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Scott Galloway, a serial entrepreneur and NYU professor, recently interviewed Ramit Sethi, bestselling author of “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” on his podcast “The Prof G Show”.
The two experts set out to dispel common financial myths that can hold Americans back from realizing their wealth goals.
For example, when asked whether owning a home is essential for “being rich,” Sethi replied, “no, not necessarily.” His unconventional advice for achieving wealth deviates from mainstream financial guidance and popular belief.
Nearly 40% of Americans believe real estate is the best long-term investment, yet Sethi, a self-proclaimed multi-millionaire, doesn’t own a home.
So, what gives?
This topic is just one of many Sethi addresses — so here are three tips that can be gleaned from his hour-long chat with fellow finance celeb Scott Galloway.
Buying a home is often seen as a quintessential piece of the American dream, and Sethi, who often faces backlash for his stance, remarks, “in America, real estate is religion—and if you dare to question it, you enrage millions of people.”
This is likely due to the fact that 62% of Americans have a mortgage. But currently, home prices are continuing to rise and mortgages rates are still hovering above 6%, and nobody wants to feel tethered to a debt that may not result in long-term asset growth.
If the numbers don’t add up for you, there are still ways to benefit from the U.S. real estate market that you can act on right now.
Not only can you access real estate growth without owning a home, you can also invest in real estate without needing to take on the role of landlord. And that’s ideal in plenty of ways, given the cumbersome elements of maintenance, upkeep, and admin required when you’re managing an investment property yourself.
The beauty lies in not having to manage any logistics or admin tasks — the FNRP team of experts handles property acquisition and management, allowing investors the opportunity to benefit from passive distribution income.
Through FNRP’s secure online platform, you can engage with experts, explore available deals and easily make an allocation, all in one personalized portal.
For those who are keen on residential real estate, you can tap into the market by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties through Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, potentