Real Estate Investing for Women | Real Estate Chisme

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Taking over your own property management can sound like a great way to save money, but what happens when tenants stop paying rent, your handyman ghosts you, and you suddenly find yourself juggling leases, legal requirements, and maintenance requests? Welcome to the real-life crash course in self-managing rental properties.

In this episode, Violeta shares an update on her journey into managing her own rentals after years of working with property management companies. After dealing with communication issues, dropped responsibilities, and costly headaches with her previous management company, she decided to take control of her properties herself. With more time to dedicate to real estate investing, she's also exploring how active property management could help her qualify for real estate professional status and potentially use rental property losses to offset other household income.

The episode kicks off with the behind-the-scenes work of taking over existing rentals, from collecting tenant information and leases to understanding local landlord regulations, completing required training, registering as a landlord, and moving properties into LLCs. Violeta also shares how she's setting up her financial systems, including using RentRedi to collect rent and manage maintenance requests and Baselane to separate operating funds, security deposits, capital expenditures, and savings for future investments. She's still working through the best way to organize income across multiple properties while keeping bookkeeping as simple as possible.

Next, Violeta tackles one of the biggest challenges of self-managing: finding reliable help. After a frustrating experience with a handyman she found through Angi, she explains how she started using Showami to hire real estate agents for property showings, rental inspections, and even serving notices to tenants. One promising connection turned out to be a real estate agent who also runs a remodeling and construction business, potentially giving Violeta a valuable partner for everything from showing vacant units to estimating renovation costs and preparing properties for new tenants.

Then comes the stress of collecting rent. When a longtime tenant stopped paying and became difficult to reach, Violeta found herself researching Milwaukee's eviction procedures and learning the ins and outs of required notices and timelines. After arranging for a real estate agent to deliver a five-day notice, the tenant ultimately paid the full balance, avoiding an eviction for now. The experience reinforced the importance of understanding local landlord-tenant laws, communicating with tenants, and knowing the proper steps to take before a situation escalates.

Finally, Violeta shares how she's learning to protect her time while still being responsive to tenants. From using Google Voice to keep her personal number private and establish office hours to resisting the urge to answer messages on weekends, she's discovering that self-management isn't just about creating systems for the properties; it's also about setting boundaries for herself. She closes with the next steps on her list, including clarifying legal requirements around LLCs, learning more about lease renewals and evictions, deciding how to pay herself, and figuring out how much of the day-to-day work she ultimately wants to handle herself.

Self-managing rental properties has been stressful, tedious, and full of unexpected learning curves, but Violeta is starting to find her rhythm. Her biggest takeaway so far? You don't have to figure everything out overnight. With the right tools, reliable people, clear boundaries, and a willingness to learn, managing your own rentals can become much more manageable.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode: LLC vs S Corp: What Nobody Tells You with Laura Zarrate
• Rentredi
• Baselane
• Angi
• Showami
• Join the Latinas in Real Estate Investing community

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Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
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Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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How do you price your rental without leaving money on the table, or letting it sit empty all winter?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay break down everything that goes into pricing a rental property the right way. Because it's not just about chasing max rent, it's about understanding your market, your competition, and the time of year, and knowing how to balance it all so your property stays cash-flowing instead of sitting vacant.

The episode starts with understanding your rental market, and why national headlines about rents falling or rising don't actually tell you what's happening on your block. Violeta shares her experience managing this firsthand in two very different markets: Milwaukee, where rents are still climbing, and San Antonio, where she's now navigating new construction, apartment competition, and a declining local tenant pool driven by factors like dropping birth rates and residents leaving for more affordable counties.

Lindsay walks through the actual tools and tactics investors can use to research rental comps, including Zillow, Redfin, Apartments.com, Rentometer (and its free alternative, Rentcast), and AffordableHousing.com for checking Section 8 baseline rents by zip code. She also shares her old-school go-to: calling other property managers directly and asking what similar units are renting for and how long they've been sitting on the market. Both hosts emphasize that comps only matter if the finishes are actually comparable, in-unit washer/dryer, countertops, and appliances all factor into what a unit can realistically command.

From there, the conversation turns to seasonality, a factor that catches a lot of new investors off guard. Lindsay explains why she dreads getting applications in November, since the "good" tenant pool is typically locked into leases by spring and summer, and why she'll proactively drop rent or offer incentives rather than risk sitting vacant through a Midwest winter, where an empty unit still means paying the mortgage, utilities, and snow removal. Violeta shares a similar lesson learned the hard way with past winter turnovers, and how it's shaping her strategy with a current vacancy in her Milwaukee duplex, including pricing her upper unit lower than market because older tenants don't want to climb stairs.

The two also dig into real incentives investors can use to fill a vacancy without just slashing rent outright, think half-off first month, gift cards, free parking or storage, moving or cleaning credits, flexible move-in dates, or renewal incentives tied to longer lease terms. But they're clear that incentives can't fix a rental that's simply priced above the market, and that chasing max rent can cost you far more in vacancy time than it ever gains you in monthly income.

The episode wraps with a practical breakdown of the real math behind vacancy: how holding out for an extra $100 a month can take over a year of occupancy to recoup, and why both hosts prioritize reducing vacancy time over maximizing rent, because the best rent isn't always the highest one, it's the one that keeps the property financially healthy and fills it with a qualified, long-term tenant.

Links Mentioned:

• http://apartments.com
• Zillow
• Redfin
• Rentometer
• Affordable Housing
• Latinas in Real Estate Investing community

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

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Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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Roaches crawling out of the walls, a thousand fleas hitching a ride on your blazer, and a tenant who turned out to be running a brothel, welcome to Spooktober, landlord edition.

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay dish out some of the scariest real estate horror stories pulled straight from the Owned Real Estate Collective community, social media, and their own personal nightmares as out-of-state investors. Because no matter how good your numbers look on paper, eventually you're going to meet a tenant, a bug, or a storm that reminds you this business is never fully in your control.

The episode kicks off with Creepy Crawlers, starting with a story from OREC community member Joshua, whose tenants went through a messy divorce and left behind 15 months of built-up filth, including a roach infestation so bad it took $10,000 to remediate. From there, Lindsay shares her own personal flea horror story: a solo walkthrough of a vacant seller-financing deal in Gary, Indiana, that ended with her literally covered head to toe in fleas, left behind by a dog abandoned in the home after the previous tenant passed away. Violeta rounds out the segment with her own experience discovering termites behind the walls of her San Antonio duplex, and a broader conversation about how regular pest treatment (and knowing your market's bug problems) can save you thousands down the line.

Next, the hosts turn to Mother Nature, starting with Violeta's flooding experiences, from nearly losing her own house-hacked property during Hurricane Harvey to dealing with a historic "1,000-year flood" that damaged basements, door frames, and furnace components across her Milwaukee portfolio. Lindsay follows with her own weather horror story: a derecho in Gary that knocked out power across the city for three weeks, damaged siding, roofing, and electrical panels, and forced tenants to temporarily relocate. The two also touch on the levers investors have when disaster strikes, from insurance deductibles to FEMA relief and lender forbearance (a topic they go deeper on in a previous episode, linked below).

The scariest story of the episode comes from property manager Cody, who discovered that a supposedly vacant unit in a fourplex he'd just taken over was not only occupied, but being used to run a brothel, complete with air mattresses, "prophylactic wrappers," and a downstairs tenant who turned out to be the madame behind the whole operation.

Violeta closes things out with her own early investing horror story, a long-term tenant couple who went through a divorce during COVID and left a property requiring nearly $10,000 in repairs, an experience that scared her off investing for a while before she tried again.

Despite everything, every investor in this episode is still out here buying, managing, and growing, proof that horror stories are part of the game, not a reason to quit.

Links Mentioned:

• Previous episode on insurance claims, deductibles, and disaster relief options
• Free community for Latina and women of color real estate investors

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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Would you live in an old funeral home? What about a haunted house? Or maybe a gothic or witchy home is more your style?

In this episode, keeping in theme with Spooktober, Violeta and Lindsay go house-hunting with a twist, checking out real estate listings that are haunted, witchy, gothic, or downright creepy. From a horror-themed Airbnb mansion to a $8 million medieval castle, this is real estate chisme at its most fun.

The episode kicks off with The Macabre Mansion of Sonoita, a four-bedroom, 4.5-bath Gothic estate in Arizona's wine country listed for $850,000. Now offered as a fully furnished Airbnb investment, the home is decked out room by room in horror movie themes, from an It clown and Addams Family references to witchy "Wonderland" bedrooms. Violeta and Lindsay debate whether the design commits fully enough to the bit, and whether the isolated location and price tag make sense for short-term rental demand.

Next up is a property with real documented paranormal history: the Octagon Mansion in Virginia, a Civil War-era home recently sold for $295,000. Once used as a bed and breakfast and museum that hosted "dinner with a ghost" events, the house is said to be haunted by the spirit of a 12-year-old girl who passed away during the 1950s polio epidemic, with guests reporting being pushed, shoved, and capturing EVP recordings. This leads to a deeper conversation about the difference between believing in literal ghosts versus residual "trapped energy," and where each host lands on it.

From there, the hosts tour a former funeral home, a three-bedroom, two-bath property that had over $100,000 slashed off its asking price before going under contract at $295,000. Between speculating on where the embalming room might have been and debating whether old carpet holds onto decades of smoke smell, this segment is a reminder that not every "creepy" property is actually haunted, sometimes it's just outdated.

The mood shifts to pure charm with the Converse House, an 1870 High Victorian Gothic landmark in Connecticut listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Priced at $525,000 and currently pending, the "Dragonfly House" (as Lindsay names it) features stained glass, velvet curtains, a wraparound porch, and a lime-green kitchen that sparks a whole debate about historic-home renovation restrictions and paint color choices.

Then comes the showstopper: the Hearst Pierrepont Estate, an 1867 Gothic mansion in New York's Hudson Valley designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. Sitting on nearly 20 acres with a pool, pond, and gardens, the $4,995,000 listing has been on the market for over a year and gives serious "old money" and Great Gatsby energy, complete with cathedral windows and a grand piano.

Finally, the hosts land on the most ambitious listing of the episode: the Falkenstein Castle, a medieval-style castle in Texas Hill Country listed for $8 million. Sitting on 110 acres and built in 1998, the property includes a seven-bedroom main castle plus six tiny cottage homes and an apartment above the garage, sparking a very real conversation about crowdfunding it into a wedding venue or their own personal Renaissance fair.

This episode is a lighthearted, chisme-filled tour through some of the most unique, spooky, and story-filled properties on the market this season, and a celebration of the podcast's one-year anniversary.

Links Mentioned:

Last year's haunted real estate episode (featuring "The Conjuring" house)Free Latinas in Real Estate Community

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if you could write off up to $200,000 in losses against your spouse's income—just by qualifying for one specific tax status?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay sit down with Laura Zarrate, CPA and founder of Athena CPAs and Advisors, to break down the real estate tax strategies that can make or break your bottom line. Laura shares her expertise on active versus passive income, real estate professional status, and the advanced strategies that seasoned investors use to legally minimize their tax liability.

