This week’s Transformation Tuesday is from St. Louis, Missouri.

From the outside, the original condition of this single-family residence told the story of a simple split-level. Inside, however, was identity crisis! Unfinished flooring, mix-matched walls, and unfriendly bathrooms made this seem like more of a cautionary tale. However, it didn't take long for our pros to take away the shock value and add new, usable features for a resident to have their fairytale ending. 

At one time, it was thought that owning a home was a great investment. While this is true in a sense thanks to real estate being a hedge against inflation, your home alone isn’t something to hang your financial hat on. The truth of the matter is more complex: appreciation rates shift based on national, even global, economics, market-specific characteristics, and individual property qualities.

The customer experience is often overlooked in business simply because it's difficult to quantify. With that said, it’s no less a vital part to your success as a real estate investor. Rental vacancies are extremely costly and the way you maximize your property’s income-earning potential is by minimizing turnover as much as possible.

This week’s Transformation Tuesday is from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

You might say this simple ranch was stuck in the past. Dated colors and fixtures were to be found in every room, including a bubblegum pink bathroom! We were happy to bring this 60's wonder into the present for a resident to enjoy long into the future. 

Although we know that investing in real estate online offers unprecedented access to the many potentially lucrative markets and opportunities, it isn’t a sure thing. Unfortunately, as with any business, there are those out there looking to make a quick buck – even if it comes at the expense of honest investors who worked hard to get where they are.

By the time you retire, you should be a real estate investor. You aren’t required to retire early to be successful. In fact, your investments don’t even have to totally unlock the coveted “financial freedom” raved about by the top voices in the industry.

“Real estate is an imperishable asset, ever increasing in value. It is the most solid security that human ingenuity has devised. It is the basis of all security and about the only indestructible security.”  – Russell Sage

This week’s Transformation Tuesday is from Memphis, Tennessee.

See if you can spot the cow amongst the pictures we've shared!

Ryan Flannery takes us on a tour of a recently renovated home in Lewisville, TX!

The main hope for rising mortgage interest rates was that, in response, real estate prices would cool. Rising interest rates have been a point of concern for investors and average homebuyers alike – with housing more expensive than ever, even a marginal rate increase could mean thousands more paid in mortgage interest.