors, is that the fear that keeps them from going into that first deal can delay their progress by years...or worst case scenerio, it delays their progress to never. And a decade later they look back and say 'Oh I regret that I didn't invest a decade ago'.

Take the time to do your research but do not let fear hold you back. Do your first deal without letting all the anecdotal naysayers sway you. Even if it's not an amazing deal, learning and failing forward is still progress. Don't jump in without any research but do move forward on your first deal.

Check out Paula's follow up to this episode discussing turn-key real estate investing.

The Fundamentals Of Real Estate

Paula uses a variety of formulas and classifications to winnow down her single-family rental homes.

Price To Rent Ratio

The first formula to start using is the price to rent ratio. You need to look for places that are landlord-friendly.

Price of the house divided by annual rent equals the price to rent ratio.

For example, if a home costs $300,000 and monthly rental income is $1,500 a month/$18,000 a year. Then your price to rent ratio is 16.6.

If the price to rent ratio is 10 or under, then you are in a landlord-friendly area. With a price to rent ratio over 12, 13, or 14 might make it difficult to find a good deal.

If you live in a high cost of living area, then realize you may need to buy your first rental in a different place. It is possible you'll find a good deal in a high cost of living area but unlikely.

It is a good idea to start looking at cities where you ideally have some type of connection.

Start where you might have family or other connections, where you can travel to easily. Also, access to a close airport is a plus.

Neighborhood Classes

Classes A through D is one way to look at potential neighborhoods. As you go further down the line, the neighborhoods get riskier. However, they also offer a higher potential return.

You will have higher potential returns and higher risks in a Class C neighborhood. You will have lower risk and also lower potential returns in a class A neighboorhood.

Use this framework to evaluate any city you are looking at. If you are a beginner or have a low-risk tolerance, then you might want to stick to class A or B neighborhoods.

Class A: In this neighborhood, you might find Orange Theory Fitness, Panera Breads, Brio Tuscan Grille, and other establishments that cater to the upper class. You likely will not find great deals in this neighborhood but it is possible.
Class B: In this neighborhood, you might find working-class residents with a safe feel. Typical chains might include KFC, Big Lots, TJ Max, or an average mall that is anchored by JCPenny's.
Class C: Here you will find a lot of independently-owned businesses. Plus, air conditioners with cages around them because otherwise the copper might be stolen. Overall, it might feel a little bit sketchy but is still okay.
Class D: Finally, you would not feel safe going to this neighborhood in broad daylight. Some investors call these neighborhoods "war zones" for a good reason. As an inexperienced investor, you should avoid these neighborhoods.

The 1% Rule

If you've spent any time researching real estate, then you've likely heard about the 1% rule. The rule states that the property should rent for 1% of the purchase price. For example, if you have a $100,000 home then it should be able to rent for $1,000 a month.

This rule should be used to look at purchasing a home, not necessarily retaining a home.

Landlord By Default

If you have a home but are moving, then you might consider becoming a landlord by default. You should not use the 1% rule to determine whether or not this is a financially sound move. Also, you should not use your mortgage as a barometer.

The costs of selling a home as well as associated taxes may make it easier to justify holding onto the home and renting it out. Additionally, you know the home intimately which means that you can predict major capital expenses such as a new water heater or windows.

The capitalization rate is the measure of your unleveraged income stream from a property relative to the value of the asset. Basically, it is measuring a potential dividend payment from your home.

If you wouldn't buy something with cash, don't buy it with a loan.

Using The Capitalization Rate

A home makes money in two ways; there is price appreciation and the income stream. The capitalization rate is a way to calculate whether a home you already own is a good rental property.

Calculate your capitalization rate with this:

Calculate potential gross rent. For example, if your monthly rent is $1,800 then your potential gross rent is $21,600 annually.
Subtract out vacancies to obtain effective gross rent. If there is a 95% occupancy rate, then in this example, effective gross rent is $20,520.
Add in additional income streams that the property could create to find gross operating income. For example; parking fees, laundry fees, storage fees, pet fees, and more. In this example, assume that additional income is $480. This leads to $21,000 of gross operating income.
Subtract operating overhead to find net operating income. Overhead includes repairs, maintenance, major capital expenditures, property taxes, and homeowner's insurance. If the operating overhead is $10,000 then the net operating income is $11,000.
Take the net income and divide by the price you paid for the home equals your dividend. In this example, you bought the home for $300,000. So $11,000/$300,000 = 3.6%

If you held on to this home, then you would have an income stream or dividend of 3.6%. Remember, this is not the total return because you have not factored in appreciation. When you add in a conservative 3% appreciation for inflation, then the total return is 6.6%.

However, the national historic average of appreciation is 5%. So, the total return could end up being higher.

Short Term Rentals Compared To Long Term Rentals

Paula is focused on long-term buy and hold. Many people have touted the benefits of short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO. However, Paula says that these two approaches should be categorized into two separate industries.

Short-term rentals like Airbnb are more similar to the hospitality industry than the real estate industry. You are responsible for providing consumables like clean sheets, dish soap, and other things that hotel owners are responsible for. Depending on your location, you may need to expect a higher vacancy rate than long-term rentals.

What that points to is that 'Airbnbing' a property is so intrinsically different from being a landlord that they should not be considered the same industry. One is the hospitality industry and the other is the real estate industry.

If you are looking for a property to Airbnb, Paula recommends making sure that the property could survive as a long-term rental. In the worst-case scenario, if the Airbnb doesn't work out then you have a backup plan.

Related: House Hacking With Airbnb

Selling Properties

Paula always recommends knowing what your goals and risks are first.

Paula's goal with real estate was to build a passive income stream to fund her life, not to get the highest possible returns. With that, she does not generally consider selling properties unless the neighboorhood slipped dramatically to a Class D.

If she wanted to buy a new property, then she would consider a cash-out refinance of one of her existing properties instead of selling.

Listen to the Friday roundup of this episode here.

Where To Learn More

Paula has an amazing course that dives into real estate investing. Although there is no official sales page, you can learn when the course will go live through her email list. It will reopen for students September 23-27 2019.

If you want to get started today, then check out her free eBook 7 Expensive Real Estate Mistakes To Avoid.

Also, Paula will be back on the show in the future to talk more about turn-key operations.

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New to FI? Be sure to check out Episode 100: Welcome To The FI Community!