2025 isn’t just another year in the housing cycle, it’s a new landscape altogether. High interest rates are lingering, affordability is stretched, and competition is evolving. If you want to grow your real estate portfolio or start one, you can’t rely on last year’s tactics. You need to think differently.
Over the last 15+ years of investing, I’ve seen a lot change. But while the core strategy has stayed the same, investing for the long term, buying high-quality assets at fair prices, and using active income to build equity, the tactics have shifted with every cycle. What worked in 2018 didn’t work in 2021. What worked in 2021 definitely won’t work now.
So today, I’m sharing five real estate hacks that are actually working right now, not next year, not five years ago. These are the strategies I’m using personally, or that I’ve picked up from hundreds of conversations with successful investors across the country.
1. Be Offer-Ready (Before the Deal Hits)
If there’s one hack I’d recommend to every investor, especially new investors, it’s this: be ready to write an offer the moment a good deal shows up.
Even in a market with more inventory and slower movement, the good deals still move fast. If you’re not offer-ready, someone else will get there first. Being ready doesn’t just mean mentally prepared. It means structurally prepared.
Here’s how to do it:
- Work with a great investor-friendly agent who knows your buy box and can move quickly.
- Have your pre-approval in place or your financing lined up.
- Line up contractors or a property manager so you can move fast on due diligence.
- Set benchmarks for what a “green light” deal looks like in your market. Know your numbers before you even tour the property.
Pro tip: BiggerPockets Pro members can use BiggerDeals to analyze and benchmark properties instantly, great for speeding up this process.
2. Use the Delayed BRRRR to Manage Risk
The classic BRRRR strategy, Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat, was a major wealth-building tool in the last cycle. But in 2025, the math doesn’t pencil out as easily. Appraisals are flatter. Rates are higher. And risk tolerance is lower.
That’s why I’ve shifted to what I call the Delayed BRRRR.
Here’s how it works: Instead of trying to refinance immediately after stabilization, you give the deal time. You buy the property at a discount (maybe a $300,000 duplex), put 25% down, and cash flow right away. You still renovate and stabilize the asset, but instead of rushing the refinance, you hold the property until conditions improve.
Yes, this delays your ability to recycle capital. But it gives you more optionality and significantly lowers your downside. And in today’s market, that tradeoff makes sense. I’m doing deals like this myself because they reduce exposure and still build long-term equity.
3. Shift to Secondary and Tertiary Markets
The biggest housing corrections we’ve seen have come from the hottest primary markets, places that saw huge investor demand, rising prices, and major affordability problems.
In 2025, I’m targeting secondary and tertiary markets with solid fundamentals: job growth, affordability, and a landlord-friendly legal environment. These markets tend to have:
- Better cash-on-cash returns (often 8–10%+)
- Less investor competition
- Strong rental demand and tighter inventory
And you don’t necessarily have to go out-of-state to find them. Look for satellite cities near major metros. Think: Colorado Springs instead of Denver, Akron instead of Cleveland, Knoxville instead of Nashville.
Tools like Rentometer, Mashvisor, and BiggerPockets Market Finder can help you identify and analyze these markets with real data.
4. Turn Your Primary Home Into an Investment
I hear it all the time: “You can’t count your primary residence as an investment.”
I disagree. In 2025, when housing is expensive no matter what you do, house hacking and live-in flipping are more relevant than ever.
When done right, your primary home can be a powerful wealth-building asset:
- House Hacking: Rent out part of your home (a room, a basement, or a duplex unit) to offset your mortgage and build equity while lowering expenses.
- Live-In Flipping: Buy a home that needs light rehab, fix it over 1–2 years, and sell it tax-free (up to $250K profit as a single filer, $500K married) thanks to the capital gains exclusion on primary residences.
You don’t need to overthink it. Just ask: How can I reduce my housing costs while building long-term wealth? If you can pull that off with your primary home, you’re already ahead.
5. Find and Assume Someone’s 3% Mortgage (Legally)
Yes, 3% mortgages still exist, and no, I’m not joking.
Between 2020 and 2022, millions of FHA, VA, and USDA loans were originated at sub-3% fixed rates. Many of those loans are assumable, which means a qualified buyer can step into the seller’s existing mortgage, including the original rate, terms, and balance.
Here’s what that looks like:
Let’s say a seller took out an FHA loan in 2021 at 2.75% and still owes $310,000. Instead of getting a new loan at 6.5%, you assume theirs on a 30-year term, that could save you hundreds per month in interest and give your deal the cash flow edge you need.
What’s the catch?
- You need to cover the seller’s equity, either with cash, a second loan, or seller financing.
- You’ll go through formal loan qualification with the servicer (credit check, income verification, etc.).
- In most cases, you have to be an owner-occupant, so this works best for house hackers and live-in investors.
How to find assumable deals:
- Look for listings from 2020–2022 where sellers may still have FHA, VA, or USDA loans.
- Ask directly: “Is your mortgage assumable?”
- Work with agents and wholesalers who understand the process.
This strategy isn’t as widely known, which means there’s less competition and more negotiating power for buyers who can execute it. If you’re a creative investor or just want to win in a high-rate environment, this might be your biggest edge.
Final Thoughts
The market in 2025 isn’t easy. But it’s full of opportunity for the right investor using the right playbook.
Smart investing isn’t about timing the market, it’s about understanding the environment you’re in and adapting accordingly. These five hacks are built for that.
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