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BlogArrowReal Estate Investing BasicsArrowIf I Can Buy 7 Rentals While Jobless, Pregnant, & Raising an 8-Month-Old, You Can Too!
Real Estate Investing Basics

If I Can Buy 7 Rentals While Jobless, Pregnant, & Raising an 8-Month-Old, You Can Too!

Maria Friström
Expertise:
3 Articles Written
Mother Carrying Son And Daughter As They Play In Park

On a brisk autumn day in October 2016, I woke up in Espoo—a neighboring city to Helsinki. I had moved across the world from sunny California with our 8-month-old son Lucas, pregnant with baby number two, and our two adopted cats. Our new home was Finland, the land of a thousand lakes, the world’s shyest people, and sauna (shy people, but they don’t mind sweating cheek to cheek in their birthday suits).

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So there I was, in the Finnish ‘burbs with a constantly traveling husband, a wild baby (he started climbing stairs when he was four months old and was pretty much parkour-ing before he could walk—I guess that’s what I get for marrying a guy who loves extreme sports), in a market I knew nothing about. I had zero network, no job, and was four months pregnant—and scared I had made a huge mistake quitting my awesome job in Silicon Valley.

So I put on the TV, pulled out a gallon of ice cream, and started binge-watching “Dancing With the Stars.” Or rather, I totally could have, because I sure had a lot of excuses to. But instead I answered these three questions—and have since bought seven rental apartments ($100K-$160K each). And if I could, you can, too!

Related: 6 Major Reasons to Invest in Real Estate (& How to Invest With Purpose!)

Question #1: Why?

There was a reason I had left my awesome job to come to Finland. (Spoiler alert: It wasn’t the butt-to-butt sauna-sweating.) We loved our life in California, but our whole world turned upside down and inside out (ahem, my body certainly did) after having our first baby with no family around. A life of working high-stress, 60-hour weeks only to pay a big chunk of the salary to strangers to take care of our newborn baby didn’t feel right. We thought long and hard about our life.

What did success looks like to us?

What did we want more and less of?

How did we want to feel?

What important ways did we want to use our time?

How did we want to be remembered?

The answers to these questions led us to Finland—and more importantly, to real estate investing and the freedom and flexibility it provides.

Me and part of my “why”

So before doing anything else, I recommend finding your why—and going beyond financial freedom in your reason. What does financial freedom enable you to do that brings you joy and purpose in life? How does it amplify who you truly are and who you want to be?

I want my kids to see me do things I’m scared of, make mistakes, and learn from them. I want them to see me be true to myself and be a person they can be proud of. That’s my why.

What’s yours?

Question #2: How?

Once I was clear about my why, I began thinking about how to do it. So I paid $2,500 for a guru class called “The Secret to Getting Rich Quick Through Real Estate.” NOT. There is no such thing!

I didn’t have money, I didn’t have knowledge, I didn’t have a lot of things (like my 20-something body, lol). But instead of focusing on all the things I didn’t have (like a job), I thought of what I did have. I had time, and I had mind share. I no longer had 7,000 emails burning in my inbox or client fires needing to be put out left and right. And I had a burning desire to learn.

I started studying. But remember, I had an 8-month-old paper-eating monster at home—not a great partner for book reading. So I quit and went right back to “Dancing With the Stars.” Nah, gotcha again.

I had heard an awesome interview with Tim Ferris, where he talked about the need to ask ourselves better questions. For instance, “What would this look like if it were easy?”

And for me, the answer was audiobooks. My little parkour baby and I went for long walks every day (the only way he would sleep for longer than 15 minutes at a time), and that’s how I started gulping a book a week. After three months, I had knowledge. And with that knowledge, I was able to secure the first things I needed: partners with money and skills.

Focus on what you have and how that can help you get what you need.

Question #3: What?

One of my favorite things about real estate investing is the fact that there are almost as many strategies as there are investors. Since we are driven by different “why”s, that results in a handful of different “what”s. One of the books I gulped that helped me be purposeful and focused when developing our strategy was The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It’s Not About the Money…It’s About Being the Best You Can Be! by Gary Keller with Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan. I warmly recommend it.