The conversation starts by clearing up one of the biggest misconceptions in real estate investing: the difference between passive and active income. Laura explains that passive losses—generated through depreciation—generally cannot offset other income like a W-2, while active real estate losses can. This distinction becomes even more powerful once you understand depreciation as a "paper loss," and how bonus depreciation allows investors to deduct the full value of certain property components in the year they're placed in service, rather than spreading it out over decades.

Laura and Violeta dig into a concept many investors don't fully understand until it's too late: depreciation recapture. When you sell a property you've depreciated, the IRS requires you to "recapture" that depreciation and pay taxes on it at ordinary income rates, while the remaining gain is taxed at capital gains rates. This is where the 1031 exchange becomes a powerful tool, allowing investors to defer that recapture indefinitely by exchanging one property for another of like kind, using a qualified intermediary to hold the funds throughout the process.

The episode then turns to Violeta's own goal for the year: qualifying for real estate professional status. Laura breaks down the two core requirements—spending more than 750 hours a year in real estate activities, and having that be your primary activity (more than 50% of your working hours)—and clarifies that a real estate professional status has nothing to do with holding a real estate license. She also explains the short-term rental loophole, which allows investors to treat Airbnb-style income as active even without meeting the 750-hour test, provided the average stay is seven days or less and the owner is materially involved.

One of the most valuable takeaways is that a spouse's hours count toward the 750-hour requirement, even if that spouse isn't the one claiming real estate professional status. This means a couple where one partner works a W-2 job can still combine their hours on rehabs, property management, and admin work to qualify—unlocking the ability to use real estate losses to offset the W-2 spouse's income entirely.

Laura also introduces cost segregation studies as the next-level strategy for maximizing this benefit. By hiring an engineering firm to break down a property's components and their individual useful lives, investors can accelerate depreciation on items like windows, cabinets, and flooring using bonus depreciation rules—creating much larger paper losses than standard 27.5-year depreciation alone. But she cautions that cost segregation only makes sense if you plan to hold the property long-term, since selling triggers the same depreciation recapture conversation from earlier in the episode.

Finally, the group discusses self-rental rules, the importance of keeping a time log to substantiate real estate professional status if audited, and how to vet who you actually want in your corner—a CPA who understands real estate deeply, versus tax "strategists" who may not have the credentials or experience to back up their advice when the IRS comes knocking.

This episode is a real, practical breakdown of the tax strategies that separate investors who scale efficiently from those who leave money on the table—straight from a CPA who specializes in real estate.

Links Mentioned:

Athena CPAs and Advisors

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if you did everything right—found a great deal, negotiated a good purchase price—and the bank still tells you your property is worth less than you paid?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay break down everything you need to know about home appraisals, sparked by Violeta's own experience getting her appraisal back for a duplex she's closing on next week. They cover what an appraisal actually is, why lenders require it, how it's calculated, and what to do if the number comes back lower than expected.

Lindsay explains that a home appraisal is a professional, evidence-based analysis used to develop an opinion of a property's value, pulling from real market data like the MLS to support that number. Violeta breaks down why lenders care so much about appraisals in the first place: the house is collateral for the loan, and the lender needs to know it's actually worth what they're letting you borrow. She walks through how the loan-to-value ratio shifts depending on whether the appraisal comes in at, above, or below the purchase price, and why that risk calculation can directly affect whether your deal closes.

They also clear up a common point of confusion: an appraisal is not the same as a home inspection. An appraiser is only concerned with value, while a home inspector assesses the physical condition of the property—plumbing, electrical, roofing, HVAC, and foundation. Lindsay emphasizes why rental property investors need both working in tandem, since a property's true investment potential depends on knowing both what it's worth and what shape it's actually in.

Violeta walks through the full appraisal process step by step, from the lender ordering a third-party appraiser to that appraiser visiting the property, evaluating major systems and condition, and then pulling comparable sales, or "comps," to run their analysis. She explains the two main valuation methods appraisers use: the sales comparison approach, which relies on recently sold comparable properties, and the income capitalization approach, which values a property based on the net operating income it can generate divided by the market cap rate. Lindsay breaks down the income approach with real numbers, showing how a property generating $42,000 a year in rental income with $27,000 in net operating income could be valued at $360,000 using a 7.5% cap rate.

Violeta shares her own appraisal results as a real-world case study: her duplex, purchased for $145,000, appraised at $155,000 using the sales comparison approach and $162,000 using the income approach, with the appraiser ultimately favoring the sales comparison number due to strong comp data in that market. Coming in above her purchase price meant instant equity and confirmation that she got a good deal.

But what happens when the appraisal comes in low? Lindsay walks through the options available when there's a gap between your purchase price and your appraised value, including renegotiating with the seller, asking the seller to meet in the middle, covering the difference in cash, adjusting the financing structure, or requesting a reconsideration of value through a second appraisal. She shares her own experience appealing an appraisal after noticing the comps used were missing a bedroom, a detail that mattered significantly in her market for both property value and rental income potential. The key to a successful appeal is providing recent, nearby, comparable sales, ideally within the last three months and two to three miles of your property.

Violeta and Lindsay wrap up by reminding investors that the appraisal is just one piece of the puzzle alongside your home inspection and your own market analysis. Always make sure your contract includes an appraisal contingency so you have the option to walk away if the numbers don't support the deal, and remember that at the end of the day, whether the report comes back high, low, or right on target, it's simply a tool to help you make an informed, confident investment decision.

