Podcasts about fha

On today's episode, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler talks with Senior Real Estate Reporter Brooklee Han about the competition for listings between Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) who are spreading beyond their usual geographical boundaries, as well as listing portals like Zillow and CoStar. Related to this episode: CoStar targets Zillow Preview in amicus filing over MRED feed MLSs compete on rules and partnerships as listing control shifts HousingWire | YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More info about HousingWire The Top 5: Existing home sales beat estimates, what it signals for 2026 Synergy One to merge with APM; Steve Majerus named president MLSs compete on rules and partnerships as listing control shifts Outgoing Frank Cassidy on running FHA more like a business May inflation climbs to 4.2%, Fed likely stays on hold The HousingWire Daily podcast brings the full picture of the most compelling stories in the housing market reported across HousingWire. Each morning, listen to editor in chief Sarah Wheeler talk to leading industry voices and get a deeper look behind the scenes of the top mortgage and real estate.

The June 2026 housing market update reveals why waiting for a dramatic market shift may be keeping first-time homebuyers from opportunities available right now.Many first-time homebuyers are still waiting for mortgage rates to fall or home prices to drop, but the 2026 housing market continues to show only gradual changes. While prices, rates, and demand remain relatively stable, seller concessions, price reductions, and increased inventory are creating new opportunities for prepared buyers. This episode breaks down the latest housing data, explains why low inventory remains the biggest factor affecting affordability, and highlights practical strategies buyers are using to purchase homes despite today's challenges. Learn why education, planning, and understanding your options may be more valuable than trying to perfectly time the market.“The biggest mistake I see is almost never somebody buying a home at the wrong time. It's almost always people waiting too long to start learning about their options.” — David Sidoni, First Time Homebuyer CoachHighlightsAre mortgage rates and home prices really changing enough to justify waiting for a better market?Why are seller concessions, price reductions, and new construction creating opportunities for first-time homebuyers in 2026?How are FHA and VA buyers finding affordable paths to homeownership despite higher interest rates?What strategies are helping informed buyers move forward while others remain stuck on the sidelines?Referenced Episodes426 – Lowering Your Down Payment – Financially Prepare to Buy Your First Home – Pt. 7440 – First Time Homebuyer Playbook (Part 1): Rent Replacement Strategy441 – First Time Homebuyer Playbook (Part 2): The Last Lease Ever443 – First Time Homebuyer FAQ: What Can I Actually Afford in 2026?457 – First Time Homebuyers: Buy or Wait in 2026? (March Housing Market Update)460 – Rent vs Buy in 2026: Are First Time Homebuyers Crazy?462 – How to Win a Bidding War as a First Time Homebuyer - 50 Expert Tips (Spring 2026)464 – This ONE Myth is Killing First Time Homebuyers in 2026468 – Scouting Home Listings Like a Pro - First Time Homebuyers Guide (2026)469 – Putting a Plan into Action - First Time Homebuyers vs. High Cost of Living 2026470 – Effective Solutions to Get UNSTUCK - First Time Homebuyers vs. High Cost of Living 2026474 – WARNING: “Step by Step” Lists for First Time Homebuyers – Can You Trust Them? (Zillow, Best Money, NerdWallet…etc.)479 – Can You Buy Your First House Solo? (Women Are Taking the Lead)483 – Top 10 Mortgage Questions Every First Time Homebuyer Needs Answered485 – Timing the Market as a First Time Homebuyer488 – 8 First Time Homebuyer Tips to Beat High Interest Rates489 – 2026 Housing Affordability Update for First Time HomebuyersCheck out our updated 2026 First Time Homebuyer's Episode Guide - Over 100 of our BEST Episodes of Detailed Homebuying Knowledge, Interviews, and MORE! Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeVisit our Resource Center to "Ask David" AND get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, in

Most investors with 60 units didn't start with capital, connections, or a roadmap. Andres Bernal started with $500 and an FHA loan on a three-unit in Connecticut. He built that rental portfolio from there, one deal and one strategy at a time, until the income replaced his day job entirely. About Andres Bernal Andres Bernal came to the United States in 2012 as a professional tennis player from the Dominican Republic. He began investing in real estate in 2016 while still coaching full-time. Today he owns more than 60 rental units across Section 8, student, and long-term rentals, with a portfolio valued over $12 million. He is also the author of Born to Retire Young and currently runs three to five fix-and-flip projects per month in Connecticut. What We Cover in This Episode Why house hacking with an FHA loan is still the most reliable first move for new real estate investors How Andres scaled from 18 units to 60 in just two years by partnering strategically The case for student rentals: higher rents, parent co-signers, and lower effective expenses than traditional long-term rentals Why Connecticut is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country right now and why nobody is talking about it The tenant education process Andres runs at every move-in and why it is the single biggest factor in smooth property management How he manages three to five flips per month with 12 in-house contractors and a four-person rental management team When to sell a rental property with strong equity but weak cash flow and what to do with the proceeds Key Insight Andres bought his first house hack in 2016 for $210,000. It appraised last year at nearly $500,000. After refinancing, it cash flows $1,600 per month. He still owns it. That one deal funded everything that came after. Why This Episode Matters If you are sitting on the sideline waiting for the right market or the right amount of money, this episode is worth your time. Andres did it with $500, no network, and a coaching job. The strategies he used, house hacking, the BRRRR method, student rentals, and strategic flipping, are all still available to investors who are willing to execute. Find Out More Andres Bernal's book, Born to Retire Young, is available on Amazon. Proceeds from book sales go toward a charity in the Dominican Republic that supports improving the school system for children. His second book on flipping is expected mid-2026. Instagram: @AndresBerna1 Facebook: Andres Bernal Sponsors Today's episode is brought to you by Green Property Management, managing everything from single family homes to apartment complexes in the West Michigan area. www.livegreenlocal.com And RCB & Associates, helping Michigan-based real estate investors and small business owners navigate the complex world of health insurance and Medicare benefits. www.rcbassociatesllc.com

The Guild Mortgage Company wants to be your home loan lender. They do all types of mortgages; FHA, VA, USDA & Conventional. Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender; NMLS 3274. Roy West NMLS 316801 Phone (409) 866-1901.

Today we're talking about a financial instrument that most buyers have never heard of, most agents don't know how to use, and most lenders have very little incentive to promote.It's called an assumable mortgage — and in today's rate environment, it might be the most powerful tool sitting unused in the real estate market.Only FHA, VA, and USDA mortgages are assumable. Conventional and jumbo loans are not assumable because they contain a due-on-sale clause, which requires full repayment of the loan when ownership of the property transfers.So when a seller with an FHA or VA loan lists their home, a qualified buyer can step into that existing loan — keeping the original rate, the original balance, and the original amortization schedule. You don't originate a new loan at today's rates. You inherit the seller's loan from 2021 at, say, 3.25%.Assumable mortgages are not a loophole. They are a legal, government-backed mechanism that has existed for decades and works exactly as designed. Based on analysis of 312,367 assumable listings, the average buyer saves $1,187 per month — or $14,244 per year — versus buying at today's rates.-----------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

We started this week's show by talking with Tim Stearns, owner and president of TJ Stearns Financial Planning & Benefits, who discusses financial planning for small business owners. Next, IRS Tax Attorney Steven A. Leahy of the Law Office of Steven A. Leahy, PC with Opem Tax Advocates to discuss IRS automation and AI-powered enforcement. Then Roy Spencer, […]

Featured on WGN Radio's “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on June 6th, 2026: Tim Stearns, owner and president of TJ Stearns Financial Planning & Benefits, joins David Hochberg to discuss financial planning for small business owners. Get a head start on your retirement and learn the best steps for success. For more information, call 800-640-2256.

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 06/06/26: Roy Spencer, CEO and Founder of Perma-Seal, joins David Hochberg to talk about sunken and broken concrete. To learn more about Perma-Seal's services, go to permaseal.net or call 1-800-421-SEAL (7325).

Featured on WGN Radio's “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on June 6th, 2026:  IRS Tax Attorney Steven A. Leahy of the Law Office of Steven A. Leahy, PC, with Opem Tax Advocates, talks about homeowners and AI-powered enforcement. Plus, what to do if you’re facing collection pressure.

Connect with the Investor Mama Tribe Jessie Lang started investing in real estate by “house-hacking” over 10 years ago, and has since grown a substantial rental portfolio that she manages with the help of a small, remote team. In the last 36 months, she’s grown from 11 doors (bought the wrong way with 20% down), to 70 doors and counting. She's laser focused on the BRRRR method, which allows her to put her money to work over and over to create generational wealth. She partners with private lenders to buy real estate with none of her own money, all while providing them double digit returns on their investment! Jessie has created a free mini-course—how to buy 1-3 rentals per month on autopilot (even if you don’t own a property yet, don’t have 20% down, and think rates are too high). When she isn't managing rentals or coaching, she is traveling with her wife Laura, spoiling her 5 (yes 5!) pets, and getting her hands dirty in DIY house projects and gardening. Key Takeaways: Start with $3,000 and a spare bedroom. You don’t need a big down payment to begin. Jessie’s first property was an FHA loan with $3K down. If you already own a home, renting out a room covers your mortgage and plants the seed. Action: Look up FHA loan requirements in your area this week. Find one local real estate meetup and show up. Every contractor, lender, wholesaler, and boots-on-the-ground person Jessie relies on came from networking in person. You don’t need to know anything yet — just go. Action: Search “real estate meetup [your city]” or BiggerPockets forums to find one happening this month. Download a free property management app before you even have a tenant. TenantCloud is free and builds the habits and systems you’ll need from day one. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed. Action: Sign up for TenantCloud today so the infrastructure is ready when you need it. Run the BRRRR  (buy, rehab, rent, refiance, repeat) numbers on one deal — even a fake one. Practice underwriting: find a distressed listing on Zillow, estimate rehab costs, and see if it hits the 75% LTV threshold after repair value. You learn by doing the math. Action: Pick one listing this week and walk through Jessie’s formula ($100K purchase + $40K rehab + $10K holding = $150K all-in, needs to appraise at $200K). Hire your “boots on the ground” before you make an offer. If you’re investing outside your market, line up a neutral third party first — someone from a local Facebook group or BiggerPockets subforum who will be your eyes and ears for $50–100 a trip. Action: Post in the BiggerPockets forum for your target market and ask if anyone does property walkthroughs for remote investors. Additional Resources and Help Support the Show Check out the Intern Strategy Course created by Christina from Smart Influencer Learn How to Make Extra Money with a Side Hustle or Get a High Paying Salary with Time Flexibility Episode #30:The #1 Side Hustle for the On the Go Busy Mom with Mike Yanda and Bobby Hoyt Episode #52: Millionaire by 31 and How to Start An ETSY Side Hustle Business with Julie Berninger from Gold City Ventures Check out Julia’s Sidehustle course to get started today The Legacy Binder to help you organize all of your estate documents and plans in case of an emergency Show Me How To Fix My Pelvic Floor from Tighten Your Tinkler Use Coupon Code: INVESTORMAMA to save $50 off this signature program High-income earner, needing an amazing accountant? Check out the TaxGoddess Connect with Jessie Jessie’s Free Mini Course on How to Buy Your First Rental Properties LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Rentals Made Easy: Unlock the Proven Step-by-Step System to Build Wealth Through Rental Properties by Jessie Lang