Related: 7 Absolute Must-Read Real Estate Books for Beginning Investors

They divide the strategy into three core areas:

  1. Criteria: What we buy (what kind of real estate are you buying: single family homes, multifamily, condos, etc.)
  2. Terms: How we buy it (establishing your parameters for buying, for example, XX% below market price)
  3. Network: Who helps us (banks, partners, other investors, wholesalers, etc.)

That’s it. Those are the three questions. So now you’re all done and can finally go back to the binge-watching—except that you can’t. And if you’re anything like me, you don’t even want to. You’re too fired up. There’s just one thing missing.

Action

So many investors get caught up in analysis paralysis and never pull the trigger, even after having done all the homework and due diligence. And I get it. It's scary.

I remember the first time I went to Los Angeles. I was going to drive down there with one of my best childhood friends from Stockholm, Malin, who was visiting us in San Jose, Calif. I was nervous about the drive, especially driving downtown (eeeeek!). But Malin said something that really helped.

She said, “You just do it one red light at a time.”

It was so simple and obvious once she had said it. One step at a time. Turn the engine on, put it into gear, push the gas, steer, stop. I can do all those things. I’ll be OK. And all of a sudden, I was cruising down Hollywood Boulevard (I was stopped by the police on the way there, but survived that, too).

I tell this story because it has helped me in real estate investing, and I hope it can help you, too. You don’t have to know everything. Start by learning one new thing. You don’t have to have everything. Focus on what you do have, and what you can do with that.

What’s one action you can do today to get you closer to your why?

Leave a comment below!

By Maria Friström
In search of balance, and financial freedom, Maria left a life of eating out, catwalks, fancy brand name shoes and a killer job in Silicon Valley for a life of Dickies and tool belts; diy-rehabbing...
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In search of balance, and financial freedom, Maria left a life of eating out, catwalks, fancy brand name shoes and a killer job in Silicon Valley for a life of Dickies and tool belts; diy-rehabbing and renting apartments in Helsinki, Finland. And she loves it. When she’s not busy keeping her two toddlers from eating paint, or piercing each other with power tools, she loves running and laughing and teaching others about real estate investing.
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48 Replies
    Dolly La Salle from Germany and Jacksonville, FL
    Replied over 2 years ago
    @Maria Friström Thank you for sharing your story. I am a beginner in REI and am still in search of find my first deal. I am trying to learn as much as possible so I won’t make a bad decision. I have been buying REI books, but feel like it will take a while to finish them. I will start doing the same as you did….buying Audiobooks. I am old fashioned so I like hard cover books, but since there are so many REI books, Audiobooks seem ideal especially since I’m also a busy mom. Congrats on your success.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Dolly, thanks for reading my article <3 I love hard covers too. But audiobooks enable me to put downtime, like driving, into good use. Good luck on finding your first deal. Sounds like you're well on the way with the right attitude. Five of my offers were declined before finding my first deal in the US, and then in Finland it took me three months to find the first one there after having studied like a nutso. It makes me think of actors in Hollywood. I heard that the average working actor goes to 64 auditions before getting a job. Sixty four! We never know which one will be a yes, so keep at it. Every step is one step closer.
    Dolly La Salle from Germany and Jacksonville, FL
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hello Maria. I was happy to be the first feedback to your first article. You were also funny in some parts of the article. I searched for audiobooks. The company Audible seems to be the most popular, but they are expensive. It cost $15 per month and you can only listen to 3 books maximum. Is Audible what you use or a different source?
    Lisa Byrne
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Dolly, I hear what you are saying about the cost of Audible! I do see Audible is easy/convenient & works for many ppl. Subscription fees are not an option for every budget tho! My budget happens to be very strict/ fixed right now. Still, there are many ways to inexpensively get access into/book titles -other than Audible. Check your local library first. Many local libraries have digital books and audio CDs avail for downloaded or at local branches. Modern, online, electronic check out systems make this process very convenient. Look at Hoopla, Library to go, and Libby. These are digital/audio/video book lending services, connected to larger library systems. They have many titles that Library card users can borrow for free. Check out local college or university - see if their library carries (digital or audio) titles you are looking for. A modest (non student) annual fee may be reasonable for the access to info gained! A local small business development center (SBDC) might have lending resources avail. Are you working with anyone like this currently? If so, ask if they can help you with this! Politely ask friends/family/contacts on FB or at your next Meet Up if they have the title you are looking for. Someone you know may be willing to lend it to you. ( Just be sure to return it promptly, in good condition!) Lastly- books/Audio CDs are avail used online , or in used book stores, for a fraction of new cost. *can usually be sold back when you are finished -which can offset some/most of the cost. Also, I think Audible has a free trial period, you could technically could just try it out for zero cost.This would get you started at least. Anyway I hope some of these suggestions are helpful. Also, yes less coffee out is good for every budget! Good Luck

