401: Boost Your Cash Flow in 2024 with These “Self-Management” Tips w/Amelia McGee and Grace Gudenkauf

Want more cash flow with less stress while running your rental property portfolio? Then you need self-management! Amelia McGee and Grace Gudenkauf, seasoned investors and the minds behind BiggerPockets’ newest book, The Self-Managing Landlord, show you exactly how to do it. This episode peels back the curtain on the misconceptions that scare most investors away from self-managing their properties (like those feared 2 AM toilet emergencies!). Amelia and Grace expose how these scenarios are less frequent than most people think and offer smart strategies to handle them effortlessly.
The duo dives into the financial perks of taking the reins on property management, from dramatically cutting costs to boosting tenant retention and cash flow. They lay out a spectrum of management models—from DIY to hiring a dedicated team—and share their personal triumphs (and trials) within each approach. This is THE practical playbook for making property management a cornerstone of your real estate success.
You’ll learn how to establish effective systems for tenant onboarding, routine maintenance, and urgent repairs, ensuring your property management is both stress-free and profitable. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into real estate investing with your first property or looking to refine your existing portfolio, this episode is packed with actionable tips that promise to make your portfolio more passive! 
In This Episode We Cover:
How to lower your costs and boost your cash flow significantly with self-management
What being a landlord is actually like, and why it’s not all 2 AM toilet calls 
Building your real estate team so you can handle less of the day-to-day and focus on the big picture
Practical advice for setting up systems that streamline tenant onboarding and property maintenance
Grace’s $8,500 bookkeeping mistake that you CAN NOT afford to make
Tips for handling urgent property issues with WAY less stress 
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
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Real Estate Rookie 111 - 26 Doors in 1 Year? Here’s How You Can Do It Too! w/Amelia McGee
Real Estate Rookie 161 - Using Calculated Risk to Acquire 17 Doors In Under a Year (at Age 24!) w/ Grace Gudenkauf
BiggerPockets Real Estate 938 - Scaling from 0 to 20+ Doors Using These “Self-Management” Tools & Tips w/Amelia McGee and Grace Gudenkauf
Tools Mentioned in Today’s Show:
Loom
Monday.com
Connect with Amelia:
Amelia's BiggerPockets Profile
Amelia's Instagram
WIRE (Women Invest In Real Estate)
Connect with Grace:
Grace's BiggerPockets Profile
Grace's Instagram

(00:00) Intro
(01:10) The Right Way to Manage Rentals
(04:42) What Being a Landlord is Like
(08:20) Why You MUST Self-Manage
(14:42) Onboarding Tenants 101
(20:41) Lease Agreements
(26:56) The $8,500 Mistake
(30:08) Do This RIGHT Now!
(35:09) Building Your Team
(41:40) Grab the Book!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-401
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