This is arguably the best real estate investing loan on the market today. It funds the purchase, renovation, closing costs, and up to six months of mortgage payments, so you're not on the hook when renovating a vacant property, all for 3.5% down.  Today's guest used it to put down just $9,000 on a house and, less than a year later, had $150,000 in equity. It changed his life and enabled him to become a real estate millionaire, even in an unaffordable market.  Matt Porcaro (AKA The 203k Way) was working in construction in America's most expensive market—New York City. He could only get preapproved for a loan of a few hundred thousand dollars, which doesn't buy much in NYC. When a local investor told him about the FHA 203(k) loan, his entire world opened up, and changed his trajectory forever. Now, he has over $1,000,000 in equity and over $2,000,000 in real estate—after just starting with $9,000. Today, Matt explains the 203(k) loan from start to finish—how much money you need to put down, how to get preapproved, finding contractors, paying for the renovation, what to know before you start, and a new change that makes it even more lucrative in expensive areas of the country. Beginners: This changes the game entirely.  In This Episode We Cover The best beginner real estate investing loan that only requires 3.5% down  Why getting a 203(k) loan is much less complicated than you think it is How Matt turned $9,000 into $150,000 in equity in less than a year  The exact steps to take when getting a 203(k) loan (easier method) A new change to the 203(k) loan that makes getting approved even easier  And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h⁠⁠t⁠t⁠ps://www⁠.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1286⁠. Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to talk about FHFA Chair Bill Pulte being named acting director of national intelligence replacing Tulsi Gabbard, what’s going on with mortgage interest rates right now, total U.S. credit card debt nearing an all-time high, and the VA finalizing a new program to help veterans […]

David Hochberg, Vice President of Lending for Team Hochberg at Atlantic Coast Mortgage and host Home Sweet Home Chicago on WGN Radio, joins the Lisa Dent Show to discuss the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report and what that could mean for workers. He later shares his thoughts and advice on reverse mortgages.

We've all forgotten something at the worst possible moment. (Alissa forgot $150 worth of Mother's Day cakes at the bakery.) Forgetting a cake stings. Forgetting to check FHA loan requirements for a distressed property can cost your buyer over $1,000 they don't have. That's the difference between a personal mistake and a professional one, and that's exactly what we're digging into today.   This episode is all about the mistakes new Realtors make, not the business setup kind, but the ones that happen in the middle of real transactions with real buyers and sellers. We received a message asking us to cover this, so here we are. Consider this your friendly but firm reminder that learning on the job at your clients' expense is not a plan.   In this episode we cover:   Not understanding pre-approval terms or being afraid to talk about money with clients Why leaving financing blanks on a purchase agreement is a serious problem The importance of knowing common loan types (FHA, VA, RD, conventional) and their requirements Not asking for help and winging transactions instead of going to your broker Why Facebook groups are not a substitute for your broker's guidance Letting buyers run the show during due diligence instead of setting expectations The "3 S's" framework: safety, structure, and systems for home inspection guidance HOA due diligence: what agents miss and why it matters more than ever Understanding occupancy and why you can't negotiate it after the fact Panic canceling instead of problem-solving during due diligence Saying yes to every client (and why that's hurting you, not helping you) Hiding behind texts and emails when the situation calls for a phone call Taking everything personally and what it costs you long term Real stories: the mold case, the missing refrigerator, and the agent who told his clients to sue him   Key Quotes & Takeaways:   "If you are not comfortable talking about money, you are not ready to have a client." Alissa "When an agent feels frustrated by something, instead of being frustrated at the client, they need to say: I guess I didn't explain that." Alissa "You don't need to be over there cleaning their house until 10 o'clock at night. You can't want to sell the house more than they do." Alissa "I can't count the number of people that didn't use me in my first five years that I have done so much business with in the last ten years, because I did not burn the bridge." Alissa "It's not okay to learn on the job at the expense of your buyers and sellers. You have to take this seriously." Katy   Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned:   Episode 355: Treating Your Business Like a Business (hustlehumblypodcast.com/355) Make Sure You're Sure Template (hustlehumblypodcast.com/makesure) Hustle Humbly Community (hustlehumblypodcast.com/membership)   If you are a new agent, bookmark this one. If you know a new agent, send it to them today.   Are you loving the podcast? Leave us a review! It means the world and helps other agents find the show.   Leave a review: hustlehumblypodcast.com/itunes New to Hustle Humbly? Start here: hustlehumblypodcast.com/starthere Join the Hustle Humbly Community: hustlehumblypodcast.com/membership Get our free resources and templates: hustlehumblypodcast.com   Email us: team@hustlehumblypodcast.com Follow us: Instagram: @hustlehumblypodcast Facebook: Hustle Humbly Podcast Want to toast someone on the show? Send us a voice or video message with your name, who you are toasting, and why! Email it to team@hustlehumblypodcast.com.   Leave us a review at http://ratethispodcast.com/hustlehumbly Get your FREE Database Template: http://hustlehumblypodcast.com/starthere Email Templates 101: http://emailtemplates101.com All Resources: http://hustlehumblypodcast.com Submit your topic ideas and toasts to Team@HustleHumblyPodcast.com  

In this episode, financial advisor Alyssa McNamara Reed speaks with reverse mortgage specialist David Tourtillott about the modern role of federally regulated Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. David Tourtillott explains how today's reverse mortgages differ from the poorly regulated and often misunderstood products of the past. Insured by the FHA, these loans include safeguards designed to protect homeowners and their heirs. For seniors age 62 and older, a reverse mortgage can provide access to home equity without monthly mortgage payments, creating tax-free cash flow or a growing line of credit for future needs such as long-term care. The conversation also addresses common misconceptions, including concerns about ownership, inheritance, and repayment. Tourtillott, explains that reverse mortgages are non-recourse loans, meaning heirs are not responsible for debt beyond the value of the home. Ultimately, the episode presents the reverse mortgage as a strategic retirement planning tool, one that may help retirees preserve investment assets, manage cash flow, and create greater financial flexibility in later life. Alyssa McNamara Reed, CFP® is a financial planner with a passion for the intersection of taxes and investing.  Alyssa works with motivated savers, beneficiaries of estates, business owners, divorcees, and pre-retirees.

Anas Masoud, owner of Windy City Burger Social Club, joins David Hochberg to talk about being a small business owner, making burgers out of South Loop Market, the various types of food that they offer, and gets rave reviews from the panel! To learn more, you can follow Anas and his journey @windycityburgersocialclub on Instagram.

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/30/26: Center Guard Plumbing's Mike Epping joins the show to inform listeners that plumbers actually do gas leak repairs. Mike talks about gas system safety, bringing it up to code, and how to diagnose plumbing issues in your home. Go to wgnplumber.com or call 847-406-8883 to […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/30/26: Jim Brown of The Sarah Leonard Team at Legacy Properties joins the show to talk about their slogan, “Your Home Sold, Guaranteed,” how the housing market is stabilizing, and staging tips that don't require buying new furniture. To learn more about what Rob, Sarah, and […]

This week on Home Sweet Home Chicago, David Hochberg is joined by Center Guard Plumbing's Mike Epping to talk all about gas leak repairs. Next, Jim Brown of The Sarah Leonard Team at Legacy Properties reassures listeners that the housing market is stabilizing. Then, Rob Lindemann, CEO of Lindeman Chimney, Fireplace, Heating, and Cooling, joins […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/30/26:  Rob Lindemann, CEO of Lindeman Chimney, Fireplace, Heating, and Cooling, joins the show to talk about launching their June SWEEP STEAKS Sweepstakes. For every Sox or Cubs series sweep in June, Lindemann and Happy to Meat You are giving away free A/C cleaning and checks, […]

The Guild Mortgage Company wants to be your home loan lender. They do all types of mortgages; FHA, VA, USDA & Conventional. Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender; NMLS 3274. Roy West NMLS 316801 Phone (409) 866-1901.

On today's episode, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler talks with Anthony Lamacchia, founder and CEO of Lamacchia Realty and Crush It in Real Estate, about the listings battle between Zillow, Compass and MRED, and why he thinks it's bad for homebuyers and sellers. Related to this episode: Everything you need to know about Zillow's listing war with MRED and Compass HousingWire | YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More info about HousingWire The Top 5: What happens to mortgage rates if the Iran conflict is over? Housing demand stays firm, pushing inventory close to negative YOY Judge orders MRED to restore Zillow listing feeds in Chicago AI adoption in mortgage servicing is accelerating, BlackWolf says FHA will keep tri-merge credit reports amid shift to new scoring models To learn more about Total Expert click here. The HousingWire Daily podcast brings the full picture of the most compelling stories in the housing market reported across HousingWire. Each morning, listen to editor in chief Sarah Wheeler talk to leading industry voices and get a deeper look behind the scenes of the top mortgage and real estate.

This week on Home Sweet Home Chicago David Hochberg is joined by Rose Pest Solutions' Marketing Director Janelle Iaccino, A.K.A. ‘The Bug Girl,' to talk about how Rose Pest Solutions is there for you all year long. Then, Gil Wagner, Operations Manager at Doornbos Heating and Air Conditioning preps your for summer with the benefits of AC maintenance. […]

Chris Gavre breaks down how to buy vacant land and flip brand new mobile homes for $40K per deal using FHA financing and a repeatable 4-month system.In this episode of RealDealChat, Jack Hoss sits down with Chris Gavre of The Land Sharks to unpack one of the most underrated strategies in real estate investing right now: buying raw vacant land, placing a brand new manufactured home on it, making it FHA compliant, and selling it for $40,000+ in net profit per deal.Chris and his partner Robert have done 50-60 of these in a single year with a lean two-person operation.Topics covered in this episode:Why this strategy out-performs traditional house flipping on predictability and marginsHow to source vacant land using zoned and filtered county dataThe FHA compliance process: detitling, brick skirting, and the engineer certificationWhat a double wide costs wholesale from manufacturers like Clayton and Champion ($62-72K)How to net $40-45K per deal with total development costs around $40-50KThe 4-month timeline from land purchase to closed saleWhy 95% of buyers use FHA financing and what that means for your exitHow to fund these deals when hard money lenders have never heard of the strategyRunning 18-19 simultaneous projects with just two peopleThe zoning, septic, and permitting process broken down step by stepWhy direct mail pulls better leads than cold calling for this buy boxIf you're a real estate investor looking for a predictable, scalable alternative to house flipping or new construction, this episode is worth a listen.

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/23/26: Rose Pest Solutions' Marketing Director Janelle Iaccino, A.K.A. ‘The Bug Girl,' talks about the hantavirus and its connections to rodents. Janelle explains the importance of reporting rodent sightings to the city and also talks a bit about the return of mosquitoes. To learn more about Rose […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/23/26: Gil Wagner, Operations Manager at Doornbos Heating and Air Conditioning, introduces himself to listeners and talks about the benefits of AC maintenance as well as choosing the right contractor as it gets warmer out this summer. Gil also breaks down their unmatched warranties and guarantees and […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/23/26: Eric Klein, Owner, Senior Care Advisor & Patient Advocate at CarePatrol invites listeners to learn about CarePatrol, how they help families, and the difference between various types of senior care options. Eric also outlines the common mistakes and assumptions adult children make when trying to […]

The Guild Mortgage Company wants to be your home loan lender. They do all types of mortgages; FHA, VA, USDA & Conventional. Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender; NMLS 3274. Roy West NMLS 316801 Phone (409) 866-1901.

1021. Looking for a mortgage but are unsure what's best for you? Laura answers a question from a listener who's ready to buy a home but is overwhelmed by mortgage choices. Find out whether a fixed- or adjustable-rate loan, with or without mortgage points, is right for you.Key Takeaways:Fixed-rate mortgages are popular because they lock in a rate, providing financial stability no matter what happens in the economy.Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) can be good when interest rates are high, you don't expect to own your home for the long term, or you can pay it off early.Conventional loans are the most common type of mortgage because they're backed by federal agencies, reducing risk for lenders.Jumbo loans are high mortgage amounts that aren't federally-backed and typically require stricter qualifying criteria by lenders.There are various loans backed by the federal government, including FHA, VA, and USDA products, that come with lenient underwriting standards, making homeownership more affordable.Buying mortgage points allows you to get a lower interest rate, which saves money if you own the property past the breakeven point.Upcoming Wedding Series Coming Up: We want your questions about wedding finances! Whether you're the bride, groom, or a guest, send us your questions about budgeting for the big day. Email: money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308. Discover more from Money Girl!FacebookNewsletterTranscripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do I Qualify for a Mortgage? Your Path to Homeownership Starts HereThe dream of owning a home is a powerful one, but for many, the path to achieving it can feel shrouded in mystery. You might be asking yourself, "Do I qualify for a mortgage?" It's a question that brings with it a whole host of other uncertainties: What kind of mortgage program is best suited for my unique financial situation? What are the specific requirements I need to meet? And if I don't quite qualify right now, what steps can I take to get there in the future? The truth is, these aren't questions you have to figure out alone. The best way to get clear, personalized answers and chart your course toward homeownership is by making a simple phone call to a trusted mortgage expert. At DDA Mortgage, we're here to demystify the process, help you understand your options, and guide you every step of the way, whether you're ready to buy now or need a plan to get there.Ready to Find Out Where You Stand? Make the Call to DDA Mortgage Today!Navigating the world of mortgages can feel overwhelming, with different loan types, qualification criteria, and financial jargon. You might be asking yourself, "Do I qualify for a mortgage?" or "Which mortgage program is right for me?" The good news is you don't have to figure it out alone. At DDA Mortgage, our mission is to make the process clear, straightforward, and as stress-free as possible.Whether you're exploring Conventional, FHA, or VA loans, or if you're a self-employed individual considering a Bank Statement Loan, we have the expertise and the programs to help. And if you're not quite ready today, we're dedicated to helping you develop a plan to get you mortgage-ready in the future.The first, most crucial step toward homeownership is simply making the call. A quick, friendly conversation with a DDA Mortgage expert can provide you with the clarity and direction you need. We'll listen to your unique situation, assess your financial profile, and give you an honest evaluation of your options. We can tell you if you qualify now, what programs suit you best, or what steps you need to take to qualify down the road.Don't let uncertainty hold you back from your dream home. Reach out to DDA Mortgage today. We're here to answer your questions, provide expert advice, and help you take the next confident step on your homeownership journey. Visit our website at www.ddamortgage.com to learn more about our services or, better yet, pick up the phone and let's have that conversation. Your future home is waiting, and we're ready to help you find your way there. Let's get started on your personalized mortgage assessment - it's just a phone call away!tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blogDidier Malagies NMLS #212566dda mortgage nmls#324329 Support the show

On today's episode, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler talks to Paul Gigliotti, CEO of California MBA, to talk about how the association is working with the governor's office on a financing solution to rebuild homes affected by the wildfires. The two also discuss the appointment of Rohit Chopra to head the state's new Business and Consumer Services Agency. Related to this episode: Rohit Chopra to head California consumer services agency HousingWire | YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ More info about HousingWire The Top 5: MBA urges rollback of mortgage rules as rates stay high FHA targets flipping rule repeal and AVM reforms Rocket Mortgage, Redfin launch homebuyer savings program Policies to Unlock Housing Supply and Boost Affordability Why a 2008 housing crash can't happen again To learn more about Total Expert click here. The HousingWire Daily podcast brings the full picture of the most compelling stories in the housing market reported across HousingWire. Each morning, listen to editor in chief Sarah Wheeler talk to leading industry voices and get a deeper look behind the scenes of the top mortgage and real estate.

Is it smarter to rent or buy in today's housing market? With home prices high, mortgage rates elevated, and affordability stretched, many consumers are wondering whether homeownership is still worth pursuing. In this episode of Real Estate Today, we break down the real financial math behind renting vs. buying—and explore the creative strategies helping first-time buyers enter the market despite today's challenges. Justin Cambra of eXp Realty shares how buyers are using "house hacking" strategies to offset mortgage payments and build wealth through real estate. Susan Isaak of Coldwell Banker Realty explains how first-time buyers can determine whether they're financially and emotionally ready to buy a home, along with the hidden costs of homeownership. Matt Schulz from LendingTree dives into the financial realities of buying a home today, including down payment assistance programs and FHA, VA and USDA loan options. Laurel Djoukeng, founder and CEO of KeyPath, explores how AI and fintech innovation could reshape the future of renting and ownership. Whether you're a renter trying to buy your first home, a homeowner exploring investment strategies, or simply curious about where the housing market is headed, this episode offers practical insights and forward-looking ideas for navigating real estate in 2026.

The Guild Mortgage Company wants to be your home loan lender. They do all types of mortgages; FHA, VA, USDA & Conventional. Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender; NMLS 3274. Roy West NMLS 316801 Phone (409) 866-1901.

If you're a first-time homebuyer in 2026, chances are you've been told now is the worst possible time to buy a home. Between headlines about high interest rates, affordability challenges, and a “frozen” housing market, many buyers feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and unsure where to start. But the truth is far more nuanced — and far more hopeful — than what the media wants you to believe.In this episode of The Educated Homebuyer, mortgage expert Josh Lewis and real estate agent Jeb Smith break down the biggest myths keeping buyers on the sidelines in today's market. From the misconception that you need perfect credit and a 20% down payment to buy a home, to the false narrative that “nobody is buying,” this conversation uncovers what's really happening in the housing market right now.The reality? Buyers are still buying homes every single day. Purchase applications are increasing year-over-year, FHA loans continue to dominate the first-time buyer market, and many successful buyers are purchasing homes with low down payment options and strategic financing solutions. Josh and Jeb explain why affordability is more than just a headline, how inventory shortages continue to impact competition, and why understanding your local market is more important than listening to national fear-driven media coverage.You'll also learn: Why first-time homebuyers are still a major force in today's market How FHA and low down payment loan programs are helping buyers succeed Why waiting for the “perfect” market could cost you more in the long run The truth about multiple offer situations and buyer competition in 2026 How local market conditions impact your negotiating power Why working with experienced professionals matters more than ever The costly mistake many buyers are making by sitting on the sidelinesWhether you're actively preparing to buy your first home or simply trying to understand what's really happening in today's housing market, this episode delivers practical advice, real-world insight, and honest conversations designed to help you buy right, borrow smart, and build long-term wealth through homeownership.✅ Ready to become a homeowner? Start your stress-free journey today: theeducatedhomebuyer.com/start

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently disclosed that they provided zero down mortgages to H-1B visa holders and other non-citizens during the Biden administration. The Trump administration shut this down in June 2025.   FHA used programs designed to help low income US citizens purchase a home. Hard working Americans were getting screwed twice.     1. US taxpayers were funding homes for non-citizens.    2. US citizens were competing to purchase homes at a disadvantage.         a. The non-citizen did not have to contribute a down payment to purchase a home.         b. The citizen had to contribute a 10-20% down payment typically to purchase the same home.   This drove up housing prices, particularly in areas with high numbers of H-1B visa holders.     One of the best index (growth) annuity products has become available in my 27 year career!      - Multiple indexes with 9-11% average annual return indexes the past 10 -20 years.    - No downside market risk. Principle is guaranteed.    - Once gains are locked in, gains are also guaranteed against market loss.    - Can lock in gains at any time.    - A+ rated company.   Contact Ferenc for more info:              ferenc@yourpersonalbank.com              yourpersonalbank.com              866-268-4422

Featured on WGN Radio's “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on 05/16/2026: Mr. Floor himself, Igor Murokh, joins the program to talk about how homeowners are moving away from harsh chemicals into smarter, more eco-friendly options that are safer for families, pets, and the environment. Igor talks about how Mr. Floor is leading the charge for cleaners. […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/16/26: Dave Schlueter of the Law Offices of David R. Schlueter joins Wendy Snyder, in for David Hochberg, to discuss a story from a listener about inspections from town officials with demands that can make house sales much more difficult and expensive. To learn more about what Dave […]

Featured on WGN Radio's “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on May 16, 2026: Frank Wasilewski, CEO of Access Elevators, joins the show to inform listeners on what to do when contractors pressure you into deals you don’t want. To learn more about what Access Elevator can do for you, go to allaboutaccess.com or call 630-616-6249.

