You Need 20% Down to Invest in Real Estate

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Let’s kill this myth right out of the gate:
You do NOT need 20% down to invest in real estate.

That’s one of the most recycled lies in the game, and it’s kept too many would-be investors stuck on the sidelines, watching everyone else build wealth while they “wait to save more.”
Spoiler: you don’t need more money — you need more strategy.

Here’s what the banks and brunch-table experts won’t tell you:

Low Down Payment Options That Work:

• FHA Loans – 3.5% down, allows multi-units (up to 4), perfect for house hacking.

• VA Loans – 0% down if you’re a qualified veteran or active-duty military. Huge wealth hack.

• Conventional Loans – 5–15% down options exist, especially for owner-occupied properties.

• DSCR Loans – Use the income from the property to qualify — not your W-2.

• Seller Financing / Private Money – Skip the bank entirely. Negotiate terms directly.

• BRRRR Method – Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. Recycle your down payment and do it again.

You don’t need $60K sitting in a savings account. You need to know how to use the tools that already exist.

Real Talk:

Most successful investors didn’t start rich. They started resourceful.

Pro Tip: Don’t ask, “How much do I have?” Ask, “How can I make this work with what I’ve got?” That mindset shift? It’s how portfolios get built.

You Have to Be a Landlord (and Love Toilets)

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Let’s get one thing straight: owning real estate does NOT mean you have to be the one fixing leaky sinks at 2 AM while crying into a flashlight and Googling “how to unclog a toilet with dignity.”

Being a landlord is one way to invest. It’s not the only way—and for many, it’s not even the best way.

Truth: You Can Invest in Real Estate Without Being a Full-Time Landlord

Here’s how smart investors build wealth without plungers and panic attacks:

• Hire a Property Manager
  They’ll handle screening, maintenance, rent collection, and tenant drama. Yes, it costs 8–10% of the rent, but it buys back your time and sanity.

• Invest in Turnkey Rentals
  Fully rehabbed, already-tenanted properties that are ready to roll. You buy, you cash flow, and you let someone else do the legwork.

• Real Estate Syndications & Funds
  You pool money with other investors and buy large deals passively. No tenants. No toilets. Just performance updates and direct deposits.

• Airbnb Arbitrage & Co-Hosting
  You don’t even have to own the property—just control the income. Partner with owners, furnish the space, manage the bookings, and profit.

Bottom Line:

Landlording is a role, not a requirement. If you hate maintenance, cool. Build systems or partner with people who love that part.

Pro Tip: Build assets, not stress. If you’re spending all your time managing chaos, you’re not investing—you’re babysitting property.

All the Good Deals Are Gone

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Ah yes, the classic line:
“You used to be able to find good deals, but not anymore.”

Spoiler: Good deals aren’t gone. Lazy strategies are.

Just because you’re not seeing them on Zillow doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The real deals—the kind that build wealth—usually don’t show up in public listings at all. They’re found, created, or negotiated by people who know where to look and how to move fast.

Here’s Where Real Deals Actually Live:

• Wholesalers – These are the deal hunters. Build relationships with a few, and you’ll see properties long before the public does.

• Driving for Dollars – Yes, literally driving around and spotting distressed properties. It works. It’s boring. But it works.

• Direct-to-Seller Marketing – Letters, postcards, cold calls… Not sexy, but motivated sellers don’t always go through realtors.

• Networking & Referrals – Talk to agents, contractors, other investors. The best deals often change hands quietly.

And let’s not forget:

You Can Create a Good Deal:

• Negotiate seller financing or credits

• Buy a fixer-upper and force appreciation

• Reposition underperforming properties with better management

Pro Tip: The best deals don’t fall in your lap. They come from strategy, hustle, and knowing how to solve a seller’s problem.

If you’re only looking at the MLS and saying “nothing pencils,” that’s not the market’s fault. That’s your method.

You Need Perfect Credit (or Any Credit at All)

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Let’s kill another big fat myth:
You don’t need a perfect credit score—or even good credit—to start investing in real estate.

Would a high score help? Sure. It opens doors to better rates and more loan options.
But is it the only way in? Not even close.

Here’s the Real Truth:

In real estate, money follows the deal.
If the numbers are strong and the opportunity is solid, there’s almost always a way to fund it.

Let’s break it down:

How People Invest Without Perfect Credit:

• Private Money – This is money from individuals (not institutions). They care more about your deal than your FICO score. Show them a path to profit, and you’re in.

• Hard Money Loans – Asset-based lenders who fund flips or BRRRRs based on the deal’s value. High interest? Yes. But they fund fast, and credit is often secondary.

• Partnerships – Bring the hustle, someone else brings the capital and credit. You split the deal and win together.

• Creative Financing – Seller financing, subject-to, lease options... Deals where you don’t need a traditional lender at all.

Bottom Line:

Credit matters, but it’s not the gatekeeper. The deal—and your ability to communicate value—is what opens doors.

Pro Tip: Stop saying, “I can’t because of my credit.” Start asking, “How can I create or structure a deal that works anyway?

Real Estate Is Too Risky Right Now

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Ah yes, the doomsday drumbeat:
“The market’s too high.”
“What if there's a crash?”
“Isn’t real estate risky right now?”

Here’s the truth bomb:
Risk isn’t about real estate. Risk is about what you don’t understand.

Yes, real estate has cycles. Prices rise and fall. Interest rates fluctuate. But name one asset that doesn’t come with risk. (We’ll wait.)

You know what else is risky?

• Relying on one paycheck

• Losing money to inflation while your savings earn 0.2%

• Never owning an appreciating, income-generating asset because of fear

Real estate only feels risky when you:

• Buy based on hype, not math

• Over-leverage with no reserves

• Hope for appreciation instead of planning for cash flow

• Don’t educate yourself (which you're solving by reading this, by the way)

Smart Investors Manage Risk by:

• Focusing on cash flow over speculation

• Buying below market value or adding value

• Having emergency reserves

• Knowing the numbers before making offers

• Investing in stable, landlord-friendly markets

Every market comes with opportunity and uncertainty. The key is learning to navigate both.

Pro Tip: The riskiest thing you can do is sit out, wait for “perfect conditions,” and watch other people build wealth while you stay stuck.

You Need to Wait for the ‘Perfect’ Time to Start

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If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines thinking,
“I’m just waiting for the right time to buy,”
this one’s for you.

Here’s the truth:
The perfect time doesn’t exist.
Not in real estate. Not in life. Not even at Costco.

Waiting for the stars to align is just fear wearing a smart-sounding disguise.

Yes, timing can matter. But more often, people use “bad timing” as an excuse to avoid action. Meanwhile, the investors who got in last year, five years ago, or even during a downturn are building equity and collecting rent.

Why Now Beats “Someday” Every Time:

• Real estate is a long game — the sooner you start, the better your results

• You learn by doing — and the best education is a deal you actually own

• Markets are always shifting — cash flow and value can be found in every cycle

• “Perfect” timing is only obvious in hindsight — and hindsight doesn’t build portfolios

You know what never grows? The property you didn’t buy.
The cash flow you never collected.
The experience you never gained.

Pro Tip: Start small. Start smart. But start.
Because action creates momentum. Waiting just creates regret.

Real Estate Is Only for Rich People

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If you’ve ever thought,
“I’d invest in real estate… if I had money like those people,”
you’re not alone—and you’ve also been lied to.

Let’s be clear:
You don’t need to be rich to start. Real estate is how a lot of people become rich.

The idea that investing is only for people with trust funds, six-figure savings, or yacht-club networking circles?
Dead wrong.

Regular People Are Building Portfolios Every Day With:

• FHA loans — 3.5% down gets you in the game

• House hacking — live in one part, rent out the rest

• Partnerships — your hustle, someone else’s capital

• Creative financing — seller financing, lease options, BRRRR

• Private money — investors who care more about the deal than your bank account

You don’t need a big check—you need a game plan.

Real Example:

Someone starts with a duplex using an FHA loan. They rent one unit, live in the other. Cash flow + equity build = their next down payment. A few years later, they’ve got 3 properties and $200K+ in equity.

That’s not a fairytale. That’s happening right now—in your city, in your state, by people who just decided to start.

Pro Tip: Wealth isn’t about access to cash. It’s about access to education, strategy, and action.

And now?
You’ve got all three.

Ready to stop letting myths hold you back and finally start investing like a boss?
Book your FREE strategy call now.
We’ll map out a real estate game plan that works for you—your budget, your life, and your goals.