Jessica Starr is passionate about investing. So much so that she and team member Doug Hagen created a multi-part course titled Design. Build. Live to help others with their investment journeys. While they are not financial advisors or tax experts (and we all recommend talking to an expert in these areas when making big monetary decisions!), Jess and Doug have taken the things they wish they knew when they started, as well as the mistakes they learned from along the way in order to create lessons everyone can benefit from. They believe that their track record as investors and agents can help people to think a little differently when it comes to investing in real estate.

Taking the leap into owning investment properties can feel scary. Jessica knows this. In fact, she admittedly doesn’t like debt. But as part of a single-income family of six who has tripled their net worth in the past three years, she’s gotten really good at looking at opportunities where others pay down her debt (for instance: different kinds of property rentals!). She’s owned nine investment properties that have helped build her net worth in different ways. Sound enticing? You bet! But before investing, she suggests taking the time to figure out your personal freedom number. Different from your net worth, your personal freedom number is the amount you need to earn each month through passive income to live the life you want. It can shape your approach to investment opportunities. Jess’s passive income number has changed over time – and yours may too.

When Doug Hagen joined the Starr team at the end of 2021, he’d been thinking about investing for five years, but hadn’t yet made his move. Like many people also experience, he had analysis paralysis. He didn’t have a mentor at the time and worried he would make a mistake. When he finally purchased his first investment property, his strategy differed from Jess’s, although it suited his needs perfectly. Doug joined forces with people he both trusted and whose goals were in alignment with his own in order to have ownership in a property, while getting help with property management, and growing his net worth. He also received guidance on how to structure the business to best protect from liabilities.

In this introductory session, Jess and Doug examine the idea that when it comes to real estate investing, it’s not how much money you make, but instead, how much money you keep. And if you’re strategic about the assets you purchase, the ways you finance them, and the tax strategies you employ (with the help of a CPA!) – you can earn more through investing than you may have believed to be possible. Through their teaching of the entire Design. Build. Live. multi-session course, they want to make attendees feel empowered, equipped and excited for their own real estate journeys.

As Jess and Doug teach, one of the most important things to keep in mind when embarking on an investment journey is the “why” that drives you. Take the time to figure it out. It will help you determine the reasons you want to pursue wealth building through investments. In addition, knowing your why can help you understand the investment strategies that will best suit your needs, whether you’re looking to flip properties, pursue short-term rentals, or hold properties for the long-term.

Remember, wealth building journeys look different for everyone. After all, your needs and goals are different from your neighbor. Your path will be different too. However, when you decide to build your wealth through real estate, you can follow a guided system to ensure that you take the emotion and risk out of the purchases and simplify the decision-making process. Through signing up for their deeper dive sessions of Design. Build. Live., Jess and Doug can show you how to make this journey a positive one to embark on.