Not knowing the difference between a “good” real estate deal and a “bad” one keeps many rookies on the sidelines. If this is the one hurdle preventing you from buying your first rental property, don’t worry—today’s episode will give you the confidence to find, analyze, and buy a great deal in 2026!

Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! We’ve got three new questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, the first of which comes from someone who’s struggling to find the right investment property. As you’re about to hear, a good deal for one person might be a bad deal for another, so the key is pinning down your real estate investing goals. We’ll show you how to do just that and provide you with a few key metrics and rules of thumb to make your decision a little easier!

Next, do you need to hire a general contractor when renovating a house, or can you oversee the work yourself? The answer is more nuanced than you probably think. Finally, we’ll tackle every rookie’s million-dollar question: Is now the best time to invest in real estate, or is it safer to wait out 2026? We set the record straight!

Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here!

In This Episode We Cover

How to identify “good” real estate deals (and dodge the “bad” ones!)

The number one thing to determine before buying an investment property

Key metrics and rules of thumb to use when analyzing rental properties

Whether you need to hire a general contractor for your renovation project

Whether you should buy a rental property in 2026 (or wait a little longer!)

And So Much More!

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