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    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Thank you 🙂 Yes, I use Audible. The cost is worth it in my mind. A little tip is to deduct that cost from your taxes once you rolling with rental income. I’m not a CPA though, so double check that is okay. In Finland it is. Is there something else you spend $15/mo that you can skip instead? Like Starbucks coffee 😉

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    Angelina Martinez
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Maria. Thank you for this article. I am also a mom trying to take currently a course in real estate. I definitely know about trying to learn as much as you can with a little one. I live in California but I wanted to ask where was your first buy and how you financed this new investment? Congratulations on your new success.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Angelina, I love a fellow mom investor (a.k.a. sleep deprived coffee gulper with super powers) <3 Thank you for taking the time to read my article and for reaching out with this comment. I bought my first rental while living in California, but I bought it out of state in Fort Collins Colorado. Since California is so crazy expensive, buying out of state might be an idea to look into for you too. There are some additional risks to consider when investing out of state, but also great upsides. David Greene's book "Long Distance Real Estate Investing" is a great resource for mitigating the risks. The rentals I bought after that I financed by partnering with my brother. We utilize the BRRRR method (Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat), so we got a conventional bank loan (thanks to my brother, and husband). Through diy-renovations we've been able to force appreciate the value of the apartments and use that increased equity to buy the next one. I hope that answers your question 🙂 I'm planning to write more articles with more details on it, so stay tuned <3 And most importantly: way to go, girl! Knowledge is the most valuable asset you can have. You're on a great path, keep it up.

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    Cindy Larsen Rental Property Investor from Lakewood, WA
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Maria, Great article. Love your attitude. I agree with you: decide what you want, learn everything you can and make a plan for how to get where you are going, then actually do what it takes to get there. Learn from setbacks and keep going. With that kind of attitude and determination, you will succeed. Cindy
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Amen, Cindy, I’m picking up what you’re laying down 🙂 Thank you <3 I believe the biggest impact lies in our attitude. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. And going through the steps you so eloquently listed is a great way to prepare.

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    Adam Lee
    Replied over 2 years ago
    I don’t know whether the title is relevant to the context. It doesn’t disclose any detail of the investment part. I think a lot of us when clicking the link, has an intention to see how she did it. Who knows whether she buys in Beverly Hills, San Francisco or FinLand?
    Danni Catambay
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Imma second this and others: I feel click baited. There's nothing in your story to relate to. You were jobless, but you were not devoid of income or resources. You relied on family (implied husband, explained later in comments). If you have family supporting you, then you're investing with Other People's Money, which is a strategy that some people can access and some can't, but whether or not it's relative to "me" depends on the details, which you didn't provide. And being in Finland? Ok... but what does that have to do with investing? Where did you invest? Pregnant? Is that relevant? Sorry, but this post is a lot of fluff that doesn't even address the title. Glad you're enjoying your babies, but I don't think that "Hey, use audio books!" is really worth the number of words it took you to deliver that message on a real estate investing blog.

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    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Adam, Thanks for your very valid feedback. Cool to hear you are interested in hearing more. This was my first article, and chose to start at a higher level. But I definitely plan to write more articles with more details. Stay tuned 🙂
    Adam Lee
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Oh sorry I didn’t read the comments you were using BRRRR methods. Now I know better about your strategies!
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    No worries. Yes, that is correct, I first partnered with my brother to be able to get a conventional bank loan to buy the first apartment in Finland. And then we bought the rest using the BRRRR strategy, which really is pretty amazing. 🙂

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    Adam Lee
    Replied over 2 years ago
    never mind. the article looks ridiculous to me. it lacks so much introduction or background knowledge. I know a 18 year old who got gift money and bought 20 properties with cash. I also know a 28 year old who doesn’t have gift money so he bought his first house with a mortgage.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    I’m sorry to hear you feel that way.

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    Jennifer Berry Property Manager from Grand Junction Co
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Wow, Very Rude Adam.

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    Mark Nash Investor from Phoenix, Arizona
    Replied over 1 year ago
    EXACTLY! PRECISELY! THERE’S NO CONTENT MECHANICS DESCRIPTION, EXPLANATION NOR SPECIFICS OF HER ACUISITIONS, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, HOW MUCH WAS ASKED FOR OR PAID, BRs/BAs, SQFT, NOTHING! WHAT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME EVEN OPENING THIS ARTICLE WAS!

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    Jen Narciso Investor from Montclair, NJ
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Love this article! Thanks for sharing! Im also a mommy of two and real estate investor. We just purchased our second home (one for each kid) through house hacking along train lines into NYC. I’m pumped to get another couple more under our belt before our daughter turns 5 in a few years. How did you find investing out of state? Did you know anyone living there? Who did you find first on your team that you could trust to get the rest? Again, thanks for posting!
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Hi Jen, thank you <3 Congrats on your deal, I love that you think of it as one for each kid. Makes it extra meaningful like that. The first person in my "core four" team as David Greene would put it was the realtor. He was recommended to me by my financial advisor. And the realtor introduced me to the lender, as well as the property manager. All amazing people. Rockstars know rockstars :-) I didn't know anyone in the city, or even the state, lol. But now I think of Gregg, the realtor, as a friend.

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    Jen Narciso Investor from Montclair, NJ
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Love this article! Thanks for sharing! Im also a mommy of two and real estate investor. We just purchased our second home (one for each kid) through house hacking along train lines into NYC. I’m pumped to get another couple more under our belt before our daughter turns 5 in a few years. How did you find investing out of state? Did you know anyone living there? Who did you find first on your team that you could trust to get the rest? Again, thanks for posting!
    Cora Kemp-Epps from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Jen, I enjoyed Maria’s article but wanted to understand your comments. I suffer from analysis paralysis. You mention House hacking along train lines. I thought house hacking was renting out rooms in your primary residence. Is that your strategy? T

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    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Thanks so much Jen <3 I realize I left you guys hanging, wanting more detail. But I'm planning to write a whole lot more, so hopefully that'll put flesh on the bones. I'm such a newbie at writing, so thanks for your love and support. Yay, awesome to hear you also have two little ones, and congrats on the house hacks! NYC area is not an easy market I understand, so way to go! The first property I got was in Colorado. I didn't know anyone there, but my company's financial advisor recommended his realtor who had helped him get his rental properties there. By chance I had a business trip to Denver (lived in California at the time), so I stayed a couple days extra to meet with him. I also took their free class on real estate investing, and looked at a few houses. Shout out to Gregg Thomas with The Group in Fort Collins, CO who is the bomb-diggity. I trusted him whole-heartedly and after 5 declined offers we finally got our first deal without having seen the property. He recommended a property management company, and I've been super happy with them too. That's a long-butt way to say investing out of state has been a good experience for us. But I also understand how it sometimes is not. Hope that answers your questions 🙂

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    Erin Elam from Little Elm, TX
    Replied over 2 years ago
    I too was looking for some nitty gritty with that title! LOL You mentioned that your subsequent rentals were purchased with the help of your brother. How did you purchase your first rental? What made you decide on CO? Way to leave us hanging 🙂

