Introduction to Jared Cuyler
My name is Jared Cuyler and I got started in real estate investing back in January of 2017. I'm 26 years old and to date, I have flipped one house and I currently own twelve rental properties.
I recently separated from active duty in January after a six-year enlistment in the Air Force. I was stationed at Eglin AFB, Florida throughout my entire enlistment and all of the properties I own are around the Fort Walton Beach/Destin, Florida area.
Now I am a full-time investor and am in the Air Force Reserves. To be in the position I am currently in living off the cash flow from my rental properties I have had to take on an enormous amount of risk.
I liquidated my entire life savings and put every last dollar I had into real estate, luckily it has worked out so far.
Questions and Answers
1. What motivated you to take action, and invest in real estate?
Answer: I grew up in a military family, and with that, my dad was deployed for most of my childhood because he was in throughout the entirety of the campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have always understood he did what he had to do, but I can't say it had no effect on me.
While I myself was deployed to Afghanistan in 2016 I began to think of ways in which I could make a living on my terms without having to be away from my family when I have one someday.
I began to do some research and initially was very interested in the stock market, but the fact that I was not truly in control of my investment turned me off. I began listening to investing podcasts and the idea of investing in real estate came up.
Then I found the BiggerPockets Podcast and after many endless nights listening while sitting in an MATV on the Bagram flight line, I was hooked. I returned home and bought my first two properties within two months of being back.
2. If an E-1/E-2 walked up to you and asked for your advice about investing and you only had a few minutes to give them your best tip, what would it be?
Answer: I would first ask them about their personal financial situation. Before anyone begins to think about investing they should ensure their finances are squared away. Do they have any debt? Do they have credit established? What about having an emergency fund saved?
If they are well set in those fields I would then tell them to do some research, read some books, and educate themselves. I personally love investing in real estate and take a very hands-on approach, but some people may prefer to take a different route and invest their money elsewhere.
Once they have some knowledge then I would highly advise them to take action immediately. You must make the choice, to take the chance, if you want anything in life to change.
3. What is one thing you wish the military had taught you about real estate investing/finances early in your career?
Answer: I don't think the military should be in the business of educating people on real estate investing. I do recall going through some mandatory training on managing personal finances, which I believe was beneficial. Although during the training, the material presented brought up the “phenomenon” of compound interest far too often as if it were one of the wonders of the world. While I agree that it is powerful, I personally do not know many people that became financially free prior to the typical retirement age from compound interest alone.
Individuals should take what the military teaches them about finances for what it's worth and educate themselves on other financial vehicles to invest in if they so desire.
4. What makes the Jared Cuyler method of investing in real estate unique, and/or successful?
Answer: It may sound crazy, but I personally would not recommend the route I have taken up to this point to anyone in their right mind. Upon returning from deployment at the end of 2016 and purchasing my first two properties
I have gone on to purchase ten additional properties to bring my total to twelve today, which does not include a house I flipped at the end of 2017. It sounds great, but it has taken a lot of sacrifices and a lot of capital to get where I am. So far each property I have invested in has been a value-add in need of some renovating.
On each property, I would say I completed 80% of the work myself. Add in living without hot water for over a month, eating a diet that consisted of anything delicious that could be prepared from a mini-fridge and a microwave for over a year, and living in Florida for the past 10 months without air conditioning it has made for quite an interesting and trying ride.
I separated from active duty back in January of this year and have been living solely off the cash-flow my properties put out each month, so I would say it has all been worth it, but I still have a long way to go.
5. What is one resource (book, course, website, etc.) that you would recommend to anybody getting started in real estate investing?
Answer: It's difficult to single out one resource that I would recommend to anyone looking to get started in real estate investing, but if I had to choose it would be BiggerPockets. Without initially coming across that website and the great podcasts they put out I would not be where I am today. As a bonus, I'll say that The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone has given me the drive and inspiration to truly “10X” my life and real estate investing. Read it!
If you’re a driven and motivated person with huge dreams please reach out and follow me on Instagram @cuylerjr.
You are the average of the five people you associate most with. The sky is not the limit, you are.
Closing | Jared Cuyler
Takeaways from Jared Cuyler
#1: Personal finance must be intact before investing in real estate in order to provide a safety net!
#2: Real estate investing isn't always as glamorous as you think, but it pays off!
#3: Educate yourself about real estate investing, and take action!
Thank you, Jared, for taking the time out of your busy schedule, and we look forward to seeing what the future has in store for you!
Becoming a Military Millionaire
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