This week on Home Sweet Home Chicago, Wendy Snyder, in for David Hochberg, is joined by Frank Wasilewski, CEO of Access Elevators to talk about pushy sales tactics. Then, Mr. Floor himself, Igor Murokh, tells listeners how Mr. Floor is leading the charge with eco-friendly cleaning products. Next, Dave Schlueter of the Law Offices of David R. Schlueter joins […]

Are you shopping for a mortgage rate the wrong way?Most homebuyers are told to “shop around” for mortgage rates — so they go to Bankrate, LendingTree, or other online rate sites, enter their information, compare teaser rates, and hope they're getting the best deal.But the lowest advertised mortgage rate is not always the best mortgage deal.In this video, I take you behind the scenes and show how we compare your loan across 30+ lenders using one application and one credit pull — instead of sending your information all over the internet.We break down why mortgage rates vary based on credit score, down payment, income, loan program, property type, and whether you qualify for affordable mortgage programs. I also show examples comparing Conventional, FHA, and VA loan options so you can see why the “best rate” depends on your full financial picture — not just one advertised number online.You'll also see how points, lender fees, and hidden costs can make a low rate much more expensive than it looks.In this video, we cover:✅ How we compare your loan to 30+ lenders✅ Why one application and one credit pull matters✅ Why online mortgage quotes can be misleading✅ Why points and fees matter as much as the rate✅ How credit score impacts mortgage pricing✅ Conventional vs. FHA vs. VA loan examples✅ How RateWatch 2.2 can track refinance savings✅ How to upload your Loan Estimate for a second opinion

Keith breaks down why real wealth is built through concentration, not diversification and explains how focusing on one main vehicle—like a specific real estate strategy, business, or career niche—creates the expertise and asymmetric returns diversification can't.  He also clarifies that diversification isn't useless; it's most powerful later in life as a wealth preservation tool, not a wealth builder. Contrasting building wealth with simply earning a living, showing why specialization is the key to higher income.  Finally, he highlights the one area where diversification truly shines: your relationships and network, which provide resilience, perspective, and long-term support. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/605 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, is wealth built through diversification or concentration? There is one clear answer. Then, in five year age increments, how should you think about wealth building and real estate at age 2025, 3035, and so on, all lay out each one today on get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  0:26   Flock homes helps multi family owners exit the operator grind, whether it's your six Plex or a 50 unit apartment through a 721 exchange, this defers your capital gains tax. It's a strategy long used by institutions. Now you can swap tenants and toilets for passive income and zero management request your initial valuation, see if your property qualifies at flock homes.com/gre, that's F, l, O, C, K, homes.com/gre,   Speaker 1  0:59   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:15   Welcome to GRE from Buffalo New York to Buffalo Wyoming and across 108 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education. I am back here with easy to understand language to help you learn why and how real estate has made more ordinary people wealthy than anything else, and in your personal path to wealth building, how do you think that wealth is achieved is it through diversification or concentration? Because there is a clear cut answer. There is no squishy wishy washy, a little of this and a little of that, or no major exceptions. No gray area here. And it's interesting because I have a CFA friend, that means chartered financial analyst who's really smart and really well trained, and yet he seems confused by this. We disagree on this one straight away. Do you think that you're going to build wealth if you diversify or if you concentrate? And if you're still undecided here, I'll give you a hint. I'm going to ask this integral question one last time and stress a word in this sentence for you. This could really help you out. Is wealth built through diversification or concentration? With that emphasis on built accumulated? The answer is that overwhelmingly, wealth is built through concentration, not diversification. Most people who actually create any really meaningful wealth, they didn't go sprinkle a little money everywhere. Instead, they really focused hard on one thing, whether that thing was a business or a career niche or a narrow set of high conviction investments or a specific real estate strategy, for example, single family rentals or self storage facilities or assisted living homes. And why? Well, because concentration amplifies your upside. It lets you develop expertise which gives you an edge over everybody else, and it's what turns average returns into asymmetric ones. Think about how Warren Buffett made massive gains early with concentrated bets. Or how Jeff Bezos went all in on just a few ventures, or Sarah Blakely on just a few ventures. Those that say don't put all your eggs in one basket, well, all right. I mean, you can look at the world that way, that is a diversification path. Though you're going to end up working full time until you're age 68 and you'll probably be safe and you might just have a sound retirement, but you have done so much trading away of your time in your best years for dollars. I mean, that's it. That's not a wealthy path. Your employer wants you to invest any of your extra income in a diversified way so that you're not going to build enough wealth to leave that employer early. And yes, we're back to the old Andrew Carnegie. Put all your eggs in one basket and then really watch that basket. Carnegie's concentration was in the steel industry, wealth. That's what we're talking about here, like something outstanding, extraordinary, not just a good enough retirement nest egg. Maybe real wealth is built through concentration. This is why we concentrate on one thing here on this show. Largely real estate investing, because you don't build wealth from diversification. All right now, yes, there could be a little diversification even inside residential real estate investing, say, maybe you want to get into three markets. Call it Atlanta, Indy and Kansas City. But overall, that is still concentration in residential real estate investing. And if you want to be outstanding, you have got to embrace the heterodox, meaning a departure from the Orthodox. Orthodoxy is spreading all your money around in, say, the s and p5 100 index, we're almost guaranteed then to get a pedestrian like outcome. And now look, once you've built something and you've got something to protect, which is however you've decided to build your wealth through concentration, oh, now that's when the game changes. You'll probably best protect your wealth, not build it protect what you've built through diversification that being done when you're older. And what diversification does for you is that it reduces your downside risk, it smooths volatility, and it prevents a single mistake from wiping you out. So at this stage, you're no longer trying to win big. You're just trying not to lose big. The mistake most people make is that they diversify too early, and that usually ends up leading to mediocre returns, no real expertise, and these sort of portfolios that are busy but not wealthy, it's sort of like planting 20 seeds and then not watering any of them enough.   Keith Weinhold  6:47   All right. So here's a smarter progression across your investing life. In your early stage, which is your wealth building phase, you want to concentrate your time, your energy, your capital, you want to build skill and conviction, and then you want to take calculated asymmetric bets after, say, 10 or even 20 years of that, you enter the mid stage. That's where you'll start spreading across related areas, for example, multiple property types, but still in markets that you understand. And then finally, after 10 or 20 years of this mid stage, it is later stage, which is wealth preservation only. Then is where you diversify broadly across asset classes and all sorts of geographies. And then you protect yourself against tail risks. So the bottom line is that concentration creates wealth, diversification preserves it. If you try to flip that order, you are going to stay stuck. And if you're young and you're still diversified, and you might think you're okay, and you even project that you're going to have something built up, like, say, $8 million in retirement. If you just keep this up, what you've just done is that you're making my point for me, because 8 million, that is not going to be an outstanding amount at all by the time you reach conventional retirement age, you had better flip to concentrating in something, whether it's residential real estate or data center construction or pressure washing. All right, so that was wealth building. Now, how about instead of wealth? Say that you're trying to make a living, all right, this is a different subject. Now, if you're trying to earn a living, should you diversify, or should you concentrate? How do you make a good living? Which is working at your day job? That's what we're talking about here. Now, once again, the answer is, through concentration, not diversification. We became a society of specialists by the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago, if not sooner, making a good living that comes from being valuable at something specific, not average at a whole bunch of things. One strong income engine beats five weak ones. Depth pays more than breadth. People are willing to pay you for expertise, not for dabbling around. This is whether it's a niche in real estate or a specific profession or a focused business model, you need one thing that reliably throws off good income and a little story here. I don't want this to be disparaging to Uber drivers, because I appreciate what they do and where they drive me. But I recently had an Uber driver. It happened to be in Hollywood, and this uber driver is also a stand up comedian there in West Hollywood. Well, those are two very diverse activities, driving and being a comedian, and that tells me something he's not a very successful. Stand up comedian. If you try to diversify too much, your attention gets split, your skill development slows, and your income plateaus at just okay. Now I'm fortunate enough to have had some good success at what I do, real estate investing, and then talking about real estate investing with you here, that is my specialty, my concentration. I don't mow my own lawn. A specialist does that. I don't shovel my own snow. A specialist with all the right equipment and all the expertise does that. I don't do my own accounting. Now in what feels like a previous life to me, when I used to work a day job for the Department of Transportation, and there were problems with paving a specific type of asphalt on the roads in cold weather, a specific specialist would fly out to help us troubleshoot that. He was a high paid consultant, because he is in a niche that's very tiny. So when it comes to the matter of making a living, where diversification fits is once your primary income stream is stable and predictable, well then maybe you could add a second complementary stream, and not something that's random, build redundancy so that you're not fragile. But just think of that as a backup engine. You don't want to think in terms of 10 side hustles. For an example, a real estate investor adds another market or a strategy, a w2 professional well, they had maybe one serious side income, and that's just a matey. Surely not six apps and gigs if you're out there chasing everything, then you are going to earn less. And now that I've discussed how you want to concentrate, not diversify if you want to build wealth, and you also want to concentrate not diversify if you want to make a good living, well then you might wonder, gosh, does diversification have any place in my life? Is there any life facet at all where diversification gives you an advantage? Yes, there definitely is. Do you have any idea where diversification helps you as you look at all areas of your life, because there is one clear cut place, and that is relationships. Yeah, whether it's romantic relationships, like dating a potential spouse or in the broader sense, I mean, when you met your eventual husband or wife, it's not very likely that you impress them by going deep on some nuance that has to do with asphalt paving, or how you or how you increase your cash on cash return with management efficiencies on your single family rental portfolio in Little Rock Arkansas,   Keith Weinhold  12:57   In relationships, you become attractive to people because you can say, show a soft side, or be a good listener or know how to dance a little all while you can make a good living a diversified relationship portfolio. Now for you, that might mean having close friends for fun and honesty and a professional network for opportunities and perspective, and you might have a mentor or two in your life for guidance, and then you've got family relationships for roots and support. So every one of them plays a different role, and that way, no single relationship has to carry everything and what this protects you from is having just one friendship. You don't want that, otherwise, your whole social life can collapse. It protects you from a career setback, because you'll still have emotional support. Having diverse relationships prevents you from falling into echo chambers. Instead, you're going to get better, broader thinking. So having diversification in relationships that is basically risk management for your life and in this life, facet smart diversification makes you resilient. It makes you grounded. It makes you harder to knock off course. So let's review here in relationships, diversify to build wealth, concentrate and to make a good living, concentrate. And with that said, you know, if you want to get mega, mega wealthy, like stupid rich, let's just call that a billionaire with the letter B, if you want to reach that level, then I don't think that investing in rental property is the fastest or the best way to get there, although it can give you a good start. And then what's the point of this show? The point is that real estate investing is the most proven way to build wealth when you concentrate on it. If you want enough net worth and income so that you never have to work again all while you're still young enough to enjoy it, direct investment in real estate. Hey, that's great. If you want to get up to the $10 million net worth level, or even to say, $50 million that is totally doable. And the good news is that it's almost inevitable if you apply yourself and yes, concentrate, because that's all most people want, options and freedom. Those words are often a proxy for wealth. But if you're trying to get on the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest 100 people or whatever, which is where you need to concentrate on a novel business idea. All right, you can go for that, and then your risk of failure goes up substantially. You might even reach the billionaire level. As a real estate investor, more likely the DECA or the Centa millionaire level. But there are other ways of doing that outside of real estate. Real estate investing is great if you want to get sort of regular wealthy. Maybe even say that can be as little as 15 million or 25 million plus when you're young enough to enjoy it. And you know even half or 1/3 of those levels are enough as a freedom number for most people. With all that said, when you concentrate to build wealth, you do have to pick a proven vehicle. You can't say you're going to concentrate on sports gambling or prediction markets like call sheep or polymarket. They are not proven wealth building vehicles. Most people lose money on Poly market if you've wagered your mortgage that