Real Estate Investing at 14

[Hunter Hardbarger]

Hello, my name is Hunter. I'm 14 years old and deeply interested in entrepreneurship and real estate investing. Over the past couple of months, I've been self-educating daily on long-term rentals, short-term rentals, house hacking, and the BRRRR strategy.

I grew up on a beautiful 10-acre property in Hocking Hills, Ohio, with a pond, creek, and ravines. In 2023, my father was arrested, and in 2024 my family had to sell the home and property for around $300,000 and move. After we left, an investor purchased it, expanded and renovated the home, added a clubhouse, and turned it into what is now a high-performing short-term rental worth ~$1-2m.

Watching someone transform a property I once lived on into a successful investment has drawn me to media such as Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Richest Man in Babylon, the BiggerPockets podcast, and the REI industry as a whole. It made me realize that I don't just want to learn about real estate; I want to build the skills, capital, and discipline to acquire properties like that myself someday. I even find myself analyzing MLS deals for hours during class or when I could be playing video games instead; that's how much I enjoy real estate.

If you were 14 again in my situation, what steps would you take to reach financial freedom and possibly acquire that childhood 10-acre property? Sincerely grateful for the hand I have been dealt and for my ability to get into REI as early as I am.

[Aaron Zimmerman]

Hunter - truly inspiring that you're thinking about this at such a young age.

here's what I'd do now:

1. Understand personal finances first. I'd start reading set for life.

2. I would get part time work, ideally with a real estate investor that you can learn from. Be as useful to them as possible. 

3. Educate yourself on real estate investing and best strategies to grow wealth over time. 

4. understand analyzing deals and what a good deal will look like for you. I'd imagine you'd need a co signer so be prepared for that. 

5. once you've done 1-4, network as much as you reasonably can. The more people you know, the higher the likelihood of success.