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.

When it comes to real estate investing, few things are more satisfying than seeing a property completely transformed — and this Memphis renovation is a perfect example. Located at 6602 Beaverlodge Drive, this 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home offers 1,533 square feet of beautifully updated living space. Built in 1980 and fully refreshed for today’s residents, it’s ready to deliver strong returns for its new investor.

This property checks all the boxes for a low-maintenance, income-producing investment in one of our most consistent markets.

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!

At REI Nation, every transformation tells a story of turning potential into performance — and this week’s feature is no exception.

6909 Fairfield Drive in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a 4-bedroom, 2-bath home built in 1963 with 1,196 sq. ft. of living space. After a full renovation, it’s now a move-in-ready investment property offering long-term value and reliability for its next turnkey investor.

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.

This week’s transformation takes us to 1800 Green Acres Road in Jacksonville, Arkansas — a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with 1,545 square feet of living space. Built in 1976, this property had great structure and location potential, but it needed a complete transformation to meet REI Nation’s turnkey standards. Our team stepped in to do what we do best: take a good property and make it great — creating a fully performing, long-term investment home ready to deliver returns from day one.

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.

Welcome to this week’s Transformation Tuesday! Today we’re spotlighting 4703 South 94th East Avenue, a beautifully renovated 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath home offering 1,132 square feet of comfort, convenience, and long-term reliability. Built in 1972 and now completely refreshed, this property represents everything that makes a turnkey investment stand out — consistent performance, dependable residents, and lasting value.

In the turnkey real estate industry, anyone can claim to offer "full-service" investing. The term gets thrown around so frequently that it's lost much of its meaning. But when you're entrusting someone with your financial future and potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, you need more than marketing buzzwords.

Excellent customer service is not a “nice to have” in turnkey investing—it’s the foundation. Totally non-negotiable. Your turnkey provider or property management team can excel in virtually every other area, but if they stink at customer service, you’re in for a rough ride!