Chad Carson: How to Buy 2 Rentals Every Year (Starting in 2026)
BiggerPockets · 34:13 · 3 weeks ago
Success in the current real estate market requires moving away from mass-scale growth and toward a "small and mighty" strategy. This approach focuses on handpicking one or two high-quality assets annually by engaging in direct, labor-intensive deal-finding methods that less motivated investors avoid.
-
Small and mighty approach — Prioritize handpicking one or two high-quality properties annually instead of trying to scale at a massive pace .
-
Labor-intensive sourcing — Invest time in unscalable methods to find off-market deals that lazy investors overlook .
- Field research — Ride a bike or walk through neighborhoods to identify vacant homes .
- Auction networking — Attend foreclosure auctions to meet experienced local investors and find leads .
- Manual record pulling — Visit city or county offices to obtain probate, tax lien, or eviction lists that are not readily available online .
-
Iterative strategy — Treat real estate like a lean startup by testing tactics quickly; if a method succeeds, continue it, but if it fails, pivot without risking all your capital .
-
Tenant-first selection — Choose properties based on what tenants want, such as brick, single-story homes with fenced yards, to ensure low turnover and long-term stability .
-
Conservative underwriting — Attempt to talk yourself out of a deal during analysis to ensure it is truly profitable, and verify the numbers with partners or mentors before buying .
-
Independent profitability — Ensure the core purchase makes financial sense on its own, rather than relying on risky or unproven value-adds—like building an accessory dwelling unit—to make it work .