When did you move full-time?

Question

Hello everyone.

For those of you who are full-time real estate investors. How did you when you could to go full-time? I want to go full-time, but don't have the assets and investment income to do so. Over the years to come how do I know when I can go full-time? I also know that staying at my W-2 longer will speed things up so maybe in a few years I could go full-time, but is it better to stay working for an additional year or two or three to further improve on your portfolio.

Would love some advice.

Thank you!

Igor Ganapolsky · Answer

Garrett, all the advice here is solid. Let me add a different angle that might help you think about the transition.

The question is not really "when can I go full-time." The question is "when do I have enough control over my deal flow that I can choose which problems to solve each day."

I am still building my business, so I am not full-time yet either. But I have learned that the bottleneck is not usually the number of properties you own. It is whether you have multiple ways to find deals that do not all depend on the MLS or your personal network.

When I was working full-time, I realized that if I only looked at MLS listings, I was competing with everyone else. The margins were thin, and the deals disappeared fast. So I started exploring other acquisition channels: tax deed auctions, direct mail to motivated sellers, driving for dollars, networking with wholesalers. Each one has a learning curve, but each one also gives you access to deals that are not on the open market.

Here is what changed for me. Once I had three or four acquisition channels running, even part-time, I started seeing more deals than I could analyze. That is when you know you are close. Not when you have enough rental income to replace your salary, but when you have more opportunities than time to evaluate them.

At that point, going full-time is not about replacing income. It is about removing the constraint. You can focus on the highest-value activities: analyzing deals, negotiating, building relationships with buyers and title companies. The W-2 income becomes less important because you have deal flow that can generate assignment fees, rental income, or flips.

Micah is right that the W-2 is a superpower for financing. Gregory is right that you want consistent cash flow and reserves. But Adam is also right that "full-time investor" is a misleading term. What you really want is the freedom to allocate your time to the activities that generate the most value.

My suggestion: build your acquisition systems now, while you have the W-2. Test direct mail, explore auctions, network with other investors. When you have two or three channels producing leads consistently, you will know. The transition will feel natural, not forced.

What acquisition channels are you exploring right now? Are you only looking at MLS, or have you started testing other sources?

Adam Tafel · Answer

Find something else to do for work which you enjoy! I don’t think it makes much sense for most of us to be “full time investors”, it’s completely unattainable and probably unenjoyable for 99% of us. Start a business, get a better job, and keep investing. It will be very obvious when you can actually live off your cashflow.

Gregory Acs · Answer

I think staying at your W-2 until your portfolio can consistently support your lifestyle is usually the safer approach. Your W-2 doesn't just provide income, it also gives you more financing flexibility, which can make it easier to qualify for loans and continue growing your portfolio. I'd want to see consistent cash flow, solid reserves, and a clear plan for the next few years before making the jump.

There's no perfect number that works for everyone, but running the numbers ahead of time can make the decision much easier. If you ever want to compare financing strategies or see how your next few acquisitions could impact your timeline, I'd be happy to help.

David Krulac · Answer

@Garrett Keith When I had a full time job NOT in real estate, one year I bought 39 properties and sold 35 properties. I was working 4 ten hour days at my job and had off every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and worked on real estate. It was essentially working two full times jobs. I don't recommend it. The next year I slowed down and only bought 21 properties and sold 31 properties. And the year after that I bought 24 properties and sold 27 properties. And the next year after that I only bought 14 properties and sold 24 properties.

Two years after that I quit my full time job.

Micah Haworth · Answer

After buying my first couple of multifamily properties, I tried to make the jump to full-time. But we ran into several cash flow issues that required us to reinvest the funds from the properties and, in some instances, even pay the mortgage. I jumped back into working full-time to help fund some of the low times and then was able to keep needed money in the properties to set them up for the future.

I want to go full-time in real estate, and I get closer every day, but I've shifted my mindset when viewing my full-time income. I see it as a superpower that can be leveraged. Rather than going full-time as soon as you can afford it. Take those extra proceeds, save them, and leverage them into buying the next property.

I wouldn't look to go full-time until the rental income is double what your day job produces. But honestly, if you can swing it there is absolutely no shame in holding onto the day job unless you find that it's hindering your growth. Most of the time, leveraging Property Managers, Virtual Assistants, and other team members is going to give you a better ROI than giving up the job that provided the money to purchase your first couple of properties. Just follow the old adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"; wait till it starts to break, then try and hire it before jumping in full time.

When did you move full-time?

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