Episode•July 30, 2020•34 min

Real Estate Investing with Joshlyn Ross | Ep. 46

Did you know there are many different ways to invest in real estate? Tiffany and Joshlyn talk about home buying, private and public REITs, Fundrise, and pooling money together to buy property with family and friends. They also talk about how Joshlyn paid off $70,000 in debt in 1 1/2 years! About Our Guest Joshlyn Ross is a Homebuying Consultant & Podcaster with a personal mission to help 50 people purchase their first home within the next 365 days. She knows how overwhelming the process can be because she went through it. After looking at homes for several months, she found herself frustrated at the fact that her financial report card continued to hold her back from each dream home she submitted an offer for. Eventually, she created and implemented a plan to not only pay off her student loan debt but also to diversify her passive income streams with real estate investment trusts (REITs). Her initial goal was to pay off her debt in 2 years but with focus and execution, she was able to pay everything off in 1.5 years. She is now debt-free and wants to empower other aspiring homebuyers to take control of their finances so that they can begin to build generational wealth. Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/realestatepreppod Follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/realestatepreppod Links Joshlyn's Website: www.realestatepreppod.com Fundrise: https://fundrise.com Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Debt-to-income ratio can block home purchases even with solid income
Joshlyn's student loans kept her DTI above the recommended 36% threshold
Paying off $70k in debt in 1.5 years (ahead of her 2-year goal) unlocked higher pre-approval amounts
High earners can still struggle if spending isn't managed; budgeting effectively gives you a raise
2
REITs provide accessible real estate exposure without owning physical property
REITs must distribute 90% of revenue to investors as dividends
Fundrise offers a simplified entry point with recognizable properties and quarterly payouts
Public REITs (Vanguard, Digital Realty Trust) available via Robinhood/Webull for more experienced investors
Private REITs may have liquidity restrictions—ensure you can find a buyer for shares
3
Community investing and pooled capital can revitalize neighborhoods while generating returns
Local developers like Chris Senegal in Houston allow investments starting at $100
Opportunity zones provide tax breaks for investing in designated communities
Group economics (pooling with family/friends via LLCs) mirrors historical property acquisition methods
BiggerPockets emphasizes partnering: one person brings capital, another brings expertise
4
Lifestyle sacrifice and multiple income streams accelerate debt payoff
Moved back home, reduced rent dramatically, redirected travel/brunch spending
Added side consulting income and increased passive investing
Hired a financial planner to improve both current habits and long-term strategy
Mindset shift around money influenced family members to start investing too

Intro

Tiffany Grant explores multiple real estate investing pathways and debt payoff strategies with homebuying consultant and podcaster Joshlyn Ross.
Joshlyn Ross is a Homebuying Consultant & Podcaster on a mission to help 50 people buy their first home within 365 days. She paid off $70,000 in student debt in 1.5 years and now educates others on building generational wealth through real estate.

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– Why Joshlyn Chose Real Estate Investing

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.
– Joshlyn Ross

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

– The Myth of Out-Earning Bad Habits

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.
– Tiffany Grant

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

– Understanding REITs and Fundrise

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.
– Joshlyn Ross

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.

– Liquidity Warning for Private REITs

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.
– Tiffany Grant

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

– Community Crowdfunding & Local Investing

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.
– Joshlyn Ross

Opportunity zones provide tax incentives for investing in designated communities.

– Group Economics: Pooling Resources with Family & Friends

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.
– Tiffany Grant

– How Joshlyn Paid Off $70k in 1.5 Years

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.
– Joshlyn Ross

Resources

Topics

Real Estate InvestingREITsDebt Payoff Home BuyingCommunity InvestingPassive IncomeFinancial PlanningOpportunity ZonesGroup EconomicsFirst-Time Homebuyers