Episode #1343 Get Your Free Rental Property Portfolio Checkup, with Mynd: https://www.mynd.co/bp/portfolio-checkup?%20utm_source=biggerpockets&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=bp_midyear_checkup_pm_2026&utm_content=july_newsletter_2026_07_19 16 years ago, *Eric Augustyn* had the *same fear that keeps many of us up at night: What if I get fired?* He had just survived the 2008 financial crash, and while lucky to have a job, Eric was nowhere near financial freedom. This *reliance on his W-2 created a fire* that pushed him to *buy* the one asset everyone was warning him about— *rental properties.* He found one of the *cheapest rentals he could buy,* and *spent nights and weekends fixing it up* to eke out a small profit. And guess what? It worked. After *repeating the system for more than a decade,* Eric now has a *rental property portfolio* that has *given him true financial freedom,* built on the pillars of cash flow, community, and continuous improvement. That made him the perfect choice as *BiggerPockets’ new CEO,* with the *sole mission of helping you reach financial freedom* through real estate (and have an easier time than he did). Today, we get the story on *Eric’s* first rental and his *current portfolio, why he does not self-manage* his rentals, *investing over 2,000 miles away,* and *what’s coming down the BiggerPockets pipeline* that will make buying your first, or next, rental property easier. Episode Show Notes: https://lnk.to/biggerpocketsYT Join BiggerPockets for FREE 👇 https://www.biggerpockets.com/signup?utm_source=owned_media Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! https://www.BiggerPockets.com/Podcastfeedback Grab the Investing Classic, _Rich Dad Poor Dad_ : https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/rich-dad-poor-dad?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Sign Up for the Investor Brief Newsletter: https://www.biggerpockets.com/email-subscribe?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Property Manager Finder: https://biggerpockets.com/findapm BiggerPockets Appoints Active Real Estate Investor Eric Augustyn as CEO, Ushering in a New Era of Platform Innovation: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/biggerpockets-appoints-eric-augustyn-as-ceo?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Eric: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/erica120?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Dave: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/davem27?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none