What 2021 accomplishments are you proud of?

Rental Property Investor · Norman, OK · Member since 2018 · 156 posts · 529 votes

Another chance to be featured in the next issue of BiggerPockets Wealth Magazine! In 50 words or less, let us know: What 2021 accomplishment are you most proud of? It can be real estate-related or anything else that you're proud of.

By responding here, you're allowing us to print your name and response, if chosen, in the next issue of the magazine. We're excited to hear what you have to say!

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Andrew FreedBusiness Member

Investor · Worcester, MA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

By end of 2021, I went from 1 primary residence to 8 units all funded with a HELOC. I house-hacked a three family in January 2021, purchased into a syndication in April 2021, and closed on the three family across the road off market. Only spent $30K out of pocket.

[email protected]781-964-3200 Podcast Guest on Show 69 Doors from ONE Real Estate Deal Using Other People’s Money

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Michael Montella
New to Real Estate · Reno, NV · Member since 2021 · 3 posts · 24 votes
4y
Hey Kaylee! I'm super new to real estate investing and don't have much capital to get started yet but I've read 4 books on the topic and have been listening to the Bigger Pockets podcast every day so I'm proud that I've been learning a bunch and gearing up to start investing!
24 Reply
Sam Wilson
Investor · Memphis, TN · Member since 2016 · 279 posts · 257 votes
4y
@Kaylee Walterbach - What a great question! I can't wait to see all the responses.
As for me:
At the end of 2020 I committed to something completely outside my comfort zone: a daily real estate podcast! Proud to report that I not only met my goal of releasing a podcast everyday in 2021, but it has been even more fun and educational than I could have imagined!
12 Reply
Charlie MacPherson
China, ME · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
I turned in my real estate licenses and went full time into business brokering.

Why? Moving to a new state (Maine) at 63 years old and starting from scratch in a state where I knew nobody except family meant I'd need to invest 5 or so years grinding to develop any meaningful following, referrals and repeat business. That didn't seem like the best decision.

Business brokering is FAR more profitable, though like real estate, it takes a lot of hard work to get off the ground. Well, I put in that hard work and I'm now off the ground. Looking at deals that are under contract, I will have more commission coming in before the end of November than the best 4 years of my prior income combined.

I'm now 65 and will work for 3 more years. At that point, I will retire with a very fat retirement account. My only regret is that I didn't make this move 30 years earlier.
21 Reply
Andrew FreedBusiness Member
Investor · Worcester, MA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
By end of 2021, I went from 1 primary residence to 8 units all funded with a HELOC. I house-hacked a three family in January 2021, purchased into a syndication in April 2021, and closed on the three family across the road off market. Only spent $30K out of pocket.
[email protected]781-964-3200 Podcast Guest on Show 69 Doors from ONE Real Estate Deal Using Other People’s Money
33 Reply
Dominick Galinis
New to Real Estate · TN · Member since 2021 · 94 posts · 73 votes
4y
@Kaylee Walterbach

