Real Estate Investing with Joshlyn Ross | Ep. 46

• Joshlyn attempted to buy a home in the expensive Maryland/DC market but was repeatedly outbid due to high student loan debt affecting her debt-to-income ratio.

I thought that my income would allow me to kind of not have those issues, but they still did.

• She realized paying off debt would increase her pre-approval amount and allow her to comfortably afford homeownership expenses beyond rent.

• Tiffany shares her experience working at a financial firm where $100k earners with disciplined habits had more investments than $500k earners spending lavishly.

If you do something as simple as budgeting, you will give yourself a raise.

• Diversifying beyond stocks and bonds into real estate is essential for building generational wealth.

• REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) are required to pay 90% of revenue to investors, providing passive income without property management.

Where do I sign up? Because I need that money right now.

• Fundrise simplifies research by offering an all-in-one platform; Joshlyn recommends it for beginners before moving to public REITs via Robinhood or Webull.

• Dividends are paid quarterly directly to bank accounts; taxes only apply upon selling shares.

With REITs if they're like on the private market right you have to have a buyer for your shares before you can get out.

• Market-traded REITs via mutual funds offer more liquidity than private platforms.

• Houston developer Chris Senegal allows community investment starting at $100 to revitalize the historic Fifth Ward neighborhood while combating gentrification.

• Investors receive shares and a percentage of rental income; similar initiatives exist in Maryland and Los Angeles.

This isn't something new... this is literally how our ancestors purchased property.

• Opportunity zones provide tax incentives for investing in designated communities.

• BiggerPockets webinar highlighted how successful investors partner—one brings capital, another brings expertise and connections.

• Transform traditional susu/rotating savings circles into formal LLCs or partnerships to purchase income-producing properties.

Let's see how we can use that money and re-inject it into our local community.

• Moved back home with her mother (paying reduced rent), eliminated lifestyle spending on travel and brunch, and added side consulting income.

• Hired a financial planner who introduced ETFs and REITs; also set up a UTMA investment account for her godson with family contributions.

Hire people who are smarter than you... they're trained to do this.