How Anyone Can Start Investing in Apartment Buildings
When it comes to real estate investing, some ideas are accepted as common knowledge. But there are some that are just plain old wrong.
One of those is that apartment investing is completely and totally out of reach unless you’re already swimming in money or have a massive real estate portfolio with years of experience.
That couldn’t be more wrong.
I understand that jumping into a $5 million property seems daunting – even scary – it might even look impossible, especially if you're new to the game.
But let me tell you, it's not only possible—it's achievable. And I'm here to show you how.
From Overwhelmed to Empowered
I was just like you when I started. I had it in my mind that house flipping was the first step to real estate investing.
And when a wholesaler brought me a 12-unit deal in D.C., I was floored. Standing before that building, I was full of doubt. Could I really handle this?
It got worse after I closed on the deal. But after all that was in the rearview, I wished I started bigger than just 12 units.
The 3 Steps to Investing
This experience is super common – most of us hit a wall where our comfort zone ends.
But there is a simple step-by-step process that anyone can follow to be deal-ready.
Invest in Your Education
This is always the first thing you must do when starting anything new. And today, it’s one of the easiest things to knock out.
Find blogs on apartment investing – really any kind of real estate – and immerse yourself in it.
We have a huge library of free blogs you can check out, but so does BiggerPockets.
If you want to go further, find trainers or coaches in the apartment space who provide free content (like what you’re reading right now) in courses, ebooks, newsletters, or resources.
The main goal here is to learn, learn, learn.
Analyze Deals
Once you’ve read your weight in books, the next thing you should be doing is analyzing deals.
Get on Loopnet, find deals, and determine what you would pay for them. This will do two things for you:
- Allows you to practice
- Expands your mindset
And just keep doing it. Rinse and repeat. You’d be surprised how quickly you’ll feel comfortable throwing around terms like IRR, rental comps, and vacancy rates.
Expand Your Comfort Zone
Besides doing your first deal, expanding your comfort zone gradually is the ultimate goal because this is how you grow.
“I’m new to investing. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
We overcame that with a book.
“I don’t know how to find deals. People don’t take me seriously when I say I invest.”
Talk to brokers. Learn their language.
You see? It’s all about small steps outside of your comfort zone. And once you feel comfortable in that new space, take another one. And another.
It doesn’t have to be scary. And it’s even easier with the last tip:
Focus on the Next 3 Things
I bet you can think of hundreds of things you need to do before you can be successful in real estate.
But you really only need to focus on the next 3 things and knock those out.
Maybe for you right now, those 3 things are:
- Read a BiggerPockets blog
- Attend a free investor training webinar
- Buy a real estate investing book on Amazon
Those are 3 small things you can easily do that don’t take up that much time.
And each one moves you that much closer to being a legitimate real estate investor.
I was terrified (probably like you) when I first started out. And it got worse when my first deal opportunity fell in my lap.
But by following the 4 tips I just gave you, after 2 weeks I wasn’t just confident and comfortable, but I found myself wishing that I had started bigger than just 12 units.
Keep doing the next 3 things, and by the end of 3 months, you’ll find you’ve done a lot.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
If you want to invest in apartments or any multifamily real estate but still feel held back by some unseen force, then I have something just for you.
It’s a free, easy-to-complete course with 4 modules that break down apartment investing so anyone can understand it.
It’s designed specifically for beginners and addresses common concerns, from overcoming a lack of experience to raising capital and executing deals.
This course could be the first step toward not only believing in your ability to invest in apartments but also taking real action toward your financial freedom.
What's one step you can take today to move closer to your goal of apartment investing?
Put it down in the comment section below.
