Why I Became the Investor-Friendly Agent: Designing a Life on Real Estate

I became the investor-friendly agent because I was a landlord first. I rented out my own home in 2016 while living on the road, learned that "getting into real estate" really means owning assets for the long haul, and later built my career around working only with investors. That choice gave my family steady income and flexibility, and it's the engine of the life I'm designing today.

I didn't plan any of this. I came to real estate a little backwards, and that's exactly why I understand investors the way I do. Here's the story, what being a landlord taught me and why I believe working with investors is an opportunity, not a burden.

How did living in a camper get me into real estate?

I was working in academics at the OU Health Science Center when my husband at the time took a job in Colorado. In 2016, I wanted to use that season to explore life on the road with him. So we moved out of our home in Oklahoma and into a camper with my two-year-old son, and we rented our house out.

We lived in several RV parks in Colorado and Texas, and a lot of our neighbors were retirees. I started asking them, "What advice would you give me now, being so young, to prepare for life?" Over and over, they said the same thing: get into real estate.

I took that literally at first. While I was still on the road, I got my real estate license in 2017. But I didn't realize that "getting into real estate" didn't mean being an agent. What those retirees really meant was owning assets and holding them for thirty-plus years.

And we already owned one. Our house in Oklahoma was rented out. I thought, well, shoot, I guess I need to figure out what being a landlord is really like.

What surprised me about becoming a landlord?

We did it a little backwards. We had no plan beyond covering our mortgage by renting out the house. Then it came time to file those first taxes, and the rental actually gave us a little tax break.

I was genuinely shocked. I wasn't in real estate. I was in academics and research, and he was in oil and gas and pipelining. We were young. We knew investing was important, but we didn't know what to do or how to do it.

That surprise sent me looking for answers. I bought real estate investing books, both the classics and newer ones, and I started listening to real estate investing podcasts.

How did BiggerPockets shape the way I design my life?

The podcast that changed everything for me was BiggerPockets, back when Brandon Turner and David Greene were hosting. Each week there was a mindset episode and a strategy episode.

The mindset episodes asked the big questions: What's your vision? What are your goals? What's your why? How are you going to get there, and how do you design your life? That had a bigger impact on me than anything else. Through the podcast, I also discovered Cameron Herold, a business coach and the author of Vivid Vision in his own right, and that idea of writing out a detailed picture of the life you want stuck with me.

The strategy episodes taught me the how of real estate investing. I listened every single week for a good four years. When I caught up, I went back through older episodes. It showed me the mindset behind investing and what it means to design your life on purpose.

What I respected most about Brandon was how he put his family first when designing his life. That hit home. The more kids we had, the more I realized how important passive income is and how much I wanted to be there for my kids while raising them. For us, that's a hybrid approach: daycare and public school, plus me teaching them what isn't taught in school, like life skills, business skills and entrepreneurial skills.

Why does an investor community matter?

When I joined a local meetup group for investors, it was so refreshing to hear the same sentiments over and over from people with similar life goals and in a similar life stage. It was a community of like-minded people who validated why we were doing what we were doing and how to get there.

It also reminded me that the right path depends on your circumstances. Where are you at? What are your finances? What are you actually capable of doing? I got radically real about what we could feasibly do and how much money we could devote to investing, retirement, savings and trips, so we could still live life. Finding that balance became an interesting part of the journey.

Why did I decide to work only with investors?

We eventually moved back into our home in Oklahoma. As a general residential agent there, I had meager success. I thought being an agent was all lead generation and being charismatic, and honestly, I didn't understand that side of it.

Then a job relocation took us to Texas, right as COVID hit. Jobs in oil and gas felt uncertain, and it struck a chord: we really could have used passive income this entire time. COVID sped up both my willingness and my need to build it. I wasn't planning to be a stay-at-home mom, but I had babies who needed nursing and care, and I needed to figure out a lifestyle that could support that.

That's when I had my lightbulb moment. If I got my license back in Texas, I would work only with investors. And that's what I did. COVID impacted everyone's income in real estate, but my goal was to surround myself with like-minded people who were doing real estate and real estate investing, so I could become that too.

What did working with investors give my family?