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    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Erin, Oh no (covers face), I’m so sorry to leave you hanging! Hope I can flesh it out a little here, and write new articles with more nitty gritty 🙂 Thanks for reaching out and asking. Well actually, first of all thank you for reading my article. That feels really cool. The first rental I bought with my husband. We still lived in California and both had good jobs, so we had been able to save some money. Enough to get a loan to buy like a closet or maybe half-a-room in Silicon Valley. Lol. Our financial advisor (my company had that as a perk for new hires: super awesome) told us we were getting “killed on taxes” because we had nothing to deduct. And BEGGED us to buy property. Thanks to him I finally, on his recommendation, and because closets or half-rooms are pretty dicey to rent, went with Colorado. When we moved to Finland I no longer had a job, or income, so that’s when I partnered with my brother. I actually also dipped into my 401k at one point. 🙂 Hope that answers some of your questions 🙂 Thanks again!
    Steven Lam Rental Property Investor from Los Angeles, CA
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Thanks for sharing Maria. Love your blog title. And yes I want to hear more about your real estate transactions in detail. My wife and I just purchased one this year. We live in Los Angeles so it’s also too expensive here and we invested in the Mid-West instead. Looking forward to see your follow up blog with the nitty gritty details. Congrats!!
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Steven, thanks so much <3 I'm glad you got intrigued 🙂 I love talking (or writing) about it so I'm crazy excited that somebody wants to hear it. 🙂 Congrats on your deal! Was it your first one? That's the toughest for many, so way to go! Smart to go with the mid-west. People do it in Los Angeles as well, but deals are harder to make. They're definitely not found, have to be made with things like exceptional knowledge, a low barrier to entry (willing to buy something others are not), or some other upside. Out of state is scarier, so kudos! Thank you so much, thanks for the love, and support. <3

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    Bryan Watson from Buffalo, NY
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hey i read all your answers and have a question on one aspect you brought up slightly with this answer. Maybe its different in Finland and i know you said you will write more on it in future but with not having a job (even with partnering with someone) was it hard for banks to give you loans? I didnt know if solid down payments or having that partner really cleared the banks of having no income which banks ofcourse want to see. Any insight on that would be cool to hear on how you got those loans etc . Thanks and congrats on the 7 successes so far
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Bryan, Thanks for reading my article and for asking such a great question. In Finland the banks can use up to 75% of the investment property’s value as security. So either you need to have something else to put down as security (for instance equity in another property) or a 25% down payment. The first one is really the toughest one. We used the BRRRR (Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) strategy and that freed up some equity that the bank could use as security towards the next buy. I was also able to start claim the rental income, so while jobless, not totally income-less anymore 🙂 Does that answer your question? Thank you for being supportive. <3

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    Kyle Harrod from Gilbert, Arizona
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hello fellow Scandinavian! We live in Norway and are looking to learn more about REI here. What resources did you find helpful in Finland? How did you seek out funding for your deal in Finland? I know here in Norway there will be differences but there could be some overlaps.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Kyle! Oh crap, I accidentally clicked “report comment” (facepalm) . When the BP police comes to get you, you’ll know it was me. Lol. Sorry. Awesome, you’re my first fellow Scandinavian BP:er, high five! Not too many of us I think. Yet. 🙂 I’m not familiar with the market in Norway at all, but I grew up in Sweden. So I know that there are some similarities between Finland and Sweden but also differences. I’m guessing that’s the case with Norway too. In Finland I started by reading all local books I could find. I speak Finnish, which helps, because they are not available in English. I also joined the national landlord association, which is the bomb. Perhaps there is something similar in Norway? They organize meet ups, provide education, forms, a ton of free material and resources such as a blog, and even legal advice. Much like Bigger Pockets actually. 🙂 I don’t have a job, but partnering with my brother (and also getting my husband onboard) helped me get a conventional loan from a bank in Finland. The interest rates are ridiculously low here (I got it down to 0.7%, I kid you not), so going with a bank is not a bad idea. However Norway is not a part of the Euro currency, so not sure how their rates are. If you’re looking to buy rentals most people who rent, rent apartments vs. houses in Finland and Sweden as well. I’m guessing it’s the same in Norway. The apartments are part of co-ops which you should learn to analyze. The Swedish co-ops and the Finnish co-ops are a little different from each other, so again, not sure about our happy neighbor in the west 🙂 But I really recommend understanding the co-op set up and finances. In Sweden it’s tricky to have rental properties because of rent control nation-wide. Also a lot of co-ops have rules against leasing apartments. In Finland on the other hand the market is free, and most co-ops support leasing. So you should check on how that is in Norway. I hope that answered your question. I’m sorry I don’t know more specifically about Norway, but if I happen to talk to someone who does, I’ll give you a shout out here on BP. 🙂
    Kyle Harrod from Gilbert, Arizona
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Good info! Thanks Maria!
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Any time 🙂

