Related Posts
Additional Posts in The Real Estate Bowl
Subject Expert
Can I get a commercial loan without 25% down?
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
Sign Up to see all discussions
- Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
- Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
- Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
"" is an unusual email domain. If correct, please proceed to the next step
Messaging rates may apply
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Share
Embed this post
Copy and paste embed code on your site
Preview
Download the
Fishbowl app
Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile
Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl
Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl
Messaging rates may apply
Subject Expert
Let’s get this out of the way… you’re not going to be able to leave your 9-5 with one property… you could AirBnB… but the turnover and cleaning fees eat into your margins…
We have several properties in NJ/TX… where your value really lies is in appreciation… best case you can pay your mortgage, taxes & insurance with the rental income… but your always having to do something… whether that’s renovating to remain competitive, or immediate repairs… you need to keep $10k on hand just in case…
But you wrote you want to leave “soon”. Your 50k funds would be 20% downpayment on a 200k property, or 10% on a 500k property, without enough to cover closing costs, nevermind maintenance.
With this amount of money you’re better off investing it in an index fund, VTI or VOO.
I would start with wholesaling 3-4 hours daily to learn markets, sharpen underwriting and generate deal flow. You can then transition to value-add rehabs.
If interested in AirBNB, see if AirBNB arbitrage opportunities exist in your local market
Learn something new everyday. Thank you!
Given the challenges in RE investing, I would advise you to seek clarity on your goals. RE is big, the numbers are big, the mistakes are big (coming from tough learnings)
I would start with narrowing down on a single investing path (BRRR vs Wholesale vs ABNB). I would then schedule a weekly habit, whether that be analyzing deals, walking a property, talking to lenders etc. That way, you aren’t starting from 0 and will get momentum in 2026
That’s a bad idea. In today’s market, you can’t do anything with that money, and you’ll likely lose it if you don’t know what you’re doing. Losing money is part of investing, so maybe that’s not for you. You’ll need significant capital, probably $3 million or $4 million at the very least, along with knowledge and relationships to retire from your daily job.
$50k is not enough to invest to do that.
Mentor
If you’re scared of losing money, I’d say real estate isn’t for you. Most real estate “investors” lose money on their first deal. And $40k - $50k isn’t enough to have much of a buffer for losing money.
As a house hack, 50K would give you up to $1.5M purchasing power as part of a FHA and 203K loan @ 3.5% down. A 203K would also force equity with distressed properties.
You live there for a year or two, and do that again and build a small, stable portfolio.
Yeah don’t quit your day job. Many of your peers have real estate investments. You can do this on the side, once you have more funds, and narrow down what you want, and find a deal where the numbers work.
50k covers 20% down payment for a 250k house, not enough to cover closing costs, you need 1 yr emergency funds for that property, plus monthly maintenance. You also have to cover the mortgage, insurance etc until you find tenants. If you want to buy and flip the house, it’s a different strategy.
People diversify how they invest. It doesn’t have to be just real estate. Consider investing in index funds, easy 6-7% return, sometimes more.
Mentor
If $50k is all the spare cash that Mr(s) Deloitte has, then they will also need to cover closing costs. So they should probably stick to something a lot lower than that. I’d also suggest having some money for repairs or upgrades because it’s a lot easier to make adjustments or changes before you move in than after. So actual buying power is probably a lot lower than that.
Dig into bigger pockets for learning. Get a really good understanding of your market then choose a few other cities around the country to research. It’s the holidays so things are slowing down which could lend itself to learning more about RE and what you want to do.
I have a friend with an Airbnb and she said it’s been tough this year. We’re in Houston but I live next to 5-6 Airbnb and one is always booked. I have another friend with 3 properties in N. Houston and they’re all losing money. Just some quick anecdotes.
Bigger Pockets podcast. Great learning source
Lots of YouTube channels on real estate investing! BTW
Just don’t waste it or get sucked into big podcasts or YouTube channels . Charging you to take the bootcamp. I would consume for free. This goes for every business. Easy to make money off ppl who lack the knowledge.