Links Mentioned:

Free Latinas in Real Estate Community

https://moneychisme.com/links

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if the same landlords crying about rent stabilization are the ones who created their own crisis by refusing to do basic maintenance for years?

In this episode, Violeta goes solo for a reaction-style episode, breaking down a video she came across called "Why 60,000 New York City Rent Stabilized Apartments Are Sitting Vacant," featuring Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association, in conversation with The Real Deal's Eric Enquist. Violeta shares her honest, unfiltered take as a real estate investor herself—someone who understands the economics of running rental properties, but isn't afraid to push back on the narrative being presented.

Violeta breaks down the video's central claim: that tens of thousands of rent-stabilized apartments are sitting vacant because landlords say the numbers no longer work under current rent regulations, making renovations and repairs too expensive to justify. While she acknowledges the real challenges of rising insurance, property taxes, labor, and construction costs, she pushes back hard on the idea that landlords deserve sympathy, pointing out that many of these same landlords chose not to do preventative maintenance for years, squeezed as much profit as possible out of tenants, and over-leveraged their portfolios instead of reinvesting in their buildings.

Drawing from her own experience taking over properties from "slumlords," Violeta shares real examples of small maintenance issues—a leak, a damaged floor—that snowballed into major, costly repairs simply because they were ignored. She connects this directly to the New York City situation, arguing that a lot of what these large portfolio landlords are facing now is self-inflicted, the result of years of deferred maintenance and aggressive rent-maximizing strategies rather than the rent stabilization policy itself.

The conversation also touches on the why behind rent caps and regulation, as Violeta shares her own experience as a military spouse watching landlords immediately raise rents the moment service members received a housing allowance increase—reinforcing why she believes some level of rent regulation is necessary to prevent unchecked greed, even as she agrees that poorly implemented, reactionary policy can create unintended consequences, like keeping tens of thousands of units off the market.

Violeta uses this as a teaching moment for new investors, cautioning against the common advice to underwrite deals based on "market rent" or future rent increases instead of current, conservative numbers. She emphasizes the importance of building in maintenance reserves, avoiding over-leveraging equity, and not assuming you'll always be able to push rents higher down the road, because regulation, market shifts, or economic downturns can change the game at any time.

This episode is a real, unfiltered look at the tension between landlords and tenants, the role of government regulation in housing, and the accountability that's often missing from conversations about "struggling" large-scale property owners—plus practical lessons every real estate investor can apply to avoid falling into the same trap.

Links Mentioned:

Why 60,000 NYC Rent-Stabilized Apartments Are Sitting Vacant | Policy Pro talks with Kenny Burgos

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if the reason your property manager keeps dropping the ball isn't incompetence—but a business model that actually profits from tenant turnover?

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Violeta in San Antonio, joined by special guests Dion and Chelsea (of Dion Talks Financial Freedom), for an impromptu, no-holds-barred conversation about the messier side of real estate investing. The episode kicks off with Violeta explaining why she just fired her property manager after months of red flags—unexplained charges, tenants calling her directly to complain, and issues that never got resolved despite repeated follow-ups.

Dion breaks down why most property managers' incentives are misaligned with landlords from day one, explaining that many earn a full month's rent on tenant placement, meaning turnover is actually profitable for them even though it costs the property owner time and money. He shares practical strategies for pushing back, including comparing your rents to area averages and asking your property manager to justify why your rents are below market instead of just accepting whatever they set.

The conversation moves into tenant relationships and the "good cop, bad cop" strategy Dion and Chelsea use to maintain boundaries without damaging rapport, plus why building a real relationship with tenants leads to lower turnover and fewer surprises. Chelsea shares her experience navigating four evictions—including a squatter with a gun—and the lessons learned about screening, leases, and staying firm without losing empathy.

They also dig into why Dion targets very specific property types (side-by-side units, washer/dryer hookups, pet-friendly fenced yards) to minimize turnover, even if it means accepting a lower return than "maximum rent" strategies. Dion and Chelsea openly debate their differing philosophies—hers focused on maximizing rents, his focus on stability—and how that shows up in very different eviction histories.

The group shifts into a broader conversation about navigating new real estate markets, as both Violeta and Dion/Chelsea recently relocated to San Antonio from California and Washington. They talk candidly about why moving to a new market means starting over on due diligence regardless of experience level, and why competitive markets require being ready to act fast on good deals.

Finally, the conversation turns to the truth about LLCs—including why an LLC often provides zero real asset protection, makes refinancing harder, and increases insurance costs, and why new investors should be cautious before falling into the trap of paying for an LLC before they even own a property.

This episode is a real, unfiltered look at the operational side of real estate that doesn't always make it into the highlight reel—property management headaches, evictions, market research, and separating the products people sell you from what actually protects your investments.

Links Mentioned:

Free Latinas in Real Estate Community:
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Follow Dion: Dion Talks Financial Freedom on Skool and YouTube

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

Send us Fan Mail

What if your first real estate investment wasn't even in the country you live in—and it ended up teaching you everything you needed to know to build a multi-million dollar portfolio?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay sit down with Ingrid Morales, a first-gen Latina who built financial freedom from the ground up through real estate investing. Ingrid shares how her journey started not with a plan, but with a library book called "Real Estate Riches" and a friend's simple request to run the numbers on an Airbnb property in Mexico. That analysis turned into her own first investment, and unknowingly, the beginning of her real estate career.

