The Big (And Real) Picture on Being A Landlord: Despite popular belief, owning rental properties requires significant time and effort. Michael Raki, with over $300 million in real estate transactions, highlights that landlording involves deal sourcing, financing,...

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.
Buy Back Your Time with Real Estate
The Big Picture on Buying Back Your Time With Real Estate Investing: Nick Sicilian’s journey into real estate began with the realization that time, not money, is the ultimate asset. Despite earning over $200,000 annually as an offshore engineer, the extended periods...
“I Get Paid to Have Adventures”: Building a Business Around Your Passions
The Big Picture on How To Build A Business Around Your Passion: Sarah Weaver turned her love of travel and real estate into a business by solving a real problem: helping introverted investors network meaningfully through small, immersive retreats. Investor Adventures...
More Money Won’t Fix Your Problems — This Will
The Big Picture on Why Higher Income Doesn't Mean A Better Life : Most people experience a disconnect between what they say matters (like family and health) and where their time actually goes. Kathy Fettke encourages aligning your daily actions with your true values...
0% Down on Investment Properties? Creative Financing with Bishoy Habib
The Big Picture on Creative Financing For Real Estate Investments: Strategies like seller financing and “subject to” transactions offer investors ways to acquire properties with little to no down payment—especially valuable in today’s high-interest-rate environment....
Can You Live at an All-Inclusive Resort for Less than a Middle-Class Lifestyle?
The Big Picture on Living at an All-Inclusive Resort vs A Middle-Class Lifestyle: The average American middle-class lifestyle costs over $4,000/month, driven by housing, transportation, food, and other recurring expenses. Resorts like Viva Tangerine in the Dominican...
“Lifestyle Assets”: Can You Mix Business & Pleasure with Second Homes?
The Big Picture on Lifestyle Assets Investment: Lifestyle asset investing lets you buy vacation rentals in favorite destinations, but success hinges on realistic income expectations and market data. Falling in love with a property can lead to financial losses. Always...
Debt Arbitrage – Earn Interest on Other People’s Money
The Big Picture on Debt Arbitrage: Debt arbitrage enables investors to buy assets using borrowed money, profiting from the spread between borrowing and lending interest rates. Brent Bowers purchased discounted land with a loan and resold it with seller financing,...
Free Vacation Stays? 5 Options Beyond Reward Points
The Big Picture on How to Get Free Vacation Stays: Creative options like house sitting, home exchanges, and volunteering offer unique, cost-free travel experiences. Certain jobs abroad—like teaching, healthcare, or yacht crew—provide free housing as part of the deal....
Why Wait? How Gary Hibbert Takes 2-Month Mini-Retirements Twice a Year
The Big Picture on Mini-Retirements: Gary Hibbert’s personal losses led him to rethink life and build a business that lets him take two months off twice a year. By investing in real estate, delegating, and automating, Gary ensures his income flows even when he’s not...