Real Wealth Show: Real Estate Investing Podcast From W-2 to Full-Time Investor: How Grant Francke Built an $8M Real Estate Portfolio
10 snips
Dec 25, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Grant Francke, a full-time real estate investor and author of The Unlikely Investor, shares insights on transitioning from a W-2 job to building an $8M portfolio. He highlights overcoming analysis paralysis through conservative underwriting and emphasizes the importance of budgeting for maintenance and vacancies. Francke details his off-market strategy and explains why small-to-mid-size multifamily properties align with his management style. His final advice? Take action, get educated, and prioritize a solid mindset to succeed in real estate.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Underwrite Conservatively And Act
- Underwrite deals conservatively and trust those numbers to get to the closing table.
- Confidence in conservative underwriting helps overcome analysis paralysis and fear of closing.
Build Reserves For Maintenance And Vacancies
- Budget for maintenance and capital expenditures by reserving about 15% of rents each month.
- Also budget around 5% for vacancy to create a buffer for unexpected repairs.
Check Big Systems' Ages Before Buying
- Inspect ages of major systems like HVAC, water heaters, and the roof before purchase.
- Factor replacement costs into underwriting since these failures quickly erode cash flow.