How I Created a Rental Empire That Pays Me Effortlessly While Others Chase Risky Deals
Ever caught yourself thinking, “Real estate investing’s for someone else—certainly not me with my 9-to-5 grind and limited budget”? I’ve been there, and trust me, that’s the story too many tell themselves when faced with skyrocketing markets and fierce competition. But here’s a question worth chewing on: What if the secret to building a solid rental portfolio isn’t about having piles of cash or endless free time, but rather the grit to keep showing up, even when every offer gets shot down? Esther Simeone’s story flips the script. Locked in a pricey market, she didn’t just wait for the perfect moment—she forged it, snagging overlooked deals that now help cover her mortgage, all while holding down a regular W-2 job. In this piece, you’ll get an insider’s look at how she leveraged creative strategies—from house hacking to Airbnb arbitrage—and turned passion into steady cash flow, proving that the game isn’t just for the well-heeled or the wildly lucky. Ready to see how you can dive in, no matter your starting line? Let’s get into it. LEARN MORE
Don’t think you have enough time, money, or energy to invest in real estate? Living in an expensive and highly competitive market, today’s guest had every reason not to invest, yet has been able to build her own rental portfolio in just a few years—all while working a normal W-2 job. If she can do it, YOU can, too!
Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Esther Simeone was stuck in a pricey market, and after submitting over a dozen offers and missing out on every one, she could have put real estate investing on the back burner and waited for the market to turn. But hell-bent on house hacking and building wealth with real estate, Esther kept looking. Finally, the perfect deal fell in her lap—an “overlooked” listing that now helps pay her mortgage!
Since then, she has snagged a second property, used the Airbnb arbitrage strategy for more cash flow, and even designed an ADA-accessible vacation rental—a passion project that has given her a fresh perspective on what can be achieved through real estate. In this episode, Esther will show you how to get in the game today, no matter how little time or money you’re working with!
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In This Episode We Cover:
- How to build and scale a real estate portfolio while working a W-2 job
- Using other people’s rentals to make money with rental arbitrage
- How to make “boring,” steady cash flow with medium-term rentals
- Covering your mortgage (or part of it) with the house hacking strategy
- Finding discounted investment properties by scouring old listings
- And So Much More!
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