Throughout the conversation, Ingrid opens up about the reality of investing internationally before you're ready, including the hard lesson that no US lending institution would let her pull equity from her property in Mexico, forcing her to start over from scratch. She talks candidly about what it felt like to have "nothing to show" despite owning an income-producing property, and how that setback pushed her to get serious about education, mentorship, and building a team instead of trying to do everything alone.

Violeta, Lindsay, and Ingrid dig into why being willing to be the "dumbest person in the room" is one of the most valuable things you can do as a new investor, especially as first-gen Latinas navigating spaces we weren't necessarily raised in. Ingrid shares how attending real estate meetups, networking relentlessly, and being upfront about what she didn't know eventually led to something bigger: people started bringing deals to her, instead of her having to go find them.

They also break down Ingrid's shift from single-family investing to multifamily and commercial real estate, and why she believes starting with multifamily, despite the higher barrier to entry, allows for far greater scalability than buying one property at a time. Ingrid explains how her strategy has since evolved again, moving toward partnering on deals and private money lending, and the trust, track record, and risk tolerance required to get there.

One of the most personal parts of the conversation centers on Ingrid's "why": building a retirement fund and paying off her mother's house, all funded by cash flow from her real estate portfolio while she intentionally keeps her W-2 income low through a tax-sheltering strategy. She also shares how a spontaneous Instagram post turned into her financial freedom coaching business, Hustle With Ingrid, after 20 people DMed her wanting to learn what she knew.

Violeta and Lindsay reflect on their own parallel journeys, from Violeta's own plans to start investing in Mexico to the reminder that every investor, no matter how experienced, is always going to be learning something new. This episode is a real, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to go from "I don't know what I'm doing" to building generational wealth for your family, one calculated risk at a time.

Whether you're intimidated by your first deal, curious about investing outside the US, or wondering how to scale from single-family to multifamily, this episode is packed with real talk, encouragement, and a reminder that you don't need to have it all figured out to start—you just need to start.

Links Mentioned:

Free Latinas in Real Estate Community

Learn more about Hustle With Ingrid (waitlist open now)

Follow: Ingrid Morales_ on all platforms

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What happens when you’re sitting in one of the best buyers markets in years—and you decide not to buy another property?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay have an honest conversation about what it really means to pause your real estate investing growth, especially when everything around you is telling you to keep buying. Lindsay shares why she decided at the beginning of the year to stop purchasing properties, even with favorable market conditions, and how a recent natural disaster in Gary, Indiana reinforced the importance of having financial reserves and understanding your personal risk tolerance.

Throughout the conversation, they discuss what happens when unexpected events affect your rental properties, from severe storms and property damage to displaced tenants, power outages, and expensive repairs. Lindsay shares her experience navigating damage to multiple properties in her portfolio, while Violeta reflects on dealing with flooding at her own properties and the importance of having a reliable property management team and investor network when things go wrong.

They also break down the role insurance plays in protecting your investment properties and why having insurance doesn't necessarily mean every repair or loss will be covered. Violeta and Lindsay discuss deductibles, different types of coverage, rental loss coverage, renter's insurance, and why investors need to understand exactly what their policies cover before disaster strikes.

One of the biggest lessons from the conversation is the importance of having reserves beyond your HELOC, 401(k), or access to credit. Lindsay explains why constantly deploying every dollar of cash flow into the next deal can leave investors vulnerable when unexpected expenses arise. They also discuss how your approach to deductibles and insurance claims can change as your portfolio grows and you have more cash flow and reserves available to absorb smaller repairs yourself.

Violeta and Lindsay then talk about what investors should do when a disaster actually happens, including checking on tenants, assessing property damage, working with property managers, contacting insurance, understanding FEMA resources, and determining which repairs need immediate attention. They emphasize that while you can prepare for many risks, you can't predict everything, and successful investors need to be prepared to become solution makers when unexpected problems arise.

The conversation also challenges the idea that real estate investors always need to be growing. Violeta and Lindsay discuss why buying one property every quarter—or following someone else's investment timeline—may not be the right strategy for everyone. Your risk tolerance, financial cushion, portfolio size, cash flow, and personal circumstances should all play a role in deciding when to buy and when to pause.

Whether you're building your first rental property, managing a growing portfolio, or wondering if it's okay to slow down your investing goals, this episode offers an honest look at the less glamorous side of real estate investing. Violeta and Lindsay share why stabilizing your portfolio can be just as important as acquiring the next property, and why knowing when to pause can ultimately help you build a stronger and more sustainable business.

Before you rush into your next deal, tune in for a real-world conversation about risk tolerance, insurance, emergency reserves, natural disasters, property management, and knowing when it's time to stop buying and start protecting what you've already built.

Links Mentioned:

• Free Latinas in Real Estate Community
• Risk Tolerance Episode
• How to Calculate Cash Flow Episode

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
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Property Management made easy with RentRedi
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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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How much money do you actually need to buy a rental property? This episode breaks down the real upfront cash needed to buy a rental property, and why social media examples like “buying a house for $10,000” can be misleading. Violeta and Lindsay compare house hacking versus straight investment purchases, then walk through down payments, closing costs, inspection costs, reserves, and repair buffers.In this episode, they also share practical ways to lower your out-of-pocket costs through negotiation, seller credits, and choosing the right deal in the right market. The goal is simple: help new investors set realistic expectations so they can plan, save, and buy with confidence.

