Congratulations!

You've taken the leap into turnkey real estate investing. Whether you've just closed on your first property or are about to sign that contract, those initial three months set the foundation for your entire investment experience. And even if you think you know what to expect intellectually, the reality might look different from what you anticipated.

At REI Nation, we've guided thousands of investors through this crucial period over our 20+ years in business. Here's exactly what to expect—and what you should focus on—during your first 90 days as a turnkey investor.

If you're considering using retirement funds to invest in turnkey real estate, a self-directed IRA (SDIRA) might be your golden ticket. But here's the million-dollar question: should you go traditional or Roth? Both offer unique advantages for passive real estate investors, making it a tough choice! 

Choosing the right one could make a massive impact on your long-term wealth-building strategy, though. So, make your choice wisely!

The American housing market just reached a staggering milestone: a total value of $55.1 trillion, representing a $20 trillion surge since early 2020. For context, that's more than the entire GDP of the United States. 

But before you pop the champagne or panic about market bubbles, let's talk about what this means for single-family rental investors — and why the shifting geography of housing wealth might present your best opportunity yet.

With mortgage rates experiencing their most dramatic swings in recent memory, turnkey real estate investors are rightfully concerned about how these changes impact their bottom line. 

While rates have retreated from their 2023 peaks at ~7.7%, they remain substantially higher than the historic lows of 2020-2021. For passive investors building wealth through single-family rentals, understanding this relationship between interest rates and investment returns isn't just academic...it's essential for making smart portfolio decisions.

Picture this: you're coming home from vacation. After throwing elbows at the airport, suffering through layovers, and paying $40 for a disappointing burger and fries, you're finally home. You unlock the door and step in, luggage in tow.

And you immediately know something is very wrong. A quick look at the thermostat shows that it's 92 degrees Fahrenheit when it should be 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously, you can't sleep like this. You're spending your first night home in a hotel.

Rent Affordability Could Be an Issue For Real Estate Investors

As a property management company reviewing hundreds of applications monthly for a handful of vacant properties, we get to see first hand the affordability and income issues that face today's renters.  However, is that a rental problem or an income problem.  Inflation is outpacing earnings growth and rental households have more than doubled in the last 15 years.  Yet, earnings have stagnated at best.  So, is this an issue?

We all have regrets in life. Some of us have real estate investment regrets. If you’re stuck with a rental property that’s weighing you down, you may find yourself wondering if you should just cut your losses and move on. Maybe you want to stick it out and hope for things to get better down the line. There are several options to weigh if you’ve found yourself at a crossroads with a property you own.

At the same time, understanding the big picture is just as important and learning that fluctuations in the way a property performs and the way a property fits into your portfolio are important too.  A down year is not always a reason to let a property go.  It takes careful and thoughtful evaluation before deciding to let got of a long-term investment property.  

There are plenty of rewarding things about managing your own rental properties. Some landlords are thrilled by the prospect of finding the perfect tenants for their properties and building lasting relationships with them. They find the experience of managing and maintaining a property to be very rewarding — and it certainly can be!