QOTW: What is your “Why” for investing?

Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes

Thank you to everyone that has shared their thoughts in the question of the week so far! As the Community Engagement Specialist for BiggerPockets, I love to see how diverse real estate can be. Being so different, we all have different motivations for our "Why". Let's talk about yours! What is it now, has it always been that way, or did your mindset shift? What do you think caused that shift? How are your action working to reinforce your why?

Share your stories and make some connections!

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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member

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Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes

I wanted to accomplish three things: financial independence in case I don't want to work or am unable to, the ability to enjoy life on my terms rather than chasing a paycheck, and the ability to help others.

I've hit all three of them, but now I want more so I can really blow the top off my third "why" regarding charity. My new goal is $300,000 annual income from investments, of which at least 30% will be for charitable contributions.

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Wade Hunt
New to Real Estate · Tacoma, WA · Member since 2021 · 5 posts · 7 votes
4y
There are 3 "why's" behind getting into real estate for me and my family
1)Retire My parents. They raised 14 kids, and have never contributed a dime to their own retirement. They are in their 70's and deserve to enjoy the time they have left with us.
2) Retire Myself. The day I turn 40 is the day I stop working for a paycheck someone else. Even if I have to live under a bridge. I would rather not and this seems like a great way to avoid that.
3) Making sure that my daughter and wife are taken care of when/if something happens to me.
5 Reply
Kathleen Licas
Investor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2022 · 5 posts · 4 votes
4y
The biggest catalyst for me was having my son. I want to be able to spend time with him and see him grow. I want to leave generational wealth for my kids so that they don't have to struggle paying for college, buying a home, etc. I don't want to be dependant on a job, so I have the flexibility to travel or retire early. I want to flex my business and learning skills, that are underutilized at current job. I want to be in a position where I can actually help people and give back to the community.
2 Reply
Chris Bruni
Rental Property Investor · Poynette, WI · Member since 2017 · 37 posts · 41 votes
4y
When I started 20 years ago it was to diversify my investment portfolio. About 8 years ago it finally clicked that this would be my way to control my destiny and leave the W-2 world (retire early) at some point - which I was able to do in 2021.
2 Reply
Bud Gaffney
Rental Property Investor · Boston, MA · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
Financial FREEDOM, but most importantly...buying my time back. Time is all we have. I want to spend a ton of it doing whatever I want to do :)
4 Reply
Lieren Schuette
Rental Property Investor · Effingham, IL · Member since 2021 · 46 posts · 22 votes
4y
My "why" is to be financially independent enough to stay home and spend time with my family and my dog. I would also love to be able to volunteer at an animal shelter in town and to help support it. I am currently a middle school science teacher, and although I find it to be extremely worthwhile and I get much value out of it, I know that I do not want to be teaching for the remainder of my working years. My parents are also getting older and I want to be able to spend as much time as possible with them! I really just want to be in control of my own time.
3 Reply
Jerry Tello
Real Estate Agent · Arlington, TX · Member since 2019 · 47 posts · 64 votes
4y
I am Investing in real estate so that I can spend more time with my wife and family, to pass my wealth and knowledge to my friends and family, to ensure my families well-being, and to help children in need.
3 Reply
Nico Dandini
Homeowner · Danvers, MA · Member since 2021 · 30 posts · 18 votes
4y
Here's my dream:
Continue to make a positive impact on lives via world-class coaching and thoughtful strength training programs while being a present father and husband (to my future family).
The struggle is that as a personal trainer at my gym, I paid hourly, Therefore, if I don't go to work, I don't get paid. When I have a family, I don't want to have to choose between watching my kid's baseball game or getting paid. I want to be able to watch my kid's baseball game without worrying about how tight the budget might get this month.
Real estate investing is a way for me to build an income stream where I don't have to physically be somewhere to get paid, so I can be there for my family both physically and financially whenever I want.
2 Reply
Natelya G.
Rental Property Investor · Macon, GA · Member since 2017 · 61 posts · 12 votes
4y
I say the same thing...@Jennifer McPherson
1 Reply
Natelya G.
Rental Property Investor · Macon, GA · Member since 2017 · 61 posts · 12 votes
4y
🤣 this is true.@Eric Bilderback
1 Reply
Joel Scarboro
Rental Property Investor · Knightdale, NC · Member since 2018 · 24 posts · 16 votes
4y
I have three daughters. Enough said but to add to it colleges, weddings and what if’s. Y’all pray for me.
2 Reply
Jeff Langston
Dallas, GA · Member since 2022 · 1 post · 1 vote
4y
Because I have seen where being too safe and saving got my parents. They achieved security but sacrificed much freedom and deffered many a dream.
1 Reply
Joe S.Pro Member
Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Bjorn Ahlblad:
I am old and retired; my wife is younger and retired too, we landlord to supplement our retirement income so we don't ever have to work at Walmart!

