How to Buy Real Estate With $0 (Fail-proof Formula That Actually Works)
Tired of paying to store your gold? Then check out our sponsor, Monetary Metals!. Working with them you can earn up to 4% a year in physical gold, without selling it, learn more at this link: https://www.monetary-metals.com/ken You don’t need money to buy real estate. You need a deal. In this video, I break down the exact strategy I’ve used to buy millions in real estate with zero dollars out of my own pocket, and how you can do the same. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to scale, this fail-proof formula will show you how to: ✅ Find undervalued deals with built-in upside ✅ Spot motivated sellers and mismanaged properties ✅ Build a team, raise capital, and structure deals ✅ Exchange sweat for equity — and keep a piece of the upside ✅ Create infinite returns by forcing appreciation and refinancing I also walk through real-world examples, including how we turned a simple billboard into a 16-ad digital cash machine, and how that sparked a new business. The mindset shift is this: stop chasing money. Start solving problems. The capital will follow. Ken has a new YouTube channel for his podcast! Check it out and subscribe at this link: https://YouTube.com/@KenMcElroyPodcast Follow Ken on social media at: https://x.com/kenmcelroy • • • Be sure to click the bell to be notified as soon as the next informational video is posted! Visit Ken’s Bookstore: https://kenmcelroy.com/bookstore • ABOUT KEN: Ken is the author of the bestselling books The ABC’s of Real Estate Investing, The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing, The ABC’s of Property Management, and has an upcoming book: “ABCs of Buying Rental Property: How You Can Achieve Financial Freedom in Five Years.” Ken is a Rich Dad Advisor. Ken offers a wealth of personal experiences, practical advice, success stories, and even some informative setbacks, all presented here to educate and inspire. Whether you’re a new or seasoned investor, the information and resources on this channel will set you on a path where you and your investments can thrive. Ken’s company: https://mccompanies.com/ • DISCLAIMERS: Any information or advice available on this channel is intended for educational and general guidance only. Ken McElroy and KenMcElroy.com, LLC shall not be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of any of the content available on this channel. Consult a financial advisor or other wealth management professional before you make investments of any kind. Although Ken McElroy and his affiliates take all reasonable care to ensure that the contents of this channel are accurate and up-to-date, all information contained on it is provided ‘as is.’ Ken McElroy makes no warranties or representations of any kind concerning the accuracy or suitability of the information contained on this channel. Any links to other websites are provided only as a convenience and KenMcElroy.com, LLC encourages you to read the privacy statements of any third-party websites. All comments will be reviewed by the KenMcElroy.com staff and may be deleted if deemed inappropriate. Comments which are off-topic, offensive or promotional will not be posted. The comments/posts are from members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ken McElroy and his affiliates. 2025 KenMcElroy.com, LLC. All Rights Reserved. #kenmcelroy #realestate #realestateinvesting source
Are You Letting Wall Street Control Your Retirement?
What if your retirement account could fund your next real estate deal? Most people let Wall Street babysit their retirement but here’s the truth: you can take control. With a self-directed IRA, you decide where the money goes not some fund manager. Real financial freedom starts when you stop outsourcing your future. The wealthiest investors don’t hope their 401k grows they strategically direct it into cash-flowing assets. Comment #Expenses and I’ll send you our “Know Your Personal Expenses” guide because the first step to investing smarter is knowing exactly what you’re working with. #CashFlowIsKing #InvestWithIntention #TakeControl source
Are You Raising Money… or Breaking the Law?
Raising capital from friends and family? That’s a 506b. Posting your deal on Facebook? Now you’ve stepped into 506c territory. Here’s the truth: most new investors break SEC rules before they even close their first deal. Not because they mean to but because no one ever teaches them the difference. Understand this raising capital is regulated. You don’t get to ignore the rules just because it’s a “small deal.” If you want to raise money legally and scale, you need to know the game you’re playing. Comment #Apt and I’ll send you exactly what MC Companies looks for in an apartment deal so you can focus on finding the right opportunities and avoid costly mistakes. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyMindset #RaiseCapitalRight source
Are You Overpaying Just to Win the Deal?