great question! My biggest accomplishment was finding the path I wanted to go down, and started doing the research toward it (REI). I will have my first unit purchased by the end of the year!
10 Reply
Andrew FreedBusiness Member
Investor · Worcester, MA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
@Dominick Galinis - I love the determination. Good luck on your journey.
[email protected]781-964-3200 Podcast Guest on Show 69 Doors from ONE Real Estate Deal Using Other People’s Money
3 Reply
Erick Sembrano
Rental Property Investor · Wakefield, MA · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 108 votes
4y
At the start of 2021, my wife and I decided to go ahead and buy our first investment property. It took us 8 months of searching and making offers before we finally bought a 6-unit multifamily property. I am most proud for not giving up and we kept taking action.
24 Reply
Tyrone Lee
Member since 2021 · 3 posts · 6 votes
4y
Very very new to Real Estate Investing. My friend told me all the possibilities in REI I wasn't serious at first but he told me to start watching BiggerPockets podcasts. and all I can say is I'm hooked! Watching 3-4 BP Podcasts everyday now! My goal is to save up money and push myself to get a house within the next year (Summer 2022)! I have all the confidence in the world thanks to BiggerPockets podcasts. I can't wait!!
5 Reply
Ashley Yoviene
New to Real Estate · VT · Member since 2020 · 29 posts · 34 votes
4y
Assembled a long-distanced team in Buffalo, NY purchases 2 duplexes, and organized 2 rehabs! Fingers crossed that duplex #3 will be closing before 2022
9 Reply
Ashley Yoviene
New to Real Estate · VT · Member since 2020 · 29 posts · 34 votes
4y
Assembled a long-distanced team in Buffalo, NY purchases 2 duplexes, and organized 2 rehabs! Fingers crossed that duplex #3 will be closing before 2022
4 Reply
Jonathan BombaciBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Lowell, MA · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
We helped over 100 people buy investment properties in MA and NH (mostly first time househackers) plus closed on our first syndication (132 units for $20M). The team is looking to help more people and do more deals. 2022 promises to be a BIG year.
[email protected]978-710-8611
Candor Realty4.760 Reviews
Website View Page
13 Reply
Jonathan BombaciBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Lowell, MA · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Erick Sembrano:
At the start of 2021, my wife and I decided to go ahead and buy our first investment property. It took us 8 months of searching and making offers before we finally bought a 6-unit multifamily property. I am most proud for not giving up and we kept taking action.

Congrats Erick it took a while, it was a crazy spring market, but you found and closed on a great one. Looking forward to seeing you build up from there!

[email protected]978-710-8611
Candor Realty4.760 Reviews
Website View Page
2 Reply
Jonathan BombaciBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Lowell, MA · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Andrew Freed:
By end of 2021, I went from 1 primary residence to 8 units all funded with a HELOC. I house-hacked a three family in January 2021, purchased into a syndication in April 2021, and closed on the three family across the road off market. Only spent $30K out of pocket.

And you picked a great syndication to buy into ;)
Looking forward to paying you and watching you kill it in 2022.

