From $0 to Financially Independent in 3.5 Years!

[Jason Velie]

I started real estate investing 3.5 years ago with no money, after listening to Bigger Pockets and learning about Hard Money Lenders, Private Lenders, etc. I had a career in Finance that covered our living expenses, so we didn't have to use any real estate income to live off of. For my first flip, I used a HML that funded 100% of the purchase and rehab, and leveraged a credit card for closing costs, etc.

My model from day 1 has been to flip single-family houses (including a lot of singlewides and doublewides on land) and buy-and-hold multi-family. I use property managers for my apartments, and contractors for my flips. My pure passive cash flow from my apartment rentals has recently surpassed our living expenses, so I quit my 6-figure Finance career to do REI full-time. I am currently flipping 9 houses (no partners or employees), and my rental portfolio is made up of:

8-Unit - 100% Ownership

16-Unit - 50% Ownership

20-Unit - 65% Ownership

15-Unit - 100% Ownership (pending to buy this one next week)

I just want to say thank you to BP for the life-changing content that has changed the trajectory of my family's lives. I wouldn't have known it was possible otherwise. 

If I can do it, you can too!

P.S. If you're attending BPCON in Orlando this year, hit me up!

[Noah Bacon]

Great job, Jason! Can't wait to meet you at BPCON🌴🔥

[Brian Carberry]

Awesome job!

[Sparkle Carlock]

@JasonVelie - First, congratulations!!! this story is amazing and inspiring. It is just what newbies like myself needed to hear! 

How can I learn to leverage a credit card? I'm just starting with a similar goal as yours as it pertains to flipping SFH. I'd love to get more knowledge on how to finance with a HML - I have one already actually.

[Tyler Gibson]

Quote from @Jason Velie:

I started real estate investing 3.5 years ago with no money, after listening to Bigger Pockets and learning about Hard Money Lenders, Private Lenders, etc. I had a career in Finance that covered our living expenses, so we didn't have to use any real estate income to live off of. For my first flip, I used a HML that funded 100% of the purchase and rehab, and leveraged a credit card for closing costs, etc.

My model from day 1 has been to flip single-family houses (including a lot of singlewides and doublewides on land) and buy-and-hold multi-family. I use property managers for my apartments, and contractors for my flips. My pure passive cash flow from my apartment rentals has recently surpassed our living expenses, so I quit my 6-figure Finance career to do REI full-time. I am currently flipping 9 houses (no partners or employees), and my rental portfolio is made up of:

8-Unit - 100% Ownership

16-Unit - 50% Ownership

20-Unit - 65% Ownership

15-Unit - 100% Ownership (pending to buy this one next week)

I just want to say thank you to BP for the life-changing content that has changed the trajectory of my family's lives. I wouldn't have known it was possible otherwise. 

If I can do it, you can too!

P.S. If you're attending BPCON in Orlando this year, hit me up!

 Incredible story! I live here in Orlando and will be at BPCON, would love to meet. 

I too was able to leave my career in corporate America thanks to bigger pockets but my story is a little different. 

See you in Orlando!

[Shawn McCormick]

@Jason Velie Awesome story, congratulations. I'll be at BPCON, hopefully we can meet up!

[Jason Velie]

@Sparkle Carlock

I used Venmo to do a cash advance on a credit card to cover the closing costs on my first flip.

[Rachit Puri]

Amazing story. Thanks for sharing :)

Do you mind sharing the cities you have invested and flipped houses?

[Jason Velie]

@Rachit Puri

Hey, if you look at my profile (on a desktop), you can see most of the deals that I’ve done and the cities that they’re in. Almost everything has been in the Wilmington, NC area.

[Stephanie Manke]

Go Jason!  I'll be at BP Con!

[Joe Prillaman]

What a stud muffin!

[Henry Lazerow]

Awesome job! 

[Joshua Amezcua]

Quote from @Jason Velie:

I started real estate investing 3.5 years ago with no money, after listening to Bigger Pockets and learning about Hard Money Lenders, Private Lenders, etc. I had a career in Finance that covered our living expenses, so we didn't have to use any real estate income to live off of. For my first flip, I used a HML that funded 100% of the purchase and rehab, and leveraged a credit card for closing costs, etc.

