{"podcast":{"title":"Real Estate Rookie","slug":"real-estate-rookie-357883","podcast_index_feed_id":357883,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/BIGPOC2551091725","website_url":"https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcasts/real-estate-rookie","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/70ad27f8-8246-11ed-8a9b-7704869d9f36/image/6ee599e7892f77ce6d5fc57a1398adf2.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"BiggerPockets","episode_count":759,"summary":"Ready to build your real estate empire… but not sure where to begin? Think of us as your personal trainer. From detailed breakdowns of real-world deals… to one-on-one coaching sessions and a warm, welcoming community… hosts Ashley Kehr and Tony J Robinson bring on a wide range of guests to tackle the “newbie” questions you've wondered about but might be afraid to ask. Looking to 10X your real estate investing business this year? This show isn’t for you. Looking for your first, second, or third deal -- or envisioning a more modest portfolio? Step right up. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we’ll arm you with the tips, tools, and roadmaps you'll need as you embark on your journey toward financial freedom.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-29T22:18:37.005078+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-estate-rookie-357883"},"episode":{"title":"How to House Hack Your Way Out of $200K in Student Loan Debt!","slug":"how-to-house-hack-your-way-out-of-200k-in-student-loan-debt","published_at":"2026-06-22T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-estate-rookie-357883/how-to-house-hack-your-way-out-of-200k-in-student-loan-debt","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-estate-rookie-357883","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/tracking.swap.fm/track/p5fhOfGH2wHmde5UefB4/traffic.megaphone.fm/BIGPOC8933443291.mp3","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/tracking.swap.fm/track/p5fhOfGH2wHmde5UefB4/traffic.megaphone.fm/BIGPOC8933443291.mp3","summary":"At 31, James sat down at a kitchen table with his wife Aida, ran the numbers on the next 30 years, and didn't like what he saw—$200,000 in student loans and a retirement plan neither of them believed in. So they stopped waiting for a change, and built something instead. Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Our guest, James Doren, and wife, Aida, didn't have a trust fund or an obvious path forward. They had a spreadsheet, a private money lender, and an empty space above their garage. This accessory dwelling unit (ADU) solution added 50% value on their equity, wiped out their student loans, and set them on a path that most investors never consider: intentionally shrinking their portfolio from 10 doors to 4. But the deal that surprised them most didn't come from an agent or Zillow. It came from a tenant who knocked on their door with a problem the bank couldn't solve! James breaks down the house hack that started it all, how he convinced a private money lender to fund the build, and the rent-to-own agreement he structured for his tenant that gave both sides exactly what they needed. If you've ever sat at your own kitchen table and wondered if there's a better way…James's story is your proof that there is! In This Episode We Cover How James and Aida used weekly money dates to align on their financial goals and take their first step into real estate The ADU build that created $160K in equity How to approach a private money lender and handle the tough questions Why James intentionally sold 6 properties and why owning fewer doors actually made him more money! The rent-to-own agreement a tenant brought to them: how it works, what an option fee is, and why it removed all their risk And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…","meta_description":"At 31, James sat down at a kitchen table with his wife Aida, ran the numbers on the next 30 years, and didn't like what he saw—$200,000 in student loans a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2331,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/real-estate-rookie-357883/episodes/how-to-house-hack-your-way-out-of-200k-in-student-loan-debt/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-estate-rookie-357883/how-to-house-hack-your-way-out-of-200k-in-student-loan-debt.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}