The Problem With Cash for Retirement Planning—And How Real Estate Solves It

Real estate investing is one of the best ways to build wealth, but there’s a hidden trap that even seasoned investors fall into—it’s called poor bookkeeping practices that quietly drain profits and put portfolios at risk. You may have written deals on a napkin or put the receipt for purchasing materials in your glove compartment before, but that could leave you scrambling at the worst times.  The bookkeeping, accounting, and banking system you choose will determine whether you avoid these headaches or continually “eat” those small charges that add up like sneaky calories in your favorite late-night snack. I know I’m guilty of letting multiple little purchases get miscategorized, forgotten, or even worse—charged to the wrong property. Over time, these little slip-ups can cost you thousands, and the only one who ends up happy about that is the IRS. The crazy thing is that real estate taxes and accounting nuances can work in your favor—when things are correctly documented and categorized. But getting it wrong? Well, that’s like building a house without a blueprint—risky, expensive, and more than a little stressful. Let’s break down the five most common bookkeeping mistakes real estate investors make that can lead to thousands of dollars slipping through the cracks—and, more importantly, how to fix them before it’s too late. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/investors-can-lose-thousands-by-not-bookkeeping-right Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are lucky enough to have a spare room in your house that is not filled with random junk, congratulations—you may be sitting on some extra cash. The threat of a roommate eating your leftovers is not as high as the cash flow you can bring in, so let’s dive into how to turn your extra room into extra revenue.  Once you find a tenant, our friends from Baselane will be able to help you screen the tenant, help collect rent online, and mange all your rental finances with a business checking account and free bookkeeping software. This will save you 2-4 hours of work per unit per month. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/the-basics-to-renting-out-one-of-your-rooms Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I saved up a million dollars—and all I got was this lousy $40,000 a year.” That’s the metaphorical T-shirt that the average retiree wears.  Actually, it’s worse than that. The average retiree aged between 65 and 74 doesn’t have a million dollars saved as a nest egg. They have $609,230, and that’s the mean average, not the median. You can be sure the median is a lot lower.  Based on the traditional 4% rule, the average retiree takes an annual income of just $24,369 from that nest egg. Don’t blow the party kazoos all at once.  All this means that the traditional retirement model just doesn’t work well. To put it bluntly, the math sucks.  I can do better—and so can you.  Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/the-problem-with-paper-assets-for-retirement-planning Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suburban migration didn’t end with the pandemic. If anything, we’ve seen a long-term shift in American priorities concerning housing, which has led to an increasing number of households moving out of the city and into the suburbs. When people head out to the ‘burbs, real estate investors would do well to follow. We have a saying in real estate that we look for the path of progress. Sometimes, this is revitalizing or rezoning areas to include new housing or businesses. Sometimes, it is simply the trend of where people are moving.  Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/8-reasons-suburban-housing-should-be-your-go-to-investment Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my previous article on the uniquely American suburbs, I delved into their controversial history. Here, I’ll focus on the political and social critiques of America’s particularly car-centric and sprawled form of suburban development. A third and final piece will look at the financial picture, as well as the suburbs’ viability, both for the country and investors. Conspiracy theories that the suburbs were created to drive demand for automobiles are, for the most part, backward. It was, in actual fact, the mass adoption of the automobile that drove the creation of the suburbs. Of course, big business (Levittown) and government policy (the creation of the interstate highway system and urban renewal) also played a part in the expansion of America’s car-centric suburbs.  But even if the causes of America’s suburban sprawl were completely benign, that doesn’t mean that the suburbs as currently constituted are good nor sustainable nor a place for quality, long-term investments. It is to these questions we now turn. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/are-the-suburbs-a-soul-crushing-abomination Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I wrote an article explaining why I am investing in real estate investment trusts (REITs) instead of rental properties. In short, REITs are still discounted, and I expect their lower valuations to result in higher returns in the coming years. Unfortunately, it would seem that many readers miss the point of investing in REITs due to misconceptions. I saw several people in the comment section claim that REITs should be less rewarding investments because:  - You don’t enjoy the benefits of leverage. - They are not tax-efficient. - You are paying managers instead of getting your hands dirty. But these statements are just plain wrong, and I am going to prove it.  Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/8-reasons-for-why-reits-are-better-than-rentals Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Certain cities across the United States are emerging as economic powerhouses, creating ideal conditions for real estate investors.  I’ve published two previous articles on cities with growing tech hubs and high income increases, both of which are highly correlated with price appreciation. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/13-real-estate-hotspots-with-the-best-economies Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Affordable housing might be a priority for the government, but that doesn’t mean banks share the same view. According to a recent CoStar article, 11 federal home loan banks say that government pressure to fund their housing programs could threaten their stability. The Biden administration requires federal banks to contribute money through grants for affordable housing initiatives. According to a White House press release, the president proposed that “each Federal Home Loan Bank double its annual contribution to the Affordable Housing Program, which will raise an additional $3.79 billion for affordable housing over the next decade and assist nearly 380,0000 households.”  Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/banks-face-pressure-from-government-to-fund-affordable-housing-projects Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there’s a downside to investing in real estate, it’s dealing with nonpaying tenants. Many people prefer to put their money in the stock market because even with diligent screening, it’s inevitable that you’ll encounter tenants who fall behind on their rent. When that happens, your real estate becomes a massive headache. However, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, rent problems could be well on their way out. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/how-eviction-diversion-programs-are-driving-eviction-rates-down Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does this scenario sound familiar? “I distinctly remember a conversation I had with my boyfriend shortly after submitting an offer on my very first rental property. We were sitting at his son’s Little League baseball game, and my mind was wandering (if you’ve ever watched a Little League baseball game, you understand). I turned to my boyfriend and said, ‘What happens if they actually accept my offer on that property?’  The truth of the matter was, I was a 28-year-old with not even an ounce of rental property or landlording experience. All I knew was that I was over working a 9-to-5 W-2 job and thought that real estate investing could be my path out. Ever the black-and-white, straight-to-the-point kind of guy, my boyfriend responded with, ‘You’ll figure it out.’ Little did I know how true that statement would turn out to be.” That’s Amelia McGee, co-author of The Self-Managing Landlord with Grace Gudenkauf, explaining her anxiety and fear as a soon-to-be DIY landlord. Keep reading the article here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-being-a-self-managing-landlord Subscribe to the BiggerPockets Channel for the best real estate investing education online! Become a member of the BiggerPockets community of real estate investors - https://www.biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices