The Big Picture On Rental Applications In California Screen tenants thoroughly with rental applications that follow laws to avoid issues with problematic renters down the road. California law permits landlords to charge $62 max for a screening fee and pass other app...
G. Brian Davis
Brian Davis is a real estate investor and personal finance writer with over two decades in the real estate and finance industries. After graduating from University of Delaware in 2003 with two useless B.A. degrees and an even more useless minor in anthropology, he fell headfirst into real estate finance by accident.
Then he promptly went on a property buying spree from 2005-2008. It was what you might call a “learning experience,” all of the lessons expensive.
Eventually, Brian tired of landlording and unloaded his own portfolio of rental properties. But he still loved real estate as an investment, and today he owns fractional shares in over 2,000 units.
The difference? Nowadays he only invests passively in real estate.
Along with his wife and daughter, Brian spends most of the year abroad living by his own rules. He loves hiking, cooking, pairing wine with said cooking, scuba diving, and occasionally surfing (badly). And writing: he writes as a real estate and personal finance expert for Inman, BiggerPockets, R.E.tipster and dozens of other publishers.
Most of all, Brian loves showing others how they too can create their ideal lives through real estate investing and lifestyle design.
The Investor’s Guide to Seller Financing: What Is Owner Financing & How Does Work?
The Big Picture On Owner Financing: Owner financing means the person selling the home lends money to the buyer instead of the buyer getting a traditional bank loan. Buyers can find homes with owner financing by looking at listings online, talking to real estate...
Is Rental Income Active Or Passive Income? How Much Labor Landlords Should Expect
TL;DR on Is Rental Income Passive Or Active For tax purposes rental income can be defined as passive income so long as you do not qualify as a real estate professional. In the truest sense of the word, rental income is not “passive” income, as it requires extensive...
How to Retire at 40 With Real Estate Investments & Stocks
The Big Picture for How To Retire At 40: Retiring at 40 is not easy—but it is possible. The best way to retire at 40 is to combine many income streams, including diversified stocks and real estate investments. You can take advantage of Roth IRAs and your 401(k) but...
How to Make Money in Real Estate: 18 Investing Strategies
TL;DR on How To Make Money In Real Estate: Real estate has offered higher returns with about half the stock market's volatility over more than a century. Investors can make money by owning investment properties, like buying a multi-family home and renting spare units...
What Is An Accessory Dwelling Unit Or ADU For Housing and Community Development?
TL;DR On Accessory Dwelling Units An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a separate living space on the grounds of a single-family home, with its own entrance, kitchen, bath, and living/sleeping areas. ADUs can be used as extra living space for yourself or to house...
Best Ways to Find Pre-Foreclosure Homes For Investors To Score Bargains
The TL;DR On Finding Pre-Foreclosure Homes: There are several ways to find pre-foreclosure homes. However, there’s a window between when a borrower defaults and when the property goes to foreclosure auction, during which you can potentially score a great deal. You...
23 Rental Property Income Tax Deductions For Landlords In 2024
TL;DR Overview on Rental Property Tax Deductions: Landlords have different rental property tax deductions that can help with keeping more of their income in their pocket. They can deduct virtually every real estate investing business-related expense, and they...
Fundrise Review 2024: An Easy Way to Diversify Your Portfolio?
TL;DR On Our Fundrise Review: Fundrise is an online real estate crowdfunding platform that allows users to invest in commercial and private real estate without needing to purchase property directly. Investments can start as low as $10, and the platform offers many...
Lofty Review: Fractional Real Estate Investing with Full Liquidity
TL;DR Overview: Lofty lets you buy $50 shares in rental properties for steady cash flow, with a liquid secondary market to sell your shares at any time without penalties. According to Lofty's estimates, returns are paid daily in USD, with estimated annual returns...