[email protected]978-710-8611
Candor Realty4.760 Reviews
Website View Page
4 Reply
Bryant Blackwelder
Contractor · Maryville, TN · Member since 2021 · 41 posts · 29 votes
4y
Moved my family from Idaho to Tennessee and bought a 100 year old home in cash, fully renovated it (I’m a GC) while living in it. Just bought a triplex and commercial building by owner financing! Went from zero to five units in eight months. Jesus gets all the credit!
14 Reply
Ryan Howell
Rental Property Investor · Hendersonville, NC · Member since 2016 · 446 posts · 412 votes
4y
I have more than tripled my portfolio this year, by going after larger deals and learning how to partner with likeminded investors. More than anything, I'm learning how to rely on others and adjust my mindset so I can continue to grow. In my agent business, I'm growing a team of rock star talent. Brandon's keynote at BPCON is exactly what I needed. I'm trying to focus on being the architect and less of a project manager / COO, which has proven to be the biggest challenge so far, but I'm starting to see the benefits and opportunity that the mindset brings.
10 Reply
Danny Price
Investor · Location Independent · Member since 2018 · 21 posts · 19 votes
4y
In 2021 my wife and I created a Real Estate Investment Fund that focuses on Tax Sale and foreclosure auctions. With over 4 years experience working with individual investors we felt we needed to consolidate everyone into a fund in order to grow. 2021 was great, and 2022 will be even better! Always set bigger and better goals for yourself and your business.
4 Reply
Robert Carnie
Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2021 · 12 posts · 13 votes
4y
Despite several setbacks this year and last, I am most proud of getting my real estate agent license and changing my entire mindset from being an employee to becoming an investor. Joining the BP community has been incredibly motivating and educational, and I can't wait to start helping others in their pursuit of financial freedom.
5 Reply
Don SpaffordPro Member
Investor · Idaho Falls, ID · Member since 2016 · 912 posts · 629 votes
4y
@Kaylee Walterbach Very hard to do in 50 words or less. Here's the short version with the more detailed explanation below : Attended many virtual meetups, appeared on three podcasts, found partners, doing new commercial development, joined a mastermind, starting with syndications, raised capital for deals, searching for 20-40 units, net worth passed $1M in less than 4 years of starting to invest in RE all thanks to BP!
In March of 2021 I made a change. I started networking more by attending virtual conferences. I met a lot of great people who have become friends. Most of them are multi-family syndicators and investors. Through those meetups I have made some partners. I made a shift to focus primarily on commercial real estate. I have joined a mastermind group which I know will help multiply my efforts. I was invited to be a guest on three podcasts.
I was able to partner with someone and together we are doing a new commercial strip mall development in Arkansas. I have also partnered with some people local in my area to develop ~600 total units of a mix of townhomes and condos. I helped raise capital for some deals. I have a couple JV partners and we are now actively searching for some medium sized 20-40 unit deals.
I upgrades my BP membership to Premium and we have received a few more referrals through that as my wife is a registered agent with KW. We surpassed a $1M net worth which is amazing considering when we started investing 4 years ago, we had about $50k in cc debt and I think a negative net worth or at least not very much if any. It all changed after joining BP and listening to all the podcasts and reading the books, and taking the 90 day challenge in Jan 2017 which led us to buy a fourplex for our first property.
4 Reply
Mary Beatty
Realtor · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2021 · 44 posts · 23 votes
4y
The accomplishment I am most proud of is making my dream my reality. In 2021 I went from a full time corporate finance job to a full time real estate agent and investor. I brings me so much happiness to work for myself every day which isn't something I saw when working in the corporate world. Seeing the results from all my hard work while helping people has changed my life. I've been able to help people buy homes, help a friend that is building a home by having a temporary place to live, and provide work for many contractors. All while expanding my real estate business twofold by doubling my buy and hold properties as well as my flip properties.
6 Reply
Sophia Remley
Rental Property Investor · WV & VA · Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 15 votes
4y
In 2021 I went from house hacking my first duplex to getting it fully rented (what a process)! But most importantly I started putting more effort into networking in my market which go me 2 flips under contract! Hoping to be listing them in the next few weeks and reinvesting the profit into a another multifamily!
5 Reply
Landon Vowels
Architect · Chicago, IL · Member since 2021 · 12 posts · 28 votes
4y
Congrats to all the above. After several years of putting my head down and studying, I was able to finally pass all of my Architect Registration Exams in 2021 and become a licensed architect.
12 Reply
Steve Vaughan
Rental Property Investor · East Wenatchee, WA · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
I'm proud that I didn't outbid a single family looking to buy their first home and proud to not have uprooted or raised rent more than 3% on any inherited tenant.
10 Reply
Account Closed
Member since 2021 · 217 posts · 190 votes
4y
Originally posted by @Steve Vaughan:
I'm proud that I didn't outbid a single family looking to buy their first home and proud to not have uprooted or raised rent more than 3% on any inherited tenant
Should give you a lot of credit there because REI these days isn't a space where doing right by others is easy at all.
3 Reply
Jeremy Komer
Rental Property Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 84 posts · 81 votes
4y
@Kaylee Walterbach
I went from 4 to 9 doors this year and did a 1031!
7 Reply
Joseph Hammel
Rental Property Investor · Lake Hallie, WI · Member since 2015 · 292 posts · 144 votes
4y
Closed 2 1031's Bought 4 triplex's, 3 4plex, an 8 unit, a 11 unit, Got to 87 units and have a 7 unit UC now. Sneaking up on 100! Got into some new volunteering with meals on wheels and serving at church. Reading the Bible every day as well.
12 Reply

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