Some of the best parts were things I never expected:

• I could work from home. I shopped for homes online for investors who wanted rental properties that cash flowed. I got to be the person who literally shops from home, with a baby and my two older kids nearby.
• I could be a mom when it mattered. I could do school drop-offs and pickups without a time clock.
• Showings were purposeful. My investors treated this like a job too. We only toured a home once the numbers, location and area made sense, so showings were limited.
• Showings happened midday on weekdays. My investors didn't want to take time away from their own families on evenings and weekends either.

It jump-started my reputation and my career, gave our family sustaining income and immersed me in the industry. I loved it.

How did agenting become a business I love?

I never envisioned being an investor-friendly agent as my entire career path, until life changed again.

To be fully transparent, I went through a divorce. I had spent a lot of my time helping my ex-husband grow and develop his company, and it didn't work out in my favor. That brought real estate and investing back into focus for me, and it reminded me how important it is to build something of my own.

So I took my experience, including everything I'd learned about business operations, and started applying it to my own business. I used to see being an agent as a means to an end. Falling in love with this work changed that, and I've developed it into a sustainable business. Now I'm passionate about showing other agents that working with investors is an opportunity, not a burden. I hear that "burden" attitude throughout the industry, and I want to change it.

(Running a lean business is also why I lean on systems. I wrote about that in How I Run Multiple Businesses With an AI Team.)

What did being a landlord teach me that makes me a better agent?

A lot of the investors I work with are new to the game, and I coach them on landlording and their risk tolerance. I want them to know the real-life expenses and real-life expectations, and the limits of expecting too much. Here's what I tell them:

• Tenants vary. Sometimes you'll have good ones and sometimes bad ones. Some pay late. Some abandon the lease.
• Know your laws. Learn the landlord laws in your state and county.
• Have an exit strategy. Understand how you'll get out before you get in.
• Keep cash reserves for each property. This is crucial.
• New homes aren't perfect either. Warranties are great, but things always happen.
• Screening isn't perfect. Tenant screening helps, but it's not a perfect system.
• People are people. Property managers and contractors don't always perform the same for everyone. Adjust your expectations, even with recommendations.

What does it look like when an investor's plan clicks?

One client came to me very interested in short-term rentals, plus something about flipping an apartment complex. Big, bold strategies, which was awesome. I love big visions and bold goals. My job is to say, yes, let's set the path to get there, but let's be reasonable with expectations.

We talked through the different passive and active income strategies in real estate investing. They decided to flip. They built a multi-year plan: flip houses until they hit certain numbers, then buy small apartments, fix them up and sell them to other investors, and eventually buy and hold larger apartments.

I helped them see that path clearly, and we've done about four or five flip transactions together. They're still on their way to their goal, and I love being part of it.

What does my financial life look like in 10 years?

I think real estate can be a good, even playing field, both for people just getting started and for people who have a lot of money. You can start by door knocking with no advertising, or you can advertise like crazy to find off-market deals.

The longer you're in the industry, the more you can lean on the people and connections you make, and over time, you'll own the assets. If you want a retirement portfolio of rentals that are paid off in 30 years, you can build it. And creative strategies like owner financing exist, so you can still reach your goals with no money down.

Assess where you are right now and build momentum from there. Starting is the hardest part. Keeping it going is easier than starting.

Ten years from now, I want good systems in place so I can keep acquiring. In my opinion, you might only need about three rental properties for a diverse retirement portfolio. That's my personal view, not a guarantee, and your number depends on your goals and circumstances.

This post shares my personal experience and opinions. It isn't financial, tax or legal advice. Talk with a qualified professional about your situation.

FAQ

What is an investor-friendly agent?

An investor-friendly agent understands how investors evaluate property. They look at the numbers, location and strategy first, only schedule showings that make sense and help clients plan for real-life expenses like reserves, repairs and tenant turnover.

Should an investor use an agent who also invests?

It helps. An agent who has been a landlord knows the real expenses and expectations, from late payments and abandoned leases to the limits of tenant screening, and can help you plan for them before you buy.

How do I start investing in real estate with one property?

Get radically real about your budget for investing, savings and living life. Learn from books, podcasts and a local investor community, keep cash reserves for the property, know your state and county landlord laws and have an exit strategy. Starting is the hardest part, and momentum builds from there.

Ready to design your life on real estate?

Whether you're buying your first rental or mapping a multi-year plan, I'd love to help you see the path clearly. Reach out to me.