Brushing up on your real estate investing education doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
It doesn’t matter what skills you’re trying to develop, either, there’s so much information available at our fingertips today that it’s nearly impossible to not find what you’re looking for.
But, with that, comes another problem: having to sift through 1,000’s of low-quality blogs pouring out bad information, misleading investors, and creating content for the sake of selling their schemes.
That’s why, in this guide, we’re going to break down the top 10 best real estate investing blogs to read right now. Our goal is to keep you from wasting time in your investing career by showcasing blogs that have proven they have your best interests at heart — and not just their bottom line revenue.
Here’s 10 of the best REI blogs we’ve found online today.
1. Call Porter
Call Porter was founded by investor Ryan Dossey.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior looking for deals as you’re driving through town or you’re actively managing projects all week long, Ryan’s focus is helping you stop leaving money on the table.
He knows one of the biggest problems facing successful investors today is answering the phone WHEN it rings — because every missed call is another missed opportunity that could have been 10’s of thousands of dollars in your pocket.
When you’re reading the content from Call Porter (like you are now!), you know that it’s coming from being in the trenches and not something they heard from a mastermind somewhere that got repeated on their blog for clout or pageviews.
If you haven’t seen their posts, check out some of their latest content below:
- How To Find & Buy Pre-Foreclosure Homes in Your Market
- How To Start Flipping Houses (With Other People’s Money)
- Real Estate SEO: Ultimate Guide For Agents & Investors
2. Ballpoint Marketing
Ballpoint Marketing places a strong focus on getting more from your direct mail campaigns using what they’ve learned through over 3 years of underground marketing tests in some of THE most competitive markets in the United States.
Where most REI direct mail campaigns fall completely flat, or (at most) get a few tire kickers and time wasters, Ballpoint campaigns have been proven to pull up to 1.5% conversion rates — directly translating to higher conversion rates on deals, too.
Those types of results only come from Ballpoint Marketing’s handwritten mailers (well… they’re robot written, but with real pen and ink so you can’t tell the difference!). Plus, the Ballpoiont Marketing blog is full of knowledge and investing tips. They look at marketing in a different light, always bringing creative new strategies to the table and not charging a dime for them.
Here’s some of the latest content from the BallPoint Marketing blog:
- 19 Real Estate Direct Mail Templates That Work In 2023
- Case Study: Reverse Wholesaling With Direct Mail
- 10 Real Estate Mailing Ideas That ACTUALLY Work
And, when you’re done reading, if you want to get more traction with your direct mail campaigns, it’s highly recommended you test their Ballpoint mailers in your own market.
3. BiggerPockets
The next REI blog you need to be reading (probably on a daily basis, if you’re serious about taking your career to a higher level) is BiggerPockets.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or you’re looking to scale your team and corner your local market, the education and tools available WILL help you build more momentum in your business.
And, since it’s run by active investors with a community of more than 2 million members, it’s become (quite possibly) THE biggest real estate investing resource on the internet today.
Here’s some of the latest from BiggerPockets:
- Could Banking Failures Actually Mean Good News For Multifamily Investors?
- Prepayment Penalty: What It Is And How To Avoid It
- #Airbnbust: The Fall Of Short-Term Rentals
Don’t just stop at their blog, though. Because their forum is recognized as one of THE best resources you can have as an agent or investor.
It doesn’t matter what questions you have, other investors and agents have probably already asked it — and gotten the answers they were looking for in the forum.
Bookmark BiggerPockets and visit it daily if you’re looking for real community & support in this industry.
4. Ryan Dossey
If you’re noticing a trend here, it’s that Ryan Dossey knows investing inside-and-out and loves to pay it forward without asking for anything in return. His own personal blog is a HUGE example of just how much he gives back to the industry.
Ryan’s story is like so many others — he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had to figure out how to become a successful investor by reading, watching, and learning from the greats who came before him.Then putting what he learned to work.
He attributes BiggerPockets to a significant portion of his success. And, now, he’s gone on to become one of the most selfless, giving investors to make sure people just like him are able to find the same level of success he’s found.
You can see it in the free content he releases, like:You can see it in the free content he releases, like:
- 9 Pitfalls Of Flipping Houses To Avoid
- Where Most Investors “Miss” The Mark
- What I Wish People Told Me Before I Started Wholesaling Real Estate
While you’re there, we highly recommend getting on his email list and getting a free copy of his guide on the “28 costly mistakes of an 8-Figure real estate investor… and how to avoid them.”
5. Tools 4 REI
At some point in your career, you’re going to realize that it’s a lot easier (and faster) to rely on the right tools to help manage your data, generate leads, automate your marketing, manage your pipeline and, ultimately, make more money.
But, like any industry, the tools you can rely on may not always deliver on the promises they made to get you to buy. That’s where Tools 4 REI puts their focus: testing and reviewing the software that helps REI businesses save time and money.
