I have a big problem with the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) method: it takes too long and I’m forced to live like a poor person even in retirement. That’s not the kind of financial freedom I want, and if it isn’t something you want either, then keep reading because I want to propose an alternative.
By combining some of the principles of FIRE with real estate—specifically multifamily investing—you could achieve financial freedom not in 15 or 20 years, but in as little as one to two years. And instead of pinching pennies for the rest of your life, you’d have a steady stream of cash flow that allows you to actually enjoy your retirement.
Let’s do this.
FIRE Forces You to Live Broke in Retirement
The FIRE movement is based on a simple strategy: save as much as possible, invest aggressively, and retire early by living off your investments. Sounds great, right? If you start young—say, in your 20s—you could potentially retire in your 30s. But there are two major problems with this approach:
- It Still Takes Too Long – Even if you’re super disciplined and save over 50% of your income, it’s still going to take 10 to 15 years to reach your goal. Yes, that’s better than working until you’re 65, but what if you could do it even faster?
- You Have to Live Like You’re Broke – The whole idea behind FIRE is to cut expenses to the bare minimum before and after you retire. That means even when you “make it,” you’re still living frugally, afraid of depleting your savings. That’s not really financial freedom.
The core problem here is the reliance on savings. Most financial advisors tell you to follow the 4% rule, meaning you can only withdraw 4% of your portfolio each year to avoid running out of money. To live on $80,000 a year, you’d need $2 million saved up. But not many people actually hit that number.
And even if you do, you’re constantly worried about not spending too much so you don’t run out of money. That’s not how I want to live. I want to travel, spend time with my family, and play tennis – things I wouldn’t be able to do if I lived on a strict budget.
The Better Way: Multifamily Real Estate Investing
Here’s the good news: You can take the best parts of FIRE—living below your means and aggressively investing—but replace the flawed savings approach with real estate investing.
And when I say real estate investing, I’m not just talking about buying a couple of rental properties. I’m talking about multifamily syndication—the strategy that allows you to scale quickly and generate real cash flow.
Let’s talk about why this works so well:
- Cash Flow, Not Just Savings
Instead of just stockpiling money, real estate investing provides you with passive income. That means your investments are actually paying you every month instead of just sitting in an account.
- Leverage Other People’s Money (OPM)
Unlike the FIRE method, which relies entirely on your ability to save, multifamily syndication lets you scale by using investor capital. You don’t need to save for 10 years to buy one property—you can start raising money today and acquire multiple properties quickly.
- Three Income Streams
Multifamily syndication gives you three ways to get paid:
- Upfront with acquisition fees (typically 3% of the purchase price)
- During the hold period with cash flow and management fees
- At the sale with profit distributions
This means that even your first deal could generate enough income for you to quit your job within one to two years. That’s real financial freedom.
How to Get Started in Multifamily Investing
If you’re currently investing in single-family homes or just saving aggressively, you already have the mindset for multifamily investing. The next step is learning how to raise capital and structure deals. Here’s how you can get started:
- Educate Yourself – Learn about syndications, raising capital, and analyzing deals. Check out my book Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing or our free course at Apartments101.co.
- Start Networking – Join real estate investor groups, connect with experienced syndicators, and find mentors who can guide you through your first deal.
- Partner Up – If you don’t have experience yet, find someone who does and bring value to them—whether it’s through finding deals, raising money, or managing operations.
- Take Action – Don’t wait until you have everything figured out. The fastest way to learn is by getting involved in a deal, even if it’s a small one.
Look, the FIRE method is better than working for 40 years, but it’s still flawed. It forces you to live in scarcity and takes too long. Multifamily real estate, on the other hand, provides true financial freedom fast by generating consistent income without forcing you to live like a broke college student.
So if you’re ready to actually live in financial freedom—not just survive—then start learning about multifamily investing today. Check out my free course at Apartments101.co, grab my book on Amazon, and dive into this world of limitless opportunity.
The faster you take action, the faster you’ll reach financial freedom. See you on the inside!