Key topics

• Challenging the “$10,000 property” social media myth
• The amount needed depends heavily on strategy, loan type, and whether you are a beginner or experienced investor.
• For owner-occupied purchases, they explain that down payments can be as low as 3.5% with FHA
• For straight investment properties, they explain that lenders often want 20% to 25% down, and sometimes more, especially for inexperienced investors.
• They break down the typical costs beyond the down payment: closing costs, inspection, appraisal, reserves, and repair money.
• Violeta and LinDoesInvesting compare a house hack example versus a pure investment example on a $200,000 property and show how the total cash needed changes dramatically.
• In the house hack example, the estimated cash needed is about $28,000.
• In the investment property example, the estimated cash needed is about $55,200.
• LinDoesInvesting shares negotiation tactics, including targeting properties with higher days on market, asking for seller credits, and using inspection findings to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
• Violeta adds that understanding local rent prices, vacancy, and property history is key before making offers.

Read more on the blog!

https://moneychisme.com/how-much-money-do-you-need-for-a-rental-property/

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Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
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Property Management made easy with RentRedi
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Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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How a Respiratory Therapist Gained Financial Independence With Fix and Flips| Yenny Alfaro

Buying your first investment property can be exciting—but what happens when your very first deal doesn't go as planned?

In this episode of Real Estate Chisme, Violeta sits down with respiratory therapist, entrepreneur, and real estate investor Yenny Alfaro to discuss how she went from working hospital shifts to building wealth through fix-and-flip investing. Yenny shares the honest story behind her first flip, the costly mistakes she made, and how those lessons helped her achieve financial freedom without leaving the career she loves.

From saving every extra dollar to fund her first investment to navigating contractors, hard money loans, and unexpected renovation costs, Yenny offers practical advice for anyone thinking about getting started in real estate. She also shares how investing has given her more time with her children and why she believes anyone willing to learn can build wealth through real estate.

Whether you're dreaming about your first flip, considering rental properties, or simply looking for inspiration to take your first step, this conversation is filled with valuable lessons from someone who's been exactly where you are.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why Yenny decided to invest in real estate while keeping her full-time healthcare career
• How she saved enough money to fund her first fix-and-flip project
• The biggest mistakes she made on her first investment property
• What happened when a wholesaler overestimated the property's value
• How she overcame fear after realizing her first deal was much harder than expected
• What to know before using hard money lenders to finance a flip
• Why taking rehab funds may be smarter than paying renovation costs yourself
• Common renovation surprises, including foundation issues and termites
• How to avoid being taken advantage of by contractors
• The importance of studying your local market before buying a property
• Why your first investment should be viewed as an education, not just a payday
• How Yenny balances motherhood, healthcare, and real estate investing
• What financial freedom looks like for her today—and why she still chooses to work as a respiratory therapist
• Encouragement and practical advice for Latinas who want to start investing in real estate

Links Mentioned:

Join the Latinas in Real Estate Community

More on the Blog!

https://moneychisme.com/from-respiratory-therapist-to-real-estate-investor-yennys-journey/

Connect with Yenny Alfaro:

TikTok: @yenrealestateinvestor

Instagram: @yenrealestateinvestor

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if you could buy your first rental property with as little as 3.5% down—and have your tenants help offset your mortgage?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay break down one of the most accessible strategies for getting started in real estate investing: house hacking with an FHA loan. They explain what house hacking is, how FHA financing works, and why combining the two can create a lower-barrier path to becoming a first-time real estate investor.

Throughout the conversation, they walk through how you can purchase a property with up to four units, live in one unit, and rent out the others to help offset your housing costs—or potentially cover a significant portion of your mortgage. They also explain some of the key benefits of FHA financing, including the lower down payment requirement, more flexible qualification criteria, and the possibility of using rental income to help qualify for the loan.

But house hacking isn't as simple as finding a property and moving in. Violeta and Lindsay break down the FHA occupancy requirements, mortgage insurance, property eligibility standards, loan limits, and the importance of making sure the property is safe, livable, and actually works financially. They also explain why a property being eligible for an FHA loan doesn't automatically make it a good investment.

They then walk through the steps aspiring investors should take before making an offer, including conducting a financial audit, finding the right FHA lender, researching local rents, analyzing the market, identifying eligible properties, and determining whether the numbers align with your personal goals. They emphasize that successful house hacking requires more than simply qualifying for financing—it requires understanding your market and knowing exactly what you want the property to accomplish for you financially.

And once you become a landlord, the learning doesn't stop. Violeta and Lindsay discuss the responsibilities that come with managing tenants, handling repairs, enforcing leases, following local housing laws, and maintaining a safe property. They also explore what ethical landlording looks like and why building wealth should go hand in hand with treating tenants with care, respect, and responsibility.

Whether you're a first-generation Latina thinking about buying your first home, exploring real estate investing, or looking for a way to lower the cost of homeownership, this episode offers a practical introduction to house hacking and FHA financing. Violeta and Lindsay also share why starting with a duplex may make more sense for some beginners than immediately jumping into a four-unit property—and why you should always balance your investment goals with what you're realistically prepared to manage.

Before you start shopping for your first house hack, tune in for practical advice, important questions to ask your lender, and the key steps you need to take to determine whether an FHA house hack is the right strategy for you.

Links Mentioned:

• Free Latinas in Real Estate Community
• How to Calculate Cash Flow Episode
• FHA, VA & Other Home Loan Options for Real Estate Investing Episode

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if the biggest risk in real estate investing isn't the market—but choosing a strategy that no longer fits your life?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay have an honest conversation about one of the most overlooked parts of building wealth through real estate: understanding your personal risk tolerance. As both of them navigate major life transitions, they share how they're reassessing their investment goals, evaluating new opportunities, and making decisions that align with the lives they want to build—not just the returns they hope to earn.

