What Would Cassidy Buy? - Not Everyone Needs to Buy 100 Units to own real estate

Not everyone needs to buy 100 units to own real estate. As my businesses grow and evolve, my philosophies on owning real estate have changed. I used to believe that accumulating as many units or "doors" as possible was the key to financial freedom, concentrating on $100-$200 cash flow per door per month. I'm starting to realize that I was wrong. For most individuals who want real estate to be a part of their portfolio, owning a very small but mighty portfolio is the way to go. I used to preach the small multifamily, single-family house with an in-law suite, or if your budget didn't permit the first two, the starter condo. These are great first purchases, and every first-time homebuyer should start with these assets to get their feet wet. BUT, what happens once you've executed that strategy? Do you keep buying residential real estate as rental properties? Do you go commercial?

My opinion is as follows:

- Buy a starter home when you are young. Live here, house hack, and eventually turn it into a rental property.

- POTENTIALLY do the above strategy one more time, depending on your current lifestyle.

- NEXT, if you are a business owner, buy the building your business operates out of using 10% down (the following three buildings in Alexandria, VA, are perfect options for this). Depending on the business you own/run, you should 100% own your business address.

Here are some properties available for you to check:

I did this in 2024, and it's been one of the best decisions I've made.

- Another option is to purchase a secondary home with 5-10% down. This gives you additional real estate exposure while still utilizing a low money down strategy. Buy in a market where short-term rentals are accepted and hopefully will break even.

- Buy and own your forever home. This is becoming more and more difficult, mostly because most individuals' forever homes are getting more and more expensive, and you have to borrow expensive money in order to afford them. I believe that's why you need to execute the first few steps. You will leverage the equity in those houses to help you purchase your forever home.

- FINALLY, invest in passive income-producing real estate. No more getting loans, no more signing on debt, no more underwriting—just trusting operations/general partners to purchase real estate on your behalf. You get the same tax benefits and, in most cases, a better return.

I hope this helps.

Happy investing!