What Makes a “Good” Real Estate Deal? (99% of Rookies Get This Wrong)

Episode #652 Try REsimpli, The Only All-In-One Real Estate Investor CRM Software That Helps You Manage Data, Marketing, Sales, and Operations: https://resimpli.com/biggerpockets?utm_source=bigger_pockets&utm_medium=youtube_qr_code&utm_campaign=real_estate_show Ask Your Question for a Future Rookie Reply: https://forms.gle/naQm67JEJ74YMZ5G6 Episode Show Notes: https://lnk.to/realestaterookieYT Join BiggerPockets for FREE 👇 https://www.biggerpockets.com/signup?utm_source=owned_media Grab _The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down_: https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/investing-in-real-estate-with-no-and-low-money-down?utm_source=owned_media Sign Up for the Real Estate Rookie Newsletter: https://www.biggerpockets.com/email-subscribe?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area: http://biggerpockets.com/agentmatch What Is a “Good” Deal in Real Estate? 5 Criteria to Consider: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/definition-good-deal-real-estate?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Ashley and Tony: Ashley: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/ashkehr?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Tony: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/tonyr75?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Not knowing the difference between a “good” real estate deal and a “bad” one keeps _many_ rookies on the sidelines. If this is the one hurdle preventing you from buying your first rental property, don’t worry—today’s episode will give you the confidence to find, analyze, and buy a _great_ deal in 2026! Welcome back to another Rookie Reply! We’ve got three new questions from the BiggerPockets Forums, the first of which comes from someone who’s struggling to find the right investment property. As you’re about to hear, a _good_ deal for one person might be a _bad_ deal for another, so the key is pinning down your real estate investing goals. We’ll show you how to do just that _and_ provide you with a few key metrics and rules of thumb to make your decision a little easier! Next, do you need to hire a general contractor when renovating a house, or can you oversee the work yourself? The answer is more nuanced than you probably think. Finally, we’ll tackle every rookie’s million-dollar question: Is _now_ the best time to invest in real estate, or is it safer to wait out 2026? We set the record straight! 00:00 Intro 00:35 What Makes a “Good” Deal? 10:21 Hiring a General Contractor 18:03 Should You BUY in 2026? 21:52 Send Us Your Question!