Mr. Beast is going to be the next President of the United States, perhaps reconsider that approach. In fact, according to an analysis that Bloomberg just performed, nearly every poly market trader either loses money or they make little or no profit. More than 100,000 accounts lost $1,000 since the start of last year, and that is twice the number of accounts that made at least $1,000 in aggregate, traders lost $131 million on this prediction market over that time, the tiny number of accounts that make lots of money appear to be mostly bots. That's what Bloomberg found. And there was a separate study that found that since 2022 69% of traders lost money, while three quarters of total profits were won only by the top 1% of users. So gambling, wagering, this speculation, it is not a proven vehicle, and it's not the same as investing. The cleanest way to think about the difference is that investing means putting money into something that produces value over time. Instead, gambling means putting money at risk on an outcome that you cannot influence, usually with a negative edge. And gosh, one reason that this is on my mind is, you know how I recently shared with you that I stayed at the Bellagio in Vegas. I didn't gamble at all. And in fact, I don't even know if I'm going to stay there again. That's just not congruent with who I am. But I marveled with my mouth agape when I watched a few games at the roulette wheel. Yeah, you're allowed to watch if you're not gambling. A typical scene is that perhaps five players were wagering their chips at the roulette wheel. Now the way it works is that the casino, they often have two and sometimes three of their own staff, like uniformed employees, that are there facilitating and monitoring the roulette wheel. I mean, look right there, if the casino is paying two or three staff members to facilitate the roulette wheel, well, the player should know that the odds are tilted against them. I mean, those casino dealers make, you know, they usually just make 50 to 70k a year with tips, all right, well, so the house needs to have enough of an advantage to pay their employees that are at that table and still profit. And they sure do profit. If you don't understand the game, when you play roulette, you can basically either wager that the ball is going to land on either red or black, but two of the 38 spaces on the wheel are green. They benefit the house directly. So with every bet that a player makes, they've got 18 winning spots and 20 losing spots. This is why roulette, like most gambling schemes, is for losers. And this roulette metaphor, I mean, this is a easily intuitive example for How the house has the advantage, whether it's the DraftKings app on your phone or it's a physical in person Casino. And look, I had another Uber driver recently. Yeah, lots of Uber drivers in my life lately, as I've been traveling in Pennsylvania, New York, California and Nevada, all right, interestingly, this uber driver is a dealer at the Horseshoe Casino, which is near the center of the Las Vegas Strip. While he drove me around, he opened up and told me that he doesn't understand why anyone is a serious gambler in his life history, he divulged to me that he has never known one long term winner. That's a gambler. It's amazing that he would admit that himself as an employee there. So suffice to say, wealth is built through concentration, not diversification, and certainly not through gambling.    Keith Weinhold  20:56   How should you think of building wealth for yourself at different age profiles, 20,25,30,35, and so on. I'll discuss each age profile that's next. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  21:13   What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine. You sure can at Ridge lending group NMLS, 42056,they provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone. Because Ridge specializes in investment property, they'll help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat directly with President chailey Ridge while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com that's Ridge lendinggroup.com   Keith Weinhold  21:44   Let me ask you something, if you've worked hard to build wealth, is your money positioned to actually support your goals? A lot of accredited investors leave capital sitting in cash because it feels safe, but inflation and missed income opportunities can quietly erode its value. Freedom family investments offers freedom notes for investors seeking structured income backed by real estate. It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation. In full disclosure, I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals, every investment carries risk and nothing is guaranteed, but with a track record of consistent on time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call or text. Family 266, 866, that's family 268,66   Ted Sutton  22:48   Hey, it's corporate, directs Ted Sutton. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  23:02   welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to Episode 605 let's talk about some age profiles, because your life isn't random, it's staged. And if you understand the stages, I'll take it from age 20 up to age 40 or perhaps 50, because I don't have experience yet with being older than them. And then you can stop guessing and start engineering your future. Let's discuss mindset and then some tactics on how to build wealth in five year increments, largely through real estate, starting with age 20, at this stage, you're not behind you are early, though. I do know some people that have owned rental property at age 18 and 19. For the most part, your job isn't to invest yet. Your job is to build awareness and identity. Listen to shows like this one that you're listening to right now, even though you might be in college or trade school or have some employment, yes, as an employee, start thinking like an owner at this time you're installing your financial Operating System. Most people are 20 are consuming entertainment. You you're consuming direction. You're thinking, how can I set up a life where I'm not living below my means, which will always limit you? You're thinking, how can I grow my means at age 25 let's say you're out of school, you have a job and you're only making 65k per year if you're living with your parents, that means you can accumulate more liquidity. I don't like to say that you're becoming a saver, because that does not wire your mind for wealth, but that's effectively what you're doing. You're trying to amass some Liquidity, some capital formation is taking place. If you only have, say, $30,000 of cash amassed, well, then you're not ready for real estate, unless perhaps you're doing an owner occupied FHA loan in a duplex or a fourplex with a three and a half percent down payment. If you've got credit card debt. That's at 21% APR. You do want to retire that first age 25 is when you're likely to have student loan debt. The average student loan debt balance at age 25 is about 35k and the interest rate is 7% as long as your income is stable. You know, I didn't focus on paying down my student loans at age 25 I mean, why would I? Why should you I invested first? Because you might feel like having student loans slows you down, and it does, but not accumulating assets is what will keep you stuck so you're 25 when do you buy your first income producing asset? Say you've just got 20 to 30k accumulated liquid. That is still a little early to buy your first rental property, because that first property that would take all of what you had accumulated, that down payment would take it all like for an out of state turnkey property, and you've always got to stay a little liquid, but sooner than later, you have got to increase your income and own some real assets. If you accumulate instead 60k cash and the cheapest decent investment property would probably take something like a 30k down payment in closing costs right now, all right. Well, that tilts toward pulling the trigger and doing it because you've got some buffer. Now, you're still learning along the way, but you're learning really begins when you own your first property. Now, if you happen to live in an investor advantage place, oftentimes in the Midwest or south, perhaps the inland northeast, well then maybe you buy locally. But if you live in a pricey Metro at age 25 then you are probably rent vesting instead. What rent vesting means is that you're paying rent in, say, New York City, and you own property that you rent to others in, say, Chattanooga, Tennessee, that's called rent vesting. And you might pick up more than one property in your late 20s by age 30. Okay, look, this is when your cumulative better decision making really starts to show your trajectory has diverged from the herd, and it's really becoming noticeable to your peers, because your past decisions start compounding here by age 30. This is where you can benefit from modeling if you see someone like you that's doing what you want to do now, you can see yourself doing it. That's called modeling, and this is where your confidence grows. We'll say that now you're married at age 30, and you have a young child. You and your spouse make 175k together. You still have student loans, but you definitely own some real estate by now, we'll even say that you own your own home, your primary residence. By 30 you have a pretty good understanding of financing, property management and markets. By age 35 now you're investing in multiple real estate markets, and this is fueled because you've now done cash out refinances of your earlier properties into some more properties, and that means that you don't even have to use all of your own money in order to buy other properties and make down payments on them. So by age 35 your mindset has shifted from how do I buy a property over to how do I build a machine that buys properties, and this is where scale happens for you, you want to be sure to stay in your lane of competence and avoid chasing shiny objects again. Concentration over diversification by 35 it's become so apparent that you're glad that you did what you did. Other people are still doing things like working a lot of overtime and missing dinners. Maybe you do a little of that, but you don't have to do that. You're happy that you were strategic and you took the actions necessary so that your life doesn't feel like spinning on a hamster wheel like it does for everybody else, and it might still feel that way for you, too, but you are able to see a way out of that. And some people retire with real estate investing by age 35 but in this case, let's just say that you're not. Most aren't, but by now, you are getting so far ahead Of your old peers that you are definitely saying something to yourself, like, wow, indeed, capital compounds and labor doesn't this is the time in your life for this type of epiphany. Let's see where you are by age 40, and by the way, let's acknowledge that the average age of the first time homebuyer is now fully 40 in America. But by listening to this show and following the path that we help you with and engaging with our coaching and reading our newsletter, you are well ahead of this now I have a traditional financial advisor friend who says that he recently shared with me that he thinks a couple is in good shape if they have a net worth of $2 million by age 40. I don't know about that, though, if it's $2 million and a soldier in a 401 K that's locked away and it's not producing any income, that's a poor trajectory for the 40 year old couple. Sheesh, it's still a minimum of 20 more years from there until you can access 401K money, penalty, free. And, yes, there are some workarounds, but that's generally the picture. Well, instead, if you're a 40 year old couple with $2 million dollars in real assets. Oh, now you're in a substantially better position than if it were in some illiquid, conventional retirement plan. If it's in real assets. Oh, now you've got all these options. It could be producing income. You've got tax advantages that are greater than a 401, K, you might be able to access some of the equity, tax free, with a refi and plus say that your $2 million in equity is leveraging $5 million in real assets. Well, then, with 5% appreciation that alone is growing your net worth by $250,000 every single year, in addition to everything else that it's doing for you, yeah, talk about diverging from the herd. $2 million of equity in real assets crushes. Having that amount in a 401 K for you as part of a 40 year old couple, by age 45 you could very well be job optional. You could have teenage kids now, so you've got some expenses, you've been cash out, refinancing in a refi for life plan. Now your properties regularly are able to buy more properties for you, so that you aren't spending your own money on them. Instead, you're spending your own money on travel and living a better life than those others that are soullessly grinding at age 45 and yes, by the way, let's acknowledge that there would be ways for you to borrow out of a 401, k as well, but they're less forgiving than borrowing against your real assets after this period of time for you, you're getting into your late 40s, it is less about accumulation and it's more about optimization and freedom. I mean, you're soon asking, What do I want my life to look like? And you're not asking, How do I make more money? And at age 50 plus, since I really don't have much life experience here, you've probably done a number of 1031, exchanges, or you're even doing 721, exchanges, if you're substantially older than this saying that you want to retire from landlording. Now, one big lesson learned here is that early on, that focus, that concentration, is what allowed you to diverge from the herd that played small with diversification. One thing to be aware of when you're asking yourself that question, how much is enough? You're asking, how much is enough? Well, today, a five to $6 million dollar net worth that can usually generate enough income so that you don't have to work anymore. But people have a propensity to move the goalposts. It's most natural to think that you need to have twice as much as what you have now. Almost everybody inevitably thinks his way. If you've got 100k to your name, you think you've got it made. If you have 200k and if you've got 5 billion, you think you will need 10 billion. Be aware of that propensity to move the goalpost the amount that you think you need is almost always double what you have right now. And of course, in the words of the late George Foreman, the question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income. Even conventional retirement planners will tell you that they just need to know two things in order. A plan for you, how much monthly income are you going to need, and how long you're going to live. And I think they've got that part right now. As you listen to those age profiles, you might have felt yourself ahead of that pace, on that pace, or behind that pace. There's a good chance that you were behind that pace, because by age 20, most people just don't adopt the abundance mentality that early. Most people drift through these decades, but if you understand the sequence, it's really this, learn, then earn, then buy, then scale and then optimize and be sure that you're living the entire time. The really good news for you is that you don't need luck. You need alignment with the stage that you're in. And if you get that right, you don't just build wealth, you build a life where money works harder than you do. Most people that try to do that get their money to work harder for them, well, that approach does not work until it's too late, but it works out for us because we ethically crowdsource other people's money to work harder than we do. To review what you've learned today. Wealth is built through concentration, not diversification. And from a young age, set up your life not to live below your means, but to grow your means. I'll talk to you again next week. Until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Unknown Speaker  36:42   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively,   Keith Weinhold  37:10   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, get rich education.com  

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media, joins John Williams to discuss rising household debt, climbing FHA mortgage delinquencies, continued home price increases across the country, and what the latest jobs report signals about the economy. Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications at TechNexus Venture Collaborative, talks with John about how University of Michigan and other […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/09/2026: Jessica Genovese, General Manager of Aloha Restoration, joins the show to talk about the recent heavy rains which is good for grass, but means more basement floods! Jessica talks to listeners on how to be prepared during a basement flood and what to expect during […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/09/26: David Saffrin of Sunrun Solar joins the program to explain to listeners how Sunrun handles roofs for solar installation and breaks down batteries for storage and backup. David also provides specials for this month that listeners won’t want to miss! To learn more about Sunrun Solar, go […]

Featured on WGN Radio's Home Sweet Home Chicago on 05/09/26: Roy Spencer, CEO and Founder of Perma-Seal joins David Hochberg, to talk about how listeners can end basement seepage and flooding worries forever. To learn more about Perma-Seal's services, go to permaseal.net or call 1-800-421-SEAL (7325).

We started this week's show with Jessica Genovese, General Manager of Aloha Restoration, on how to be prepared for heavy rains and basement floods and what the restoration process can do to help. Then, David Saffrin of Sunrun Solar joins the program to explain to listeners how Sunrun handles roofs for solar installation and breaks down batteries […]

What did you think of todays show??If it doesn't have wheels, Aaron Bihl doesn't want it. After splitting with his Texas business partner and watching the San Antonio flip market grind to a halt, he moved to South Carolina and went all-in on new mobile homes on cheap lots. In this episode, we break down why FHA buyers love new manufactured homes, how Aaron sources lots for $10-15K, the trap of paying retail for land, and why hard money loans aren't part of his game anymore.Topics discussed:Introduction (00:00)Why Aaron left San Antonio for Greenville (01:50)The Texas market is brutally slow (02:36)Why South Carolina is mobile-home country (04:25)Chris Reed and the 12 ways to monetize (05:32)Why new manufactured homes are FHA-eligible day one (09:01)Aaron's economics: $10-15K lots, $225K sales (11:03)Hard money vs private money: what to actually ask (15:13)The biggest gotcha (perk tests and county-level rules) (25:17)Greenville's old-money explosion (34:31)Why AI is a distraction for most investors (41:00)Connect with Aaron Bihl:https://www.fliptrailers.comhttps://www.instagram.com/aaron.bihl/Follow us on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/collectingkeyspodcast/https://www.instagram.com/mike_invests/https://www.instagram.com/investormandan/https://www.instagram.com/dylan_does_dealsThis episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com/)

In this episode, I sat down with 10-year mortgage industry veteran Sal Rizzolo, Branch Manager at New American Funding, to unpack what's really happening on the front lines of lending right now. We talked about how AI is rapidly automating cookie-cutter loans — and how companies like Freedom Mortgage and Better Mortgage are already racing to cut human loan officers out of the equation. But instead of treating that as a death sentence, Sal breaks down exactly how he and his team are future-proofing themselves by mastering the 203K renovation loan — an FHA product that lets buyers purchase and renovate a home simultaneously with as little as 3.5% down. We dove deep into how this product creates supply in markets starved for inventory, how realtors can use it to close deals they would have otherwise lost, how homeowners can renovate without selling their low-rate mortgage, and why the most complex, human-intensive deals will always need a skilled loan officer who knows what no AI ever will. Sal Rizzolo Sal Rizzolo is a Branch Manager and Senior Loan Officer at New American Funding, based in Long Island, New York, with a growing presence in Florida. With over 10 years in the mortgage industry, Sal got his start after leaving a career as a hairdresser and was mentored by industry veteran Frank, who introduced him to the business and shaped his client-first philosophy. Over the past decade, Sal has built a reputation as one of the go-to specialists in renovation lending — particularly FHA 203K loans — becoming a pioneer of what he calls "ending renovation discrimination" in real estate markets. He operates across nearly all 50 states and is known for working with complex borrower profiles that other lenders pass on: lower credit scores, higher debt-to-income ratios, and buyers with limited down payments. Sal has hosted seminars for real estate agents throughout Long Island, converting educational events into lasting referral partnerships. He is NMLS licensed (#1489171) and is part of the Capo DiBug Team Northeast at New American Funding.   Connect With Sal Rizzolo Instagram: @salrizzolo Instagram: instagram.com/salrizzolo LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sal-rizzolo-6802a7181 New American Funding Profile: newamericanfunding.com/mortgage-loans/SalRizzolo     About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Keith explores how real estate investors can use mortgage strategies to build long-term wealth.  Seasoned lending expert and repeat guest Caeli Ridge joins Keith to discuss why debt isn't something to avoid but to optimize, and how negotiating terms can matter more than price. They walk through practical approaches for new and experienced investors, from house hacking to scaling a rental portfolio. The conversation also tackles common myths about qualifying for investment property loans and what really matters to lenders.  Finally, they emphasize focusing on fundamentals—cash flow, risk management, and informed decision-making—rather than fixating on interest rate headlines. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/604 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold Some mortgage guidance out there is costing you wealth today. I'm talking about how you can negotiate to get better terms. I'll tell you the exact questions to ask. Then a guest clears up mortgage myths and misconceptions and how you can borrow to win today on get rich education   Keith Weinhold  0:28   let me ask you something, if you've worked hard to build wealth, is your money positioned to actually support your goals? A lot of accredited investors leave capital sitting in cash because it feels safe, but inflation and missed income opportunities can quietly erode its value. Freedom family investments offers freedom notes for investors seeking structured income backed by real estate. It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation and full disclosure. I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals. Every investment carries risk and nothing is guaranteed, but with a track record of consistent on time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call or text family to 66 866, that's family to 6866   Speaker 1  1:32   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:48   Welcome to GRE from Albany, New York to Albany, Oregon and across 188 nations worldwide. You're listening to get rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, as we know, debt isn't something to avoid. It's something to optimize. As a real estate investor, I would rather have lower mortgage rates than higher ones, and now you can call me Captain Obvious. Yet there are some reasons that higher mortgage rates benefit us as investors, though they're not as great as the lower rates are I'll discuss some of that today. This stuff obviously influences marketplace behavior. In fact, here we are now, years after rates made their historic surge and nearly tripled between 2022 and 2023 and yet still, 70% of mortgage borrowers have an astoundingly rock bottom rate below 5% today, lower than the ocean floor, and they won't sell those properties. That's just one contributor to the low supply hangover that still lingers. Are today's buyers still anchored to an unrealistic baseline. It certainly reframed how investors think about normal borrowing costs and what that word normal means. My first ever rental property, many years ago, was purchased at a 30 year fixed rate of six and three eighths percent. One year later, I got to refinance a full 1% lower at five and three eighths. I'm happy that I bought one I did because starting year earlier, got all my real estate benefits rolling that much sooner, the leverage and everything else, and when I did that, refinance many years ago, from six and three eighths down to five and three eighths, I was able to roll all of my loan refinance costs into the new mortgage balance, and that way I didn't have to pay anything out of pocket. So financing is negotiable. A lot of investors don't realize that buy down your rate if you want roll the loan costs into the loan amount, like I did. In fact, I would usually rather have a higher mortgage rate and then not have to come out of pocket at the table. I would rather do it that way. Sometimes I take a higher rate and even get cash back at the closing table. So I walk away from the closing table with a property and cash, but yet with a bigger mortgage. And what's the strategy there? Well, with more inevitable Inflation, I want to load up on the dollars that I get now and then make those paybacks over the long term with future cheaper, diluted dollars for 360 months, sometimes I don't have to ask the lender for any sort of favor to get that zero help from the lender at the closing table to get cash back. How do I do that? Well, I ask the seller to give me cash at the closing. Closing table in return for offering the seller full asking price, or sometimes even over the asking price. I have done it the strategy of offering full price or even a little more than the full list price. See, that's often easier than getting a price cut from the seller, and that works great, because getting the closing table, cash is going to benefit you more than the price cut would anyway, in almost every circumstance, and when it comes to your lender, ask them questions that cut through the noise. Now, lenders have to make their profits somewhere and stay in business, but I've asked the question, what's the break even point on this rate buy down. That's something you can ask today. That can be an even better question for you to ask of builders with all of the buy downs that they're doing for you now, most people know about a mortgage rate lock. That's when you're in contract to buy a property. At some point, you and your mortgage company, you lock in your rate for, say, 30 to 60 days, and that way, if the rate rises before the deal is completed, you are protected. You are locked in. But some lenders also offer float downs. That's for if you lock and then rates go lower before you get the deal closed. In that case, you get the lower rate, and now you successfully played both sides, but most borrowers don't know to ask about a float down for larger apartment buildings, sometimes you can negotiate away prepayment penalties or instead a shorter penalty window. The thing to keep in mind is that smallest borrowers negotiate price, but savvy investors negotiate structure. That's what we're talking about here, and that's why you often hear that terms are more important than price. So there's plenty of opportunity here, even if historically low rates is not where today's opportunity lies. Today, we're going to discuss some things about mortgages that most people believe but are just flat out wrong. Also, what separates the borrowers who build real estate portfolios from the ones who stay stuck on property one, let's have a conversation with this week's repeat guest, a real favorite here at GRE for her mortgage clarity.   Keith Weinhold  7:35   Hey, the president of ridge lending group, Chaley Ridge is back with us. We'll get into things like rates and loan strategy shortly, but first, let's discuss some fun. What would you do? Chili, what would you do if you're 35 and have 100k to invest in real estate? What's your first move? Ooh, good question.   Caeli Ridge  7:55   So let's think five years ago for me now I'm 35 what would I do if I had that was a joke for all you listeners, obviously, you know, I think that if I could go back and knowing what I know now, I would probably invest that into an owner occupied house hack using an FHA loan. Probably look for newer construction if I could find it, and I would probably target a four unit residential property. I'd probably put three and a half percent down lowest rates with that. FHA, I would leverage my money, and I would get three other tenants in units, two, three and four to pay my mortgage, and then I'd use the rest to go buy an investment property   Keith Weinhold  8:32   much like I started out with the owner occupied four Plex, live in one unit, rent out the other three. FHA, three and a half percent down. What if someone, however, lives in a market where the numbers just don't work and the law really tilts toward the tenant rather than the landlord.   Caeli Ridge  8:47   You know, that's a good point. There's a lot of factors, obviously, right? And there's exceptions to all rules, etc. So I don't want to generalize, but I would probably take the 100,000 and maybe look at some kind of a burr in that case, maybe pivot and do some math and see if buy rehab rent refi might be more applicable. To take that 100 grand and leverage it that dollar bill, as far as I could make it  go   Keith Weinhold  9:10   sometimes you have to get scrappy when you're starting out another what would you do now? Say you've got some more experience. You already own two rentals. How do you scale that to 10.   Caeli Ridge  9:21   You know, my biggest piece of advice for investors, especially newer ish investors, is to make sure that you've got your eye on some level of diversification. Scaling from two to 10 can sound pretty daunting to some people, but I think that diversification advice comes in handy when you're not singularly focused on, let's say, a core philosophy of single family, residence, cash flow only in one market instead, maybe layer in some appreciating markets where you can earn and count on longer burn appreciation that you can then leverage from to then purchase the next to the next to the next, right. Cash. Refinances borrowed funds are non taxable. I would probably say diversification is the core answer to that question. For me,    Keith Weinhold  10:07   yeah, if you've already got two properties, maybe if you've had those for a few years, yes, you can do a cash out refinance and basically use one of your first two properties to fund that third and fourth and so on, right exactly? How about if rates drop 1% tomorrow? What's the next thing you would do? Immediately?    Caeli Ridge  10:29   I would do the math. Is what I would do, Keith, and I know you love that answer. So if I had a portfolio of X number of properties and rates just dropped 1% tomorrow, I would take a hard look at what I had in the queue, and I would say, Okay, how much does a one percentage point rate save me in monthly payment, aka, earn me in cash flow, and what is it going to cost me? It is imperative that the investor is actually doing the math. 1% may sound amazing, but if it's only going to save you 5060, bucks a month, and maybe that's enough, but it might cost you five grand. Does that math work for you? So that's my answer. Do the math?   Keith Weinhold  11:08   Yeah, if rates drop 1% does that make you want to perform more purchases? Does that make you want to refi something that you already have and at the same time that you do that refinance? Okay? That may or may not save you a lot in payment. But another consideration is, okay, well, at the same time you do that refinance, oh, maybe you could take cash out and use it as a down payment for another property, or just use that money for something else,    Caeli Ridge  11:33   absolutely, and you know what we're talking about. That from a purchase perspective, if rates drop 1% tomorrow, from an investment perspective, what do we think is going to happen to the rest of the market? The homeowners are going to be coming out of the woodwork, right? The owner occupied the competition is going to get very, very stiff, steep. I would say that if you are banking on or waiting for rates to do X, Y and Z, you are missing massive opportunities today. So there's a lot of reasons not to hesitate and be waiting on some magic, massive rate drop.   Keith Weinhold  12:04   All right. Well, those were three interesting what would you do scenarios you mentioned the possibility, and it's surely only a possibility that mortgage rates will drop sometime in the near future. Let's expand on that. If someone is indeed waiting for rates to drop. What are they risking in the meantime?   Caeli Ridge  12:25   You know, this is such a good but complicated question. There's a lot of layers to this. If someone has a magic number in their head, again, I'm going to press back and say you have to be doing the math. All right. So a lot of people conveniently, maybe not so conveniently. But a lot of people forget that interest rates, by nature, always drop or reduce much slower than they're going to climb. Okay, historically, go back and do your own research here. Interest rates, when they go up, they tend to kind of go up quickly. When they come down, they really kind of trail, and it's a slow, progressive landing. It's not a quick thing when they come down. So if we know that that's true, or at least historically, that's been true an interest rate reduction of an eighth or a quarter or three, it's of a point. Maybe that takes us a month or two or six or a year. What does that really mean to that payment? You have to be doing the math so, largely dependent on the loan amount. Okay, if you think that interest rates are going to be reduced in a month from now by a quarter of a percentage point, what does that mean to the payment? Does it mean $12 a month? Does it mean $100 a month? And in that scenario, in that calculation, what are you giving up by waiting the month or two or six for a what if I think that you are diminishing your rates of return by waiting on a come that one may never happen, and two, the significance is probably far less relevant than you are giving it credit for.    Keith Weinhold  13:52   Now, I think generally real estate investors want low mortgage rates. Obviously, it gives us a better refinance opportunity. It gives us a better purchase opportunity, potentially, okay. In general, we want lower rates. However, there are some reasons a lot of people don't think about as to why lower mortgage rates are actually bad for a real estate investor. If you just look historically, when have we had extraordinary low mortgage rates here in these past 20 years? Well, they've been to get us out of huge economic problems, late to global financial crisis or the covid pandemic. So if you're wishing for really rock bottom rates, which again, is tempting to do, and is advantageous, in a sense, there is a downside as well. If there are super low rates, a lot of people might be out of work, including your tenants. So that's the reason that we want to be careful as to what we wish for, with rates being super low and artificially low, like they were a couple times in the past two decades. And you know, Caeli another reason why I'm not fully in love. With low mortgage rates, although I liked them, is the fact that I look back and notice as being a property investor for more than two decades now, is that I have had tenants leave when mortgage rates are too low and lending is too easy, especially leading up to the global financial crisis, it was so easy to get first time homebuyer loans at really attractive rates. So I had higher vacancy because mortgage rates were so low that my tenants left and became first time homeowners. So yes, we generally want lower mortgage rates, but there is a downside to that as well.    Caeli Ridge  15:35   And I think there's probably a sweet spot, I think such a good point that most people probably don't think about Keith, and I couldn't agree more, when rates have been at their lowest. To your point, all hell is breaking loose economically in so many other sectors. Yeah, be careful what you wish for.   Keith Weinhold  15:51   Any old time, real estate investor would find it really humorous and almost cute that people think mortgage rates between six and 7% are high. You and I know they're historically low. 7.7% is the long term owner occupied, 30 year fixed mortgage rate going back to 1971 per Freddie Mac the most reliable stat set that we have. But now that we have come up back into what's really a more normal range, just like we started to do in 2022 How should someone think overall in not a high but a higher mortgage rate environment? What are some things that actually matter more now than they did before back five plus years ago?    Caeli Ridge  16:32    I want to give you some statistics. So from 1990 to now, the average owner occupied rate was 6.08 now that's owner occupied, and more often than not, you can add about a point percentage point spread between that and non owner occupied in general. So we are right in line with the last 36 year swing of where interest rates have been. So please keep that in mind. Again, that psychology piece. But overall, I think that what we need to be paying attention to, even if, over the last five years, 10 years, interest rates are a little bit higher than we came to recognize them, the pandemic was an outlier. You guys. Okay, let that lie that's hopefully never to repeat itself. But what we want to be focusing on, and I know that I'm beating a dead horse here, is that you have to get rid of the mental block that you have about that number that we call an interest rate. You need to be looking at a property holistically that says, does it cash flow based on this tenant application? What about this tenant application? What is my exit strategy? Is my property management doing the job that it needs to be doing? Can I trust them to ensure that my vacancy is low? And if I have to evict somebody that they know what they're doing and they know all the rules in the different cities and counties, I think that those are going to be more prevalent to the successful real estate transaction that gives you the financial freedom that you want long term, stop fixating on the rate. That's my advice.    Keith Weinhold  17:53   Some of those operations that you talked about are controllable, and the mortgage rate is largely uncontrollable outside of maybe getting a better credit score to get a lower rate or something like that, focus more on what you can control. And Caeli, you touched on something interesting that I think a lot of people don't understand, and that is investor financing versus owner occupant financing. A lot of people just don't understand the differences as to why investor loans cost more, tell us about that.   