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    Nathan G. Real Estate Broker from Cody, WY
    Replied over 2 years ago
    This is the stuff of get-rich-quick gurus. Yes, you were “jobless” and pregnant. However, I can read between the lines and see that your husband’s salary was significant and enabled you to be a stay-at-home mom and still have enough money to invest in real estate. A standard 20% down payment would require over $180,000 to purchase these investments. Even a very conservative 5% would require $45,000. Your headline clearly sets the premise that others can do what you did but then you share nothing about how you managed to finance your investments. Being married to a high-income earner is not an investment strategy available to everyone.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Hi Nathan, You’re right, I didn’t share much about how I financed the investments. Because I believe that is secondary to having the right mindset, which I chose to focus on for my first article. It’s true, not everybody is as fortunate as I am, and I’m not as fortunate as somebody else. But we all have one thing in common: we can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control our attitude and actions. I’m sorry to hear you feel it was mis-leading.

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    Jason Barnett Flipper/Rehabber from Memphis TN
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Thank you so much for sharing and congrats! Best of luck in your future endeavors! Jason
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied over 2 years ago
    Thank you Jason, I appreciate it <3

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    Joann Julius from Baltimore, Maryland
    Replied about 2 years ago
    Hi Maria, Thank you for sharing, as a newbie your article was very helpful especially the strategies. I realize there is more to it than that, and that that was in it’s simplest form. Sometimes simple is best at first and the details unfold as we read and learn more. I also like the audio suggestion, I didn’t think of that. Look forward to more, thanks.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 2 years ago
    Thanks so much Joann <3 That means a lot to me. I just submitted an article with more detail unfolded. The nitty gritty. 🙂 Stay tuned for it to be published. I'm kind of nervous about it—I hope it will give you more concrete things to take with you. And yay, I'm glad you liked the audio suggestion, it really is rad.

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    Ganna Alshoofi
    Replied about 2 years ago
    This fill me with enthusiasm and give me courage to move on in my investing in real state.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 2 years ago
    Hi Ganna <3 Your comment made my day. This means more to me than you probably think. Thank you!

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    Eddy Ogbekhilu
    Replied over 1 year ago
    Hello Maria your article by the way is fantastic and your response to people wanting all the nitty gritty is clinical and therapeutic. Maximum respect,in Jamaica we say "Big Up". Our biggest asset is our mindset and Vision ,money in my own experience is not our biggest drawback rather our ability or inability to deconstruct the status quo/norm.Once again Maria thanks for having the audacity to share your story and your real estate adventure....
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Eddy <3 Thank you so much for this. Big Up right back at you! I

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    Naveen Desai Real Estate Professional from San Francisco-East bay, CA
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Hello @Maria Friström, Awesome experience and good motivator. What struck me was the first thing you did and I am curious to know how did you go about it? That is after hearing to audio books, what in the books told you so that you started looking for " Partners with Money and Skills "? If they had money and skills - why did they partner with you: obviously you brought something to the table, an Idea & What? Appreciate if you can elaborate and thanks in advance.
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Hey Naveen, Did you read my follow up to this article yet? It has all the nitty gritty of my first eight deals. You can find it here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/my-first-8-rentals-the-nitty-gritty But to answer your question: My partners who had some money had no time. I had time, and knowledge and brought them a concrete deal (an excel with their return compared to the stock market showing how it beat it by leaps). Hope that answers your question :-)

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    Robbie Swan
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Great article. I see some were disappointed but ‘tis life. Can’t please everyone. Looking forward to more. Curious, why Finland?
    Maria Friström Rental Property Investor from Helsinki, Finland
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Thanks Robbie. <3 So true. Can't please everyone. In Finland there's a saying: If you bow in one direction the other direction gets your butt. Lol. Both my husband and I were born in Finland. It's an awesome place--especially to raise a family. Thanks for giving my other article a shout out. Here's a link to it if anyone wants all the nitty gritty of my first eight deals: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/my-first-8-rentals-the-nitty-gritty

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    Robbie Swan
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Also, if someone feels like you missed some key details. They could reference your article from Dec. 2018. There’s a lot of meat to the article.

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