113: Investing in Real Estate with Happiness in Mind with Catie Lawrence

Everyone has different motivations for their real estate investing journey, but nearly all investors' end goal is creating or funding a lifestyle they’ve dreamed about. Maybe it’s traveling the world or funding a kid’s college without debt. Whatever it is, happiness is the ultimate goal.

On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Catie Lawrence to the show. Catie is a real estate investor and agent based in the Denver, Colorado, area who left her W-2 position two years ago. She is also an Airbnb superhost, a fix-and-flipper, and a financial freedom advocate.

Jonathan and Catie start their conversation by exploring Catie’s accidental entry into real estate investing with her husband, Mike, when they moved to Colorado from the East Coast and held on to their home. You’ll hear about her first intentional property investment, how she finds deals through networking and wholesale, and why she is opportunity-focused rather than paying attention to FOMO. Catie explains how she limits her time on social media, her focus on financial freedom, and the benefits of holding a real estate license as an investor.

Catie Lawrence left her W-2 job behind to pursue happiness and success in real estate, and her conversation with Jonathan explores each intentional step she takes to increase her financial freedom.

In this episode, you will hear:

How Catie knew it was time to quit her W-2 and pursue real estate full-time
Her introduction to real estate investing, her experience with long-distance landlording, and why turnover was the biggest issue
Automating property management and being proactive as you manage the property
The first property Catie bought off-market and what she and her husband did to flip it
The benefits of buying flips in familiar neighborhoods
Finding deals through networking and wholesale
Properties Catie retains versus the ones she and her husband opt to sell
Being opportunity-focused instead of having FOMO
Finding a mentor and Catie’s advice for finding the right meetups
Sifting through social media to find good information
Why you should consider putting a limit on your social media time and curating who you follow
When Catie Lawrence realized she was a real estate investor
Understanding what you want long-term to create financial freedom
Analyzing flips to determine which ones to keep and which to sell
The benefits of having a real estate license as an investor

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