When you get to the point you’re ready to start letting software do the heavy lifting for you, you need to spend time on Tools 4 REI to make sure you’re actually getting what was promised on the label.
Check out some of their latest reviews:
We recommend NOT buying any tools until you’ve checked for reviews on Tools 4 REI.
6. Real Estate Skills
Just like the name implies, this blog is about honing your real estate skills.
It’s run by 7-figure real estate entrepreneur, Alex Martinez, who found investing at the ripe old age of 20 years old — and his partner, Ryan Zomorodi, who went from broke student to abandoning his sales job at a Fortune 50 company to pursue real estate.
Alex & Ryan are living proof that you don’t have to accept the status quo and can dramatically change your life at any time — especially when you sharpen your sword and use their blog to develop your real estate investing skills.
Here’s a sneak preview of some of their latest free training:
- What Is Seller Financing? The ULTIMATE Guide
- 7 House Hacking Strategies Every Investor Should Know
- Bandit Signs: The Ultimate Guide For Real Estate Investors
While you’re there, check out their free workshops on “How To Predictably Wholesale & Flip Houses On Demand” and “How To Find & Flip Your First House In 45 Days… Using Little To No Money.”
7. Roofstock
With over $5 billion in assets, Roofstock is working to make real estate ownership and investing accessible to the masses.
Their platform helps everyone from first-time investors all the way up to global asset managers looking to purchase & own real estate from anywhere in the world.
It all started out with a vision to change the way investing was being done and getting rid of the clunky, outdated processes and systems that slowed deals down. Now, today, their focus has shifted to making 20 years of experience accessible to the masses.
Check out some of their most visited guides:
- Notice of intent to sell rental property: Your obligations
- What happens to depreciation when selling a rental property?
- How to create an S corporation for your rental properties
There’s more to Roofstock than just their blog, though. They have one of the most active marketplaces available so if you’re looking for deals, it’s worth taking a look at their listings, too.
8. Carrot
Leads are the lifeblood of every real estate business. That’s where the Carrot blog comes in.
With a heavy focus on lead generation, marketing strategies and examples, case studies, inbound marketing tactics and closing deals, it’s a must-read for any investor looking to grow in 2023 & beyond.
What sets Carrot apart from the rest is their insanely valuable podcast episodes you can listen to in the car, at the gym, when you’re cooking, or when you’re looking for something that will do more for your future than the latest Netflix binge series.
Here’s some of their latest podcast episodes:
- Ep. 422: Getting Better Testimonials: A practical guide to increasing trust.
- Ep. 424: AirBnB Subleasing: How Jorge Makes Fix Figures Automating STRs
- Ep. 426: Real Estate Video Marketing: 9 Creative Use Cases & 15 Pro Tips
Then, when you start seeing movement in your lead generation from what you’re learning on their blog, we recommend checking out their software to make managing and growing your business even simpler & more efficient.
9. REISift
When you’re ready to scale your sales and marketing, you have to read the REISift blog and listen to their podcast episodes on the go.
The REISift pledge to their readers (and customers) is pretty simple: Customers first, never last. Innovate & scheme. Be intentional & relentless. Find solutions, not problems. And take ownership & accountability.
Those are all mantras that every REI business can use to set themselves apart in their market, grow their sales, and get crystal clear in their marketing.
Those mantras all show through in their content, too:
- “Subject To” Deals: Everything Investors Need To Know
- 8 Ways To Find Off-Market Properties In Your Market
- How To Find A Real Estate Mentor In Your Market
Even though the REISift blog is #9 on our list, it’s still one of the best blogs you can read to take your REI business to higher levels.
10. REtipster
REtipster, hosted by Seth Willians, focuses on helping beginners get their legs underneath them faster than they ever could on their own.
He gives a radically transparent look into what really happens behind the scenes and how to make money with real estate.
And, in his own words, the strategies he pursues may not necessarily be the most glamorous and aren’t what you’ll see on TV, but they’ve allowed him to avoid dealing with competitors and eliminate a lot of the headaches that real estate can cause.
You can see it in the free content he releases, like:
- Episode 152: Can you really make millions flipping land?
- How Helpful Is ChatGPT vs Google For Real Estate Investing?
- Text Marketing 101 for Land Investors w/ Callan Faulkner
While you’re there, grab a copy of the REtipster Toolbox that shows you how to make 5-figures from properties (without doing anything to them), automate your workload, find off-market properties for 10-30% of their market value, and write listings that sell faster.
Final Thoughts
Your real estate education doesn’t have to be expensive. When you’re learning from the right people, you can build more momentum faster and not take so many lumps while you’re doing it.
The 10 best real estate investing blogs on this list are more than enough to help you get started, grow your business, scale your portfolio, and sidestep the hurdles most agents and investors face on their journey — without having to spend a dime to do it.