124: Building a Real Estate Empire At a Young Age with Jered Sturm

7 Dec 2025 · 67 min
Episode

7 Dec 2025 · 67 min

0:00

Podcast episode (BiggerPockets Show #124, May 28, 2015) featuring Jered Sturm (age 25) interviewed by Josh Dworkin and Brandon Turner. Jered describes starting as a handyman/contractor in high school, buying his first house right after graduation (house-hacked it), and using labor skills to renovate distressed properties. He and his brother built a portfolio of ~20 rental units by buying low, doing most repairs themselves, then using portfolio lenders and cash-out refinances to pull equity and scale. He also discusses transitioning into flips (example: bought a flip at $125k, listing at ~$220k; spent ~$25k cash plus labor valued at ~$15k), finding deals via MLS and networking, assuming a seller-held mortgage on a 5-unit (assumed $70k balance + $5k to seller), recruiting a property manager and converting them to partner, and advantages of starting young (time/exponential growth). Practical tips include building a lender portfolio packet, testing property managers by calling as a tenant, and prioritizing saving before flipping.

Questions this episode answers

25

20 units

Cincinnati, Ohio

Purchase price $125,000; intended list price about $220,000

About $25,000 cash (owner labor valued adding to ~40,000 total if paid)

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