Rather than offering a simple checklist, they invite listeners into the real conversations they have behind the scenes. By thinking out loud, they walk through how they evaluate potential investments, balance financial security with growth, and determine when taking on more risk makes sense—and when it doesn't.

Throughout the episode, Violeta and Lindsay discuss why risk tolerance isn't fixed but evolves with experience, financial stability, and life circumstances. They explore how changes like leaving a W-2 job, starting a family, changing careers, or pursuing entrepreneurship can completely reshape the types of investments you're comfortable making. They also explain why comparing your investing journey to someone else's can lead to poor decisions and how building confidence over time allows you to gradually take on larger opportunities.

Whether you're buying your first rental property, considering a new investment strategy, or simply trying to decide if now is the right time to invest, this episode will help you think beyond numbers and focus on building a portfolio that matches your goals, lifestyle, and peace of mind.

Before making your next investment decision, tune in for a candid behind-the-scenes look at how experienced investors evaluate risk, adapt to changing seasons of life, and create long-term wealth without sacrificing what matters most.

Links Mentioned:

Free Latinas in Real Estate Community

Real Estate Starter Kit

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if Airbnb arbitrage seems like the perfect way to get into real estate—until everything falls apart in the very first month?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay break down one of the most talked-about real estate investing strategies: Airbnb arbitrage. They explain how the model works, why it's become popular among new investors, and the advantages of getting started without purchasing a property. But they also reveal the hidden risks that many beginners overlook before jumping in.

Using a real-life story from someone in their community, they walk through how an Airbnb arbitrage business went from exciting new venture to complete shutdown in just a matter of weeks. After investing thousands of dollars furnishing two rental units, one guest's reckless behavior led the landlord to terminate the lease, leaving the new investors without a business and scrambling to recover their losses.

Throughout the conversation, Violeta and Lindsay unpack the biggest lessons from the experience, including the dangers of shiny object syndrome, why proper planning matters more than speed, and how borrowing money before validating a business model can increase your financial risk. They also discuss the importance of screening guests, understanding local regulations, preparing for unexpected setbacks, and treating short-term rentals like a real hospitality business rather than passive income.

Whether you're considering Airbnb arbitrage, exploring your first real estate investment, or simply looking for ways to build wealth with less capital, this episode offers a balanced look at both the opportunities and the challenges of this strategy.

Before signing your first lease or furnishing your first Airbnb, tune in for practical advice, real-world lessons, and the questions every aspiring short-term rental investor should ask before getting started.

Link Mentioned:
Free Latinas in Real Estate Community: https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if holding onto a rental property is actually keeping you from reaching your financial goals?

In this episode, Violeta and Lindsay tackle one of the toughest questions real estate investors face: Should you keep an underperforming rental property, or is it time to let it go?

Using a real question from a community member, they break down how to evaluate whether a property is still serving your long-term goals—or quietly draining your finances. Violeta shares the personal story of walking away from three investment properties despite others telling her to hold on, while Lindsay offers practical strategies for weighing your options before making a big financial decision.

Together, they explore the emotional side of letting go, the importance of staying focused on your investing goals, and why sometimes selling isn't a sign of failure—it's a strategic move that creates new opportunities.

The conversation also covers how rising property taxes, negative cash flow, debt payoff goals, and changing life circumstances can all impact whether a rental property still deserves a place in your portfolio. Rather than relying on emotions or the fear of missing out, they explain how to make decisions based on numbers, strategy, and the future you want to build.

Whether you're struggling with an investment that's no longer performing, trying to become debt-free, or wondering if it's time to pivot your real estate strategy, this episode provides a practical framework for making confident decisions.

Ready to decide whether your rental property deserves another chance—or it's time to kick el tóxico to the curb? Tune in for actionable advice, real-life investing lessons, and the questions every landlord should ask before making their next move.

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
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Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

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Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What if your biggest obstacle to investing wasn't the market—but getting your spouse on board?

In this episode, Violeta is joined by her husband, Dave, for an honest conversation about what it's really like building wealth as a couple. From meeting as rivals in the Navy to tackling their first hands-on rental renovation together, they share the highs, frustrations, and lessons that come with investing side by side.

For years, Violeta handled the investing while Dave watched from the sidelines, skeptical of buying properties sight unseen and trusting property managers hundreds of miles away. But after relocating to Texas and taking on their first local rehab, Dave experienced firsthand what it actually takes to transform a distressed property into a cash-flowing rental.

They pull back the curtain on the realities of renovating an investment property—from uncovering hidden termite damage and unexpected electrical issues to watching a $3,000 renovation budget balloon to nearly $20,000. Along the way, they discuss how dividing responsibilities based on their strengths helped them navigate difficult decisions, manage conflict, and finish the project stronger than ever.

The conversation also dives into the importance of communication, trusting your partner's vision, negotiating with contractors, and learning that successful real estate investing is about far more than crunching numbers—it's about teamwork.

Whether you're investing with your spouse, considering your first rental property, or wondering if DIY renovations are really worth it, this episode offers an honest look at the challenges and rewards of building wealth together.

Ready to turn your partner into your greatest investing teammate? This episode is full of practical lessons, relatable stories, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What skills do you actually need to become a real estate investor?

In this episode of Real Estate Chisme, Violeta and Lindsay break down the essential skills every aspiring real estate investor should focus on before buying their first rental property. From choosing an investment strategy and understanding cash flow to building a reliable team and managing fear-driven decisions, they share practical lessons they've learned throughout their own investing journeys.

