BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

The Expert Investor: Early Retirement is a Mistake, Rent INSTEAD of Buying!

Dec 9, 2024

Jonathan Greene, a seasoned real estate investor, shares thought-provoking insights on why he considers early retirement a mistake. He discusses the advantages of renting over buying in 2025 and reveals a costly investment mistake he made despite his expertise. Greene emphasizes the importance of building generational wealth through strategic real estate endeavors and offers crucial tips for beginners looking to invest intelligently in today's market. His journey from financial freedom to a renewed work focus challenges common perceptions of real estate investments.

43:19

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Episode guests

Jonathan Greene

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Quick takeaways

Jonathan Greene argues that early retirement can hinder financial growth, emphasizing the importance of maintaining stable employment for investing potential.

He advocates for renting over buying in 2025, suggesting that more passive investment approaches are better suited for today's real estate market.

Deep dives

Lessons from Early Exposure to Real Estate

Jonathan Green's early exposure to real estate, shaped by his father, laid a strong foundation for his investment philosophy. Growing up, he walked through numerous homes, absorbing practical lessons about property management and the importance of the landlord-tenant relationship. His father's approach of introducing him to tenants and involving him in rental operations provided Jonathan with a unique perspective on real estate that most new investors lack. This upbringing illustrated the benefits of experiential learning and the value of understanding real estate beyond mere transactions.

Intro

3min

Building Generational Wealth Through Real Estate

11min

Optimizing Real Estate Investments with Innovative Tools

2min

Navigating Entrepreneurship: Art Galleries and Real Estate Challenges

3min

Navigating Real Estate in a Market Downturn

9min

Navigating Housing Affordability Challenges

7min

Rethinking Real Estate: From Home to Investment

8min

Why does this veteran real estate investor say that early retirement and financial freedom are a bad idea? Why does he think renting, NOT buying a house, makes more sense for most Americans in 2025? And what’s the one mistake that lost him hundreds of thousands of dollars even after being an experienced investor for decades? Jonathan Greene, one of our favorite repeat guests, is back on the show to share.

Jonathan’s father, a serial real estate investor, taught him everything about rental properties early on. Together, they walked potential properties, snuck into foreclosed homes, reviewed the profits and figures line by line, and even dealt with evictions together. This equipped Jonathan with the skills to not only build generational wealth for his family but also financial freedom for himself. However, once he achieved it, Jonathan realized that early financial freedom wasn’t worth it. But why?

This episode looks into the mind of one of the most experienced investors in the entire industry. Jonathan shares why he still decided to work even after building a real estate portfolio, the investment he made that cost him severely, why he’s moving his money into a more “passive” investment, the reason renting makes MORE sense than buying in 2025, and what a beginner should do RIGHT NOW to start investing in real estate.

In This Episode We Cover:

The reason Jonathan says early retirement/financial freedom is a mistake

One thing every beginner to real estate investing should be doing right now

Jonathan’s huge loss and the lessons he learned about pricing yourself too high

Renting vs. buying and the obvious choice for most Americans in 2025

What to teach your kids about real estate investing and generational wealth

And So Much More!

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