BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast

Scaling from 0 to 30 Deals (While Working 9-5) and Starting with $0

Mar 3, 2025

Tim Yu, a US Army officer and prolific real estate investor, shares his journey of completing over 30 deals in just two years, all while holding a 9-to-5 job. He discusses innovative strategies like house hacking and creative financing that turned his initial failures into success. Tim reveals how he bought properties with zero dollars down and secured deals for as little as $3,000. With a focus on empathy in outreach and networking, he inspires listeners to embrace persistence and adapt to the dynamic real estate market.

41:26

Episode guests

Tim Yu

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Tim Yu successfully scaled his real estate portfolio by using creative financing strategies to minimize upfront costs and maximize profitability.

His empathetic approach to distressed homeowners, coupled with personalized tactics, allowed him to secure favorable deals amidst market challenges.

Deep dives

Tim Yu's Journey in Real Estate Investment

Tim Yu began his real estate investment journey in 2022 with almost no capital, facing significant challenges during his first fix and flip. This initial project was fraught with issues, including problematic contractors and a lengthy timeline that stretched to six months, ultimately netting him only a small profit. However, rather than deter him, this experience pushed Tim to learn actively about different investment strategies, such as lease options and creative financing. By leveraging his military benefits, such as the VA loan, Tim was able to diversify his portfolio significantly through innovative approaches.

Intro

2min

From Distress to Success: A Real Estate Journey

13min

Innovative Strategies for Real Estate Growth

5min

Empathy in Real Estate Outreach

4min

Navigating Real Estate: A Personal Journey

4min

Navigating Real Estate Challenges and Opportunities in Iowa

5min

Navigating Property Management Challenges

10min

30 real estate deals in two years, starting with very little money, AND doing it all while working a nine-to-five? After listening to Tim Yu, you’ll have no excuse NOT to invest in real estate. He’s done it all: house hacking, creative financing, seller financing, lease-to-own, single-family, multifamily, house flipping, and everything in between to find the real estate investing tactic that worked best for his goals and his lifestyle.

After trying (and failing) house flipping, Tim was ready to give up on real estate entirely. It wasn’t until a house hack (renting out other units/rooms in your home) gave Tim the cash flow he needed that he decided to give real estate another shot. From there, he spent hours calling owners after work, sweating bullets on cold calls, and refining his real estate skills.

He’s been able to buy a house for truly ZERO dollars down, pick up profitable rental properties for as little as $3,000, and get seller financing terms that have made him six figures in just a year or so. Tim has tried every strategy, so you don’t have to, and if one of his tactics resonates with you, be like Tim and give it your all!

In This Episode We Cover:

The one loan that lets you buy your first property for ZERO dollars down

How to get squatters out of your property (fast) with “cash for keys”

Using seller financing to pick up real estate deals for just $3,000-$5,000

Tim’s personalized strategy for finding off-market deals and motivated sellers

The new type of rental property Tim is buying that makes $3,000+/month in cash flow

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show!

Ask Your Question on the BiggerPockets Forums

BiggerPockets YouTube