Lindsay explains why real estate investing starts with clarity and strategy, helping listeners understand the different paths available, including house hacking, long-term rentals, short-term rentals, multifamily properties, and out-of-state investing. She discusses the importance of defining your goals, understanding your risk tolerance, and creating a plan that aligns with your lifestyle and financial objectives.

Meanwhile, Violeta shares real-world examples from her latest rental property rehab, including uncovering termite damage during renovations, managing unexpected expenses, and learning how to make confident decisions without letting fear take over. She discusses the mindset shifts that helped her navigate financial anxiety, perfectionism, and the realities of owning and improving investment properties.

Together, they emphasize that successful real estate investing isn't about knowing everything before you start—it's about developing the right skills over time, asking good questions, and taking action despite uncertainty.

They also discuss:

• Choosing the right real estate investment strategy for your goals
• Understanding cash flow, expenses, vacancies, repairs, and CapEx
• How to analyze rental property deals without being a math expert
• Building a team of lenders, agents, inspectors, contractors, and property managers
• Asking better questions during inspections and due diligence
• The importance of understanding your "why" before investing
• Managing fear, financial anxiety, and decision-making as a new investor
• Handling unexpected renovation surprises and property issues
• Creating must-have vs. nice-to-have repair lists
• Why no deal is better than a bad deal
• Learning to balance risk, opportunity, and long-term wealth building
• Developing the confidence to take action as a beginner investor

This episode is a practical guide for aspiring investors who want to get started in real estate but feel overwhelmed by everything they think they need to know. Violeta and Lindsay remind listeners that you don't need to be an expert to begin—you simply need to be teachable, willing to learn, and ready to take the next step.

Tune in for an encouraging conversation packed with beginner-friendly investing advice, mindset shifts, and actionable lessons to help you build wealth through real estate with confidence.

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...

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What happens when tenant drama, property turnovers, and financing challenges all hit at once?

In this laid-back catch-up episode of Real Estate Chisme, Violeta and Lindsay share the real-life ups and downs they've been navigating behind the scenes as landlords and real estate investors. From vacant units and tenant conflicts to ADU expansion plans and creative financing strategies, they pull back the curtain on what’s been happening in their portfolios over the last month.

Lindsay provides an update on her 12-property portfolio, discussing vacancies, turnover season, water-related maintenance issues, and her plans to potentially build a second ADU in California. She also opens up about the challenges of securing financing while balancing W-2 income, self-employment income, and future plans to leave her corporate job.

Meanwhile, Violeta shares lessons learned from self-managing her latest duplex renovation, including handling tenant disputes, setting boundaries, coordinating junk removal, and preparing for a new tenant move-in. She reflects on how these experiences are helping her build valuable property management and communication skills.

They also discuss:
• Managing vacancies and rental turnovers during peak leasing season
• Financing challenges and creative ways to fund real estate projects
• ADU expansion opportunities and long-term portfolio growth
• Tenant communication, conflict resolution, and property boundaries
• The realities of self-management versus hiring property managers
• Family real estate challenges, including inherited properties and difficult decisions

This episode is an honest conversation about the everyday realities of real estate investing—the wins, the setbacks, and the lessons that come from learning as you go.

Tune in for a casual behind-the-scenes catch-up filled with landlord stories, investing insights, and plenty of real estate chisme.

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What if the thing holding you back from investing isn’t the market—but the fear, anxiety, and stories you’ve carried about money your entire life?

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Heather Enciso, a licensed clinical social worker, real estate investor, queer Filipina, and first-generation American, to explore the powerful connection between financial anxiety and real estate investing.

Heather shares how growing up in an immigrant household shaped her beliefs about money, why COVID-19 became the catalyst that pushed her toward investing, and how she went from knowing almost nothing about assets and wealth-building to owning multiple multifamily properties across Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Together, they dive into the emotional side of investing that rarely gets discussed—fear, scarcity, self-doubt, and the challenges many first-generation investors, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color face when entering spaces where they don’t see themselves represented.

Heather opens up about her journey into house hacking, how she leveraged low-down-payment financing to acquire properties faster, and why delayed gratification and sacrifice played a major role in building her portfolio. She also shares how she manages the anxiety that comes with making large financial decisions and explains the difference between a genuine intuition warning and a fear-based response.

You’ll hear an honest conversation about overcoming mental blocks, finding supportive communities, learning to trust yourself, and creating systems that help you make sound financial decisions without letting anxiety take over.

Heather also reveals the deeper motivation behind her investing journey: creating financial freedom not just for herself, but for her mother, whose sacrifices made her opportunities possible.

If you've ever felt intimidated by real estate, struggled with financial anxiety, or questioned whether investing is truly for people like you, this episode will give you the mindset shifts, encouragement, and practical strategies you need to move forward.

Ready to stop letting fear make your financial decisions and start building wealth with confidence? This conversation is for you.

Connect with Heather:

• Instagram
• Website

Support the show

Join my Latina Real Estate Investors Community (FREE)
https://www.skool.com/real-estate-jefas-9075/about

Get my FREE Real Estate Investing Starter Kit
https://moneychisme.kit.com/rei-starter-kit

Property Management made easy with RentRedi
https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/AOK400

Manage Your Funds with BASELANE Banking
https://invite.baselane.com/Violeta84614

Follow us on Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/money_chisme/

https://www.instagram.com/lindoesinvesting/

Disclaimer:
We are not financial advisors. The information contained in this video is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed professional before making any financial decisions.

Affiliate links: I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide you with free content, like this podcast! You can read my full disclaimer here: ...