Caeli Ridge  18:25   Yeah, good question. It happens to be about secondary markets, so I won't get too technical, but when we talk about mortgage backed securities right Wall Street, and this is an asset class that is bought and sold and traded, etc, etc, there are demands, obviously, and then you've got layers of risk. So the baseline thinking is that an owner occupant is less likely to default on the home that they live in, right? Something is going on financially with them. They've got some hardships, etc. They're going to cut loose the rental property before they're going to default on their primary so that's just kind of the overall basic. There's other variables in there, but that's the one that makes the biggest difference. Is default rates on an owner occupied versus a non owner occupied. Now I may argue, if I can just add to this. So this is a little bit of a history lesson for those that maybe remember or too young to remember this. 08, 09, housing and lending implode on each other in this country, the financial crisis, et cetera, et cetera. It was the Wild West before that. You could have a pulse and get a mortgage, even investors right, 0% down. They had some pretty risky things out there. We didn't do that kind of stuff, but they were out there, and I certainly contributed to what happened with the oh eight financial crisis. So fast forward, and I feel like when things like that, especially in this country, happen and devastate big, huge sectors of our economy, we knee jerk. And we knee jerk in a way that is almost the 180 of irresponsibility. Let me explain so when we talk about what it used to be like, fogging a mirror, right, having a pulse and getting a loan as an investor or anyone. For that matter. Now fast forward to post, 08,09, you've got Dodd Frank, all that sweeping legislation, etc, they raised the qualification bar. Okay, that's fine. Now I want to come into today's space, and I want to give you guys an idea of the qualification markers between an owner occupied let's just use an FHA and a non owner occupied purchase. So you can have 580 credit and put three and a half percent down and have slightly over a 50% debt to income ratio and get an FHA loan, a GSE government sponsored enterprise loan. All right, a non owner occupied you've got to walk on water. Man, I make that dumb joke, files of blood and DNA samples, you've got 20 25% down minimum. You've got to have x higher in credit score, all these extra reserves, etc, etc. So I would argue that secondary mentality, thinking the non owner occupied is, in my opinion, probably a more stable loan as it relates to default. So there's some disconnect. I think that the way that that is thought about in secondary market speak, but maybe a little TMI for the listeners. In any case, that's the reason that they're looked at differently. The ideal, or the idea is, is that the owner occupied is less likely to default than the non owner occupied. I would disagree with that premise,   Keith Weinhold  21:19   and I think you would agree that things are still pretty tight because lending requirements are still pretty rigid, still pretty strict. You have to have a good credit history and assets and income, unlike what we had to have 20 years ago, when I was a real estate investor myself, back when things were irresponsible and back when things were free flowing, and money was flying, and a lot of nefarious things were happening. Even though I had a good credit score all my life, I was the beneficiary of those High Flying Wild West times myself. I remember on the first four Plex I owned after I had moved out of it so I didn't even occupy it anymore, I got a generous appraisal for a 90% combined loan to value, cash out, refinance 90% that I would not get today, no way.   Caeli Ridge  22:10   Yeah, but that knee jerk is, I think, also part of the problem. They go the opposite way that pendulum shift is, I feel like there needs to be a little bit more reasonability in the mix and different markers to justify who should be getting or being able to take advantage.   Keith Weinhold  22:26   When we talk about investor loans versus owner occupied loans, that really begs the question. Now, when does it make sense to house hack versus go straight into investor loans? What are some of the trade offs there.   Caeli Ridge  22:41   I would argue that if you are in a position and you're willing to share your primary residence with you know, tenants house hack is always a great idea, because you've got these great loan terms, you've got this massive leverage, and almost always you've got other people making the entire mortgage payment for you, or the vast majority of that mortgage payment, I'm such a big fan of that is a strategy for real estate investing. You've got to do it right. You got to do it by the rules. But I can't think of a downside if you qualify and you're willing to do that, to live with other people right next door, etc, etc. Some families don't think that that works for them, whatever, but I just think it's a fantastic way to jumpstart someone's real estate investment journey and then continue it. If you do it right every 12 months, then you'll be able to continue to parlay into the next, the next, the next. One thing I would say about that that I don't get a lot of opportunity to talk about, but since we're talking about here, if you're going to house hack and you've got, you know, a duplex, triplex fourplex, and you want to manage it yourself, which I think everybody should be responsible to manage at least one rental property in their lifetime, maybe official, yeah, yeah. More often than not, people will tend to pay for that service down the road. But having the experience is valuable. Do not tell the other tenants that you are the home owner, do yourself a favor and just you're another tenant, but you're taking care of you know, you don't want to let them know that you actually own the property. There's lots of emotional and different things that you want to avoid giving that information away to the tenants.   Keith Weinhold  24:17   I have had two friends, and each friend owned a fourplex, and what they did is they would manage the other person's fourplex. That way, they were able to keep it more professional and less emotional, since it wasn't the owner directly dealing with the tenant, and that provided a buffer that really benefited them. I haven't done that myself, but I found that such an interesting way to approach it?    Caeli Ridge  24:42   Yeah, that's smart. If that ends up being your situation, definitely horse trade that way. Otherwise, you're just a tenant and you can be on call whatever, just avoid giving that information back to the other tenants that may be there.   Keith Weinhold  24:54   Well, there's an underwriting reality out there that chili can share with us versus. Some of the online advice that you get, and what some of the biggest myths are that borrowers believe. We'll talk about that next. You're listening to get rich education. Our guest is Ridge lending Group President chailey Ridge, more we come back. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold.    Keith Weinhold  25:12   Flock homes helps you retire from real estate and landlording, whether it's one problem property or your whole portfolio through a 721 exchange, deferring your capital gains tax and depreciation recapture. It's a strategy long used by the ultra wealthy. Now Mom and Pop landlords can 721 the residential real estate request your initial valuation, see if your properties qualify@flockhomes.com slash, slash GRE, that's F, l, O, C, K, homes.com/gre    Keith Weinhold  25:47   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally. While it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Ted Sutton  26:22   Hey, it's corporate directs Ted Sutton, listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  26:29    Welcome back to get Rich's case, we're talking with a familiar and recurrent guest Ridge lending group, President Caeli Ridge Kelly, talk to us about your underwriting reality there, versus some of the advice that one gets online sometimes, including what really gets a loan approved with some of those things like income and reserves and DTI.    Caeli Ridge  26:59   You know, this can be so confusing for the consumer, because there are so many different vehicles in which to get Mortgage Funding, and there's something in our industry called an overlay. Okay, an overlay is taking the purest form of a guideline and adding layers of risk to it. I'll give you an example. Let's say that we know, or most of us know that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac allow for up to 10 finance properties per qualified individual, right? That is a straight Fannie Freddie guideline B of A, and this could be wrong, but a big boy bank may have an overlay and layers of risk that say we will only allow up to four, right? So all of this differing information, conflicting information, when the nice thing with ridges is that we go by the purest form of the guideline, we are not going to impose those overlays. So in working with us, you're always going to be sure that we know exactly what those guidelines are. We know them like our own faces, and that we're not going to impose some additional risk layering or overlay that might prohibit or preclude the qualification. It's pretty basic stuff. I mean, if you're going full doc, Fannie Freddie, and this can apply to our owner occupied and, of course, all of our non owner occupied income, debt to income, credit and assets, it's a pretty basic formula that we use. And then we've got all the other products that we have. Again, knowing those underwriting guidelines like the back of our hand, is very important to making sure that we can navigate the battleship in a creek. That's the analogy that I give that tends to be mortgage lending, or what feels like mortgage lending anyway. So it's pretty basic. We have to understand what the borrower's qualifications are out of the gate, and then we can provide them with a schematic of options that they can tell us which direction they want to go in    Keith Weinhold  28:42   for quite a long time now, one could get 10 conventional investor loans, single or 20 married. It wasn't always that way. I remember attending a real estate workshop in 2012 and you could only get four loans, or at least you could only easily get four investor loans before that expanded to 10. And we just shouldn't always assume that it's going to be this way forever.   Caeli Ridge  29:06   Yeah, so I kind of going back before 08,09, there was no limit to the number of finance properties Fannie and Freddie would secure per individual. After that crash, it shut off, and it got to four to your point. And then it stayed there for a while, until we kind of brought it back to that 10. You know, there's been rumors for years that they're going to up it to 12 or 15 or some random number. I don't even know where it's coming from. I always make a joke and say, Yeah, between now and my death, we'll see that. But it would be nice. It would be nice if they increase that number a few   Keith Weinhold  29:35   now, as someone is qualifying there, you probably run into a lot of borrowers that believe certain myths or have to have misconceptions corrected. Tell us about some of those    Caeli Ridge  29:45   the biggest myths, I'm going to say that it's probably one of three things they believe that they've got to make 10s of 1000s of dollars a month or hundreds of 1000s of dollars a year to qualify. Absolutely not true. It's so much less about the monthly. Income than it is the monthly income in relation to your minimum payments on your credit report. So just as an example, I could have a client that only shows $1,000 a month of income, but if they truly have no debt and some of the other qualifying criteria, they can qualify for a mortgage on an investment property, because the investment property has income to offset that mortgage payment. So it dispel the myth about having massive amounts of monthly income. That's not necessary. It's about the income and your monthly debt that we find on your credit report. That would be the first thing. The other thing, speaking of credit reports, I would say, is that a lot of times, people think that the overall debt that they're carrying matters. I mean, Mr. Jones could have $300,000 worth of debt, but his monthly payments are only 1500 All I care about is that monthly amount. I do not care what the total outstanding debt is. I hear that one a lot inquiries, credit inquiries. Every time you have your credit pulled, it drops the score, 20 points. Not the case. Now I can go down that rabbit hole, Keith, but it is a rabbit hole, so maybe I'll just leave it there. Your credit score does not drop X number every time you have your credit pulled. That's a misnomer.   Keith Weinhold  31:07   Well, actually, that brings up a thought. Then once prospective borrower initiates with you in there and gets the ball rolling in qualifying for a loan, what are some reasons that deals die late in the process? So what does it take to be sure to hold that together?   Caeli Ridge  31:23   You know, I think it all boils down to communication. And we tell our clients this on the front end, treat us like your attorney. You tell us everything, do not own anything, so that we can ensure that we're guiding you appropriately. So lack of information can derail things. Let's say, for example, they change jobs, and it's a completely new line of work, and it could prohibit or preclude the amount of income that we could have we were using now DTI gets changed, or they buy a new car in the middle, and they don't think it's going to come up. And now it's a DTI issue. It can be all kinds of things, but the point there is communication is key. Just keep us informed, and then we will give you the input or advice, and then you do what you want with that. But at least it's not once the bell is rung.   Keith Weinhold  32:05   Live pretty conservatively and safely until that loan closes. Yes, sir. Well, does that bring up any stories? Sometimes people learn better that way. Is there a deal? Perhaps that should have worked, but it didn't.   Caeli Ridge  32:20   That's a good question. You know, I think that the answer is no, and mostly because we have such a diverse menu of loan products, even if something did happen and even if it was outside of anyone's control, let's say we would normally just pivot to another loan product that would accommodate whatever that event ended up being. I cannot think of an example where a deal fell apart that could have gone differently, that we weren't able to just simply pivot into another path and close the loan for    Keith Weinhold  32:49   well, America is a place that promotes entrepreneurship, and it seems like side hustles as well are more popular than they've been before. So can you talk to us about how self employed borrowers get evaluated?    Caeli Ridge  33:04   Yeah, it is different. I mean, the simplest way to describe it is, we're going to take the adjusted gross income, but there are something called add backs. So depending on what their deductions are, there are certain things like Depreciation or Amortization or, I mean, there's a whole slew of things that we're able to take those numbers and add it back into the Adjusted Gross and then divide by 12 or 24 whatever it needs to be. That's typically what we're going to be looking at for a self employed person, versus the straight w2 is just the gross income divided by 12 months.   Keith Weinhold  33:35   Well, Caeli, this has been really good with some strategies and some actionable tactics. Before I ask how one can learn more about ridge? Is there any last thing that you'd like to share with us, whether that's to expand on anything we discussed, or any of the more nascent things that have happened, like banks holding less in capital reserves, or Fannie Mae, except in crypto back mortgages? Is there anything else we really ought to know?    Caeli Ridge  33:57   You know, I think my advice right now for anybody that is in real estate investing, thinking about getting into real estate investing, be informed. Listen to people like Keith, ideally, listen to people like me. I've been doing this for a very, very long time. I'm an educator at heart. Get your information from sources that you can trust, and try to avoid the analysis paralysis the best you can. I know that people get hung up on that, but now is the best time ever, and I would say that tomorrow and the next day and next year and the year after that, to invest in real estate.   Keith Weinhold  34:27   Yes, the only thing that could possibly make now better than ever is now is sooner than it's ever going to be again. Well, Caeli, if someone wants to get a hold of ridge so they can tell you their situation, and you can then help them find out how you can best help. What should they do?    Caeli Ridge  34:43   There's so many ways. Check out our website, ridgelinengroup.com you can email us info@ridgelinengroup.com you can call us toll free at 855, 74, Ridge. All of those ways get to us, and I look forward to speaking with each and every one of you   Keith Weinhold  34:58   that's been valuable. Always It's been great having you here.    Caeli Ridge  35:01   Thanks. Keith   Keith Weinhold  35:08   Caeli brought up a great point from the lender's view, when they make a loan, it might be safer for them to lend on an income property loan, actually, than it is for your own home, because on the income property, you have a substantially higher qualification bar to clear, and you have to make a higher down payment on it. I hadn't thought about it that way before. As far as Fannie Mae accepting crypto backed mortgage structures, that is still new as of this year. How it works with a crypto backed mortgage is that you're usually getting two loans. First you get a normal mortgage, and then for your down payment, it's a separate loan that's backed by your crypto. Your crypto stays locked up for years and you can't trade it while it's pledged as your home down payment. That's generally how it works. But notice the attraction. You would also get to keep your crypto while you're leveraging it. Also notice the risk there, and very few banks offer this, think Coinbase and not JPMorgan Chase. It's still new and niche, and it remains to be seen whether or not crypto backed loans will gain any real traction. It's only likely going to accept Bitcoin, Ethereum or stablecoins, not altcoins. Only about 1% of homebuyers use crypto in transactions. Most of what the current presidential administration has done focuses on making mortgages easier to get, not in making homes cheaper. Making mortgages easier to get means more bidders and higher prices. Washington can make it easier to get a mortgage, but they cannot make a $400,000 property cost $300,000 we talked about how to borrow to win today, and big thanks to our terrific guest. Until next week, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, though you might quit your day job, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 2  37:17   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice, please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively you   Keith Weinhold  37:45   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, get richeducation.com  

Could a major policy shift in Washington make housing more affordable and unlock new supply? In this episode, Kathy Fettke breaks down a major move by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to roll back a 2024 building code requirement tied to FHA and USDA financing. The agencies say the rule was adding as much as $20,000 to $31,000 to the cost of building a new home. Now that mandate has been rescinded. What does this mean for homebuilders, first-time buyers, lenders, and real estate investors? Kathy explores how this policy change could impact housing supply, build-to-rent opportunities, rural development, affordability, and the future of entry-level housing. If you invest in real estate or follow housing policy, this is one update you will want on your radar.