Walmart could be a lot of fun. The greeters used to look happy. Some Walmarts now have the greeters all but chasing people down demanding to see their receipts so I don’t think the greeter smile as much in those stores.
2 Reply
Joe S.Pro Member
Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Nathan Gesner:
I wanted to accomplish three things: financial independence in case I don't want to work or am unable to, the ability to enjoy life on my terms rather than chasing a paycheck, and the ability to help others.
I've hit all three of them, but now I want more so I can really blow the top off my third "why" regarding charity. My new goal is $300,000 annual income from investments, of which at least 30% will be for charitable contributions.

Our church plant needs a larger worship facility. :-) 🙏🏽💒
3 Reply
DJ Kleinbard
Member since 2022 · 3 posts · 2 votes
4y
I feel as though a lot of people get into real estate because they don't like what they do for a living. I'm the opposite. I love what I do for work, but it's an industry that does not offer a ton of money salary-wise. I have always understood the importance of multiple streams of income, and real estate has been an interest, so I want to use it as a means to be guaranteed financially secure as I build my current career
2 Reply
Account Closed
Real Estate Coach · Dusseldorf · Member since 2022 · 1 post · 0 votes
4y
Hey Alicia Marks: I am old and retired, my wife is also retired and she is younger than me. we are not rich but we are enjoying our life as a landlord.
0 Reply
Josie Kelley
Rental Property Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2021 · 17 posts · 5 votes
4y
1. Financial Independence / Work optional

2. Ensuring my daughter has no student loan debt like me 😩

3. Generational wealth

Once I started to take my personal finances seriously and started to look into debt payoff, I found out about the FIRE community and ways people reached it. Enter real estate investing! I've settled on starting my RE journey in the note investing space. I'm excited to get started this year with the assistance and mentorship of Melanin Homes. 🙌🏾
1 Reply
Christopher Yogi
Real Estate Agent · El Paso, TX · Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 3 votes
4y
I initially wanted to learn how to invest to build up a savings that would keep up with inflation. Now, I'm investing for my future children. I had a great father and I wish I got to spend more time with him than I had. I want to have financial freedom so I can always be available for my future kids and spend as much time with them as they would like. The goal for my wife and I is to have enough passive income to live a comfortable life style and any money that comes in we would like to put toward charities and animal shelters.
2 Reply
Eli Cargas
Member since 2022 · 1 post · 1 vote
4y
To ensure that my future children can get an education debt-free like I'm able to right now. I'm only 19 years old in college, and my parents are covering most of my education costs. I want to be able to do the same thing for my future kids. I know how stressful it is for some of my peers knowing that they have the weight of student loans/debt on their backs while they're trying to get an education. I also want to help my friend pay off some of his school debt in the future too because he was always there for me from day 1.
1 Reply
Ryan RohlfPro Member
Real Estate Agent · Des Moines, IA · Member since 2020 · 7 posts · 3 votes
4y
There's a lot of wealth building potential and real estate, to me, is a safer investment option than the stock market. I'll be honest, I'm newer to the investing space, yet I love the opportunities it affords me and will afford me in the future!
[email protected]515-442-0625
1 Reply
Wesley Thompson
Investor · North Potomac, MD · Member since 2021 · 67 posts · 54 votes
4y
I was never popular, I was never seen as the kid who would succeed at anything. I was written off....no one wanted me in their "circle". So I'm making my own - and when those same people want to be a part of it, I won't turn them away.
1 Reply
Kyle Flynn
Property Manager · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2020 · 34 posts · 25 votes
4y
The potential to build wealth for myself to be able to support my family, and build a life for me and my fiance is honestly what keeps me going everyday. I'm not quite there yet but I will be working hard to get there someday soon.
1 Reply
Lauren CutchenBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · The Woodlands, TX · Member since 2019 · 188 posts · 79 votes
4y
Freedom and Family. I want to be there for my kids as much as possible and be there for other family members in their time of need without any excuses. I want to be able to enjoy having experiences with family and friends and making more memories together.
[email protected]832-406-4239
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Elizabeth-Ann Stanforth
Member since 2021 · 1 post · 2 votes
4y
Building a business that will support me and my husband, while allowing the flexibility for me to stay home with my kids one day. A business that my kids could take over one day, if they so choose.
2 Reply
Elijah Vo
Investor · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2014 · 59 posts · 51 votes
4y
@Kathleen Licas Love the kiddos "why"! That's big for my wife and I too, but we want to leave our kids with the opportunity & knowledge to build they life that they want. We might leave them some startup funds, but they'll do well as long as they have the know-how and right mindset!
1 Reply
Tre Baity
Member since 2022 · 1 post · 2 votes
4y
My wife and I are currently both active duty military, stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY about 40 miles N of Nashville,TN. We’re expected our 1st child May 2022 and we promised ourselves that we’d do anything to allow our children to be able to live a normal and established life where we can raise them and not have to leave them 9-12 months at a time. We had several conversations with local apartment complex owners in the area, starting to attend investor meetups which then led to us attending classes learning about syndication with commercial real estate and BOOM we had found something we could be passionate about and something we both enjoy learning about!
Our why is for a stable , job optional life that allows us the ability to raise and teach our child(ren) those life lessons that aren’t taught in school, build, and create memories as a team/family.
2 Reply

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