Hey, I’m John Steffen
In the past 4 years alone, I’ve closed over 300 transactions across Texas as an investor-focused realtor which included guiding more than 75 first-time home buyers into strategies that turned their starter homes into wealth-building machines. Boiled down, these are 3rd grade concepts, but oftentimes sold to us as pipedreams without local actionable guidance inevitably leaving us stuck in the mud for 3-4 critical building years. It is possible and it is common right here right now.
Five years ago, my wife and I were staring down rising rents, a paycheck that felt too small, and the weight of wanting more for our future family. We felt the squeeze, you likely know the feeling. If we didn’t make a move, we’d be stuck treading water forever. So, we started with one starter home. We rented a spare room. That one small step snowballed into another… and another. Today, that decision has grown into four doors worth over $1.5 million that will be paid off before age 40. Nothing flashy. Just a few boring moves, but a whole new foundation. We still have our day jobs, we still invest elsewhere, so is it an end-all-be all? Absolutely not. It’s one way ahead…one all of us could (and should) take advantage of sooner than later.
If I’ve learned anything in my career thus far, it’s this: exposure creates expertise. The more deals you see, the sharper your eye becomes. Soon, you’ll know exactly what’s valuable to you and what’s not, and when you do, you’ll move differently, calmer, sharper, and fully equipped to take action in turning your first home into the bedrock of lasting wealth.
It’s up to you. Success in real estate doesn’t hinge on the “perfect” market, the best agent, or the lowest interest rate. Good deals are made in “bad markets,” and bad deals are made in “good markets” every single day. Newbie agents stumble into once-in-a-lifetime deals, and top agents sometimes hand their clients garbage. At the end of the day, it comes down to you. Your knowledge. Your ability to spot opportunity or danger before anyone else does. It’s your ability to ask the right questions to the right people at the right time.
I know what you’re thinking, you have a life and probably don’t have time to look at real estate all the time (even though housing eats 40% of your paycheck, so you probably should, but that’s another topic for another time). So, that’s why I built this newsletter: to put a niche corner of the market in the palm of your hand at all times. It’s written to give you the confidence and ability to buy your first home like a seasoned investor. It’s designed to give your family a foothold in a world where, right now, it seems impossible for the average folk to get ahead. It’s a recourse to help you find peace of mind in building something real, something no one can take away.
Ultimately, this isn’t about houses.
It’s about earning an ounce of freedom.
It’s about financial security.
It’s about turning today’s housing payment into tomorrow’s safety net.
Smart homeownership in our 20s and 30s can change the trajectory of your entire life and I pray this little newsletter helps you along that journey.