Start Investing in Real Estate Without a Lot of Money
How to Start Investing in Real Estate Without a Lot of Money
Recently, on my podcast, Keys to Change, I sat down with Ashley Wilson, a real estate powerhouse who has built an impressive investment portfolio. We discussed how to get started investing in real estate.
If you’ve ever thought, "I’d love to invest in real estate, but I just don’t have the money," let me stop you right there. Ashley is the founder of Barard Down Investments LLC and co-founder of Conference Connect. She manages over $165 million in transactions—but she didn’t start out with a mountain of cash.
Ashley’s story proves what I’ve been saying for years: You don’t need a trust fund to get started in real estate. You need strategy, sacrifice, and a willingness to do things differently.
The Myth of Needing Money to Invest in Real Estate
Ashley and her now-husband weren’t rolling in money when they started investing. In fact, she was working in clinical research and development while he was playing professional hockey. But they had one thing in common: a desire to build financial security without relying on the stock market.
When her husband discovered the Bigger Pockets podcast and introduced her to Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the lightbulb went off. They realized that real estate was the key to long-term wealth and jumped in with both feet.
A lot of folks think real estate requires a massive down payment, perfect credit, and years of saving. However, Ashley learned early on that there are plenty of creative ways to buy property.
Getting Started Without a Huge Budget
So, what’s stopping you? If you’re sitting on the sidelines because you think you don’t have enough money, here’s what Ashley would tell you: There are always options. You just have to be willing to use them. Here are some of the strategies she and her husband used to get started:
House Hacking. They bought a property, lived in part of it, and rented out the other units. That rental income covered their mortgage and even put extra cash in their pockets.
Seller Financing. Instead of getting a traditional loan, they worked directly with sellers who were willing to finance the deal themselves. That meant no massive down payment, bank approvals, or waiting around.
Hard Money Loans. They leveraged short-term, high-interest loans from private investors to buy and flip properties. It was risky, but it allowed them to scale quickly.
Partnerships. When they didn’t have the funds, they partnered with others who did. They brought the skills and hustle while their partners provided the capital. Win-win.
Ashley’s biggest lesson was that having money can actually be an advantage. When you’re forced to be resourceful, you learn how to make deals work in any market—a skill that will serve you for life.
The Sacrifices That Make It Possible
A lot of people want financial freedom, but very few are willing to make the sacrifices required to get there. Ashley and her husband were surrounded by teammates living a flashy lifestyle—spending their signing bonuses on luxury cars and vacations.
But they made a different choice. Instead of keeping up with the crowd, they lived below their means and played the long investor’s game.
Let me tell you—this part hits home for me. My husband, Phil, and I made plenty of sacrifices early on, too. We weren’t flipping houses with big investor money. We were buying the worst properties on the block, fixing them up ourselves, and reinvesting every penny.
Are You Willing to Do What It Takes?
If you’re sitting there thinking, Well, that’s great for Ashley, but I just don’t see how I could do it, let me challenge you: Are you actually willing to do what it takes?
Are you willing to:
Live in a small apartment while you save up for your first property?
Buy a fixer-upper instead of a move-in-ready dream home?
Skip eating out so you can put more money toward your investments?
Get creative and look for opportunities instead of excuses?
Ashley said something that stuck with me:
"When the new year rolls around, 90% of people will drop their resolutions. If you can stick with yours, you automatically set yourself apart from the crowd."
And that’s the truth. The majority of people aren’t willing to do what it takes to get ahead—but that’s exactly why there’s so much opportunity for those who are.
Stop Waiting. Start Building.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start investing in real estate, let me tell you—this is it. You don’t need a six-figure income. You don’t need a pile of savings. You just need a plan, the right mindset, and a willingness to work harder than the next person.
Take a page from Ashley’s book: Find a strategy that works for you, make the sacrifices, and get started today. Ten years from now, you’ll either be grateful you took action—or wish you had.
Which one will it be?
Check Out My Book, Too!
If you’re looking for more inspiration on building a business from the ground up, I invite you to pick up my book Starting from Scratch: One Woman’s Pursuit of Family, Business, and the American Dream. It’s packed with real-life lessons on entrepreneurship, perseverance, and making bold moves toward financial freedom.