Real Estate

Made More From One House Than 26 Years of 401(k) Investing

People knock real estate for being slow and tedious. I get it. It’s not nearly as exciting as chasing big tech or the latest AI winner. But slow and steady might be exactly what the doctor ordered for building tremendous long-term wealth. With stocks doing well for decades, you’d think most people would be far […]

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Please Don’t Rent Your Entire Life: Housing Security Is Vital

Housing security is something I hope everyone will one day obtain. Once you are house secure, you can more easily focus on your career, family formation, and other things you care about. However, if you rent for life, you may face housing insecurity, which can feel especially uncomfortable when you’re older or no longer willing

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Paying For A Home Inspection Is Worth The Cost, Don’t Skip Out

As a buyer and seller of real estate since 2003, I’ve learned that getting a home inspection before each purchase is one of the most important steps in protecting yourself. You want a professional — someone who’s inspected hundreds of homes — to review your potential property for at least an hour before you submit

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Purposefully Leaving A Rental Property Empty As A Luxury Move

If you own rental properties, this post may resonate with you. It’s about what to do with a property once a tenant gives notice: keep renting it out, sell and pay capital gains taxes, sell via a 1031 exchange to defer taxes, move back in to avoid taxes, or—most controversially—simply leave it empty. For most of

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The End Of The Commercial Real Estate Recession Is Finally Here

Since 2022, commercial real estate (CRE) investors have been slogging through a rough downturn. Mortgage rates spiked as inflation ripped higher, cap rates expanded, and asset values fell across the board. The rally cry became simple: “Survive until 2025.” Now that we’re in the back half of 2025, it seems like the worst is finally over.

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To Be A Successful Landlord, Setting Expectations Is A Must

The older I get, the more I dislike being a landlord. There’s too much potential for disappointment, misunderstanding, or outright unpleasant moments. When you’re dealing with people and one of your most valuable assets, the margin for frustration is high. If you want to be a successful landlord—and not get run over—you need to set

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How To Use The Tax-Free Home Sale Exclusion Every Two Years To Save

In Spring 2025, I sold one of my properties and will successfully exclude $500,000 in capital gains, tax-free, thanks to the IRS Section 121 Exclusion. For those unfamiliar, this powerful rule allows homeowners to exclude up to $250,000 in capital gains if single, or $500,000 if married filing jointly, from the sale of a primary

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In Defense Of Owning A Big Beautiful Home Over A Small One

The value of owning a big, beautiful home is underappreciated. Somewhere along the way, the personal finance world began favoring minimalism and smaller living spaces, often dismissing larger homes as “McMansions.” But after spending five weeks living in a much smaller space again, I’ve gained a renewed appreciation for the comfort, privacy, and functionality that

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En Suite Bathrooms: The Secret to The Perfect Guest-Ready Home

We’re staying with our parents for five weeks in Honolulu, and I wanted to share a little revelation I’ve learned about making a home guest-ready. If you dream of owning a home where friends and family regularly visit—because you genuinely enjoy their company, this post is for you. Not all of us can afford mega-mansions

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