If everyone’s got the same numbers why are some people paying $5M more? This is where investors lose their discipline. Same rent roll, same debt, same interest rates but someone always overpays just to win the deal. Here’s the truth: you can make any deal work on paper. But that doesn’t make it a good deal. Smart investors don’t chase they calculate. We walk away when it doesn’t pencil, no matter how hot the bidding gets. Comment #Apt and I’ll send you exactly what MC Companies looks for in an apartment deal so you can separate real value from hype. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyDiscipline #BuyOnTheNumbers source
Is Your Retirement Fund Working for You?
Your retirement account isn’t stuck it’s just mismanaged. Most people don’t realize the money in their 401k or pension is theirs. And with a self-directed IRA, they could be using it to invest in real estate deals instead of riding the Wall Street rollercoaster. Here’s the mindset shift: real control starts when you stop handing over your future to someone else. Comment #Expenses and I’ll send you our “Know Your Personal Expenses” guide because taking charge of your money starts with knowing exactly where it’s going. #CashFlowIsKing #InvestWithControl #SelfDirectedIRA source
Are You Chasing Deals… Just to Stay Afloat?
If the deal only works because of the acquisition fee it’s not a real deal. A lot of syndicators scaled fast in 2021 and 2022 but they were funding their business by buying more properties, not by building real cash flow. Here’s the problem: when the buying stops, the income stops. And suddenly, they’re stuck holding overpriced assets just to keep the lights on. This is why you buy based on fundamentals, not fees. Long-term wealth is built on cash flow, not transactions. Comment #Apt and I’ll send you what MC Companies looks for in a real apartment deal so you’re not stuck chasing the next closing just to survive. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyDeals #SmartInvesting source
Raising Capital? Start Here First.
Think your deal isn’t a security? That’s how people get burned. Here’s the truth if you’re taking passive investor money and doing all the work, you’re selling a security. Period. Doesn’t matter if it’s your uncle, a joint venture, or a “small deal.” Most investors don’t know this, and that’s where the real risk begins. Raising capital without understanding securities law is like flying blind in a storm you might make it, but odds are you’ll crash. If you want to raise money, protect your investors, and actually scale, you need to understand how to do it right. Comment #Qualify and I’ll send you our guide to Qualifying as a Real Estate Professional because knowing the rules is how pros win. #CashFlowIsKing #RaiseCapitalRight #MultifamilyMindset source
Are You Losing LP Trust Without Knowing It?
Raising capital is easy keeping trust is where most syndicators fail. In hot markets, deals got done by whoever could pay the most. But now? LPs are looking around, wondering where the updates went. You can’t just perform on paper you’ve got to communicate in real time. Because when things get bumpy, silence destroys credibility. The best operators know: communication builds trust, and trust builds long-term capital. Comment #Apt and I’ll send you what MC Companies looks for in an apartment deal because a good deal is only the start. How you lead after the close is what really matters. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyTrust #OperateWithIntegrity source
Ready to Scale Your Syndication Business?
You can’t scale without raising capital and you can’t raise capital without a real deal. Most investors think it’s hard to find money. It’s not. The real challenge is becoming the kind of operator LPs want to invest with. There’s a massive pool of capital out there right now just waiting for someone who knows what they’re doing. If you want to grow, stop chasing money and start chasing better deals. Comment #Apt and I’ll send you exactly what MC Companies looks for in an apartment deal so you can start attracting the right investors for the right reasons. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyScale #SmartOperatorsWin source
Can You Legally Raise Money from Non-Accredited Investors?
There’s no gray area here. You’re either accredited or you’re not. Most first-time syndicators get stuck here thinking they can’t raise capital unless their investors are wealthy. That’s just not true. If you truly understand 506b, you’ll see it’s the perfect path to get your deal off the ground. You can bring in up to 35 non-accredited investors as long as they’re sophisticated. This is how you start building real cash flow with people already in your corner. But it all hinges on one thing: the quality of your deal. Comment #Multi and I’ll send you the exact Multi-Family Deal Due Diligence Checklist we use before putting investor money into any property. #CashFlowIsKing #MultifamilyDeals #RaiseCapitalRight source