My model from day 1 has been to flip single-family houses (including a lot of singlewides and doublewides on land) and buy-and-hold multi-family. I use property managers for my apartments, and contractors for my flips. My pure passive cash flow from my apartment rentals has recently surpassed our living expenses, so I quit my 6-figure Finance career to do REI full-time. I am currently flipping 9 houses (no partners or employees), and my rental portfolio is made up of:

8-Unit - 100% Ownership

16-Unit - 50% Ownership

20-Unit - 65% Ownership

15-Unit - 100% Ownership (pending to buy this one next week)

I just want to say thank you to BP for the life-changing content that has changed the trajectory of my family's lives. I wouldn't have known it was possible otherwise. 

If I can do it, you can too!

P.S. If you're attending BPCON in Orlando this year, hit me up!

Sorry to revive an older thread, but I wanted to ask this. Could what you accomplished over th last 3.5 years have been accomplished in 3.5 years from today, starting in this market we're currently in now?

Whatever the answer is, can you please elaborate? Thanks!

[Jason Velie]

@Joshua Amezcua

Absolutely! In fact, knowing what I know now, I'm confident that I could easily do it in half the time or less. I am finding more deals (and at greater discounts) now than ever before! Everything I buy is off-market. Nothing in my area is worth looking at if it's on the MLS. Everyone that whines about having no deals simply isn't doing enough marketing.

[Andrew Syrios]

Impressive! Congrats Jason

[Cliff Benner]

@Jason Velie did you find that flipping trailers/singlewides/doublewides that were on land already, was relatively easy to do? What were some issues with those that you found?

Congrats on the success! Your story makes me more hopeful!

[Trevor DeSimone]

Quote from @Jason Velie:

@Joshua Amezcua

Absolutely! In fact, knowing what I know now, I'm confident that I could easily do it in half the time or less. I am finding more deals (and at greater discounts) now than ever before! Everything I buy is off-market. Nothing in my area is worth looking at if it's on the MLS. Everyone that whines about having no deals simply isn't doing enough marketing.

Are you doing your own marketing to find off market deals? Direct to seller via cold calling or mailers, etc; Or are you finding your off market deals through other means like Wholesalers? 

Planning on attending BP Con as well, Might chat you up!

[Jason Velie]

Quote from @Cliff Benner:

@Jason Velie did you find that flipping trailers/singlewides/doublewides that were on land already, was relatively easy to do? What were some issues with those that you found?

Congrats on the success! Your story makes me more hopeful!

Thanks! And yes, flipping trailers (on land) has been pretty easy, and an incredibly lucrative niche. There are a few little nuances you need to be aware of regarding the age of the trailer, what a "permanent foundation" is, and title work. You (or your attorney) need to get the VIN/serial # off of the data plate inside the trailer, and make sure there is no active title with the DMV, and that the "Intent of Affix" form has been recorded with the county. Full disclaimer though, I've only ever done this in NC, so I don't know what differences other states entail. 

[Joshua Bautista]

Quote from @Sparkle Carlock:

@JasonVelie - First, congratulations!!! this story is amazing and inspiring. It is just what newbies like myself needed to hear! 

How can I learn to leverage a credit card? I'm just starting with a similar goal as yours as it pertains to flipping SFH. I'd love to get more knowledge on how to finance with a HML - I have one already actually.

 Hey Sparkle! I know EXACTLY what you are talking about and EXACTLY the guy that can help you with leveraging credit.  Biggerpockets is awesome with connecting haha! Shoot me a text at 6193008892.  I will connect you to Michael

[Jason Velie]

Quote from @Trevor DeSimone:

Quote from @Jason Velie:

@Joshua Amezcua

Absolutely! In fact, knowing what I know now, I'm confident that I could easily do it in half the time or less. I am finding more deals (and at greater discounts) now than ever before! Everything I buy is off-market. Nothing in my area is worth looking at if it's on the MLS. Everyone that whines about having no deals simply isn't doing enough marketing.

Are you doing your own marketing to find off market deals? Direct to seller via cold calling or mailers, etc; Or are you finding your off market deals through other means like Wholesalers? 

Planning on attending BP Con as well, Might chat you up!

 Hey man, on average, about half of my deals come from wholesalers, and the other half I source on my own from a mixture of direct mail, billboards, word-of-mouth, SEO, PPC, social media ads, etc. As I've begun to have more capital (and less time) to work with, I've been shifting my marketing more heavily to online marketing.

[Bhekizwe M.]

Thanks for sharing.inspiring...