Christian OsgoodCEO, Multifamily Strategy · CEO at Multifamily Strategy

Treat Real Estate Like a Business

29 Jul 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:11

In this segment of Christian Osgood's YouTube video, a debate unfolds about the relevance of buying rental properties for appreciation and debt paydown. Speaker A argues that the traditional rationale—appreciation and mortgage paydown—no longer makes sense in today's market, claiming that buying rentals is a bad investment now. Christian Osgood strongly counters, asserting that real estate should be purchased primarily for cash flow, with appreciation, depreciation, and especially leverage serving as additional benefits. He cites his own aggressive acquisition activity—224 units already bought this year, contracts for another 280, and potential add‑ons—highlighting a $13 million deal secured with only $700 k down. Osgood emphasizes that current market pain, caused by previous over‑buying, creates the best buying conditions, and stresses that investors must treat real estate like a business, focusing on cash‑flow generation today while still capturing appreciation and tax advantages.

Chapters

Properties, because anybody telling you to buy rental properties right now bought rental properties 20 years ago when they're acting like it's still a good investment in today's market. It's not. So the number one reason that people say you should buy rental properties is appreciation and debt paydown, right? So over time, somebody pays off your mortgage.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Sorry, Brian's actually a friend, but he's so wrong on real estate specifically. First of all, you buy based on cash flow and you get appreciation and depreciation, all these other good benefits, and the leverage point allows you to make Honestly, a crazy amount of money. I am buying real estate right now, about 224 units this year, went under contract for another 280, likely to pick up an extra 172 on top of that if the deal pans out. The point is I'm actively buying right now and the deals we're doing, there's a $13 million deal we're doing $700,000 down. There is actual pain in the market because people bought wrong in the past, making right now the actual best time to buy real estate. Buy it where it cash flows today, increase your income now, and then yes, you'll get appreciation, all the other things. He's not factoring for the leverage point that you can get in right now, and he's assuming that you're not buying based on cash flow, which is the wrong way to do any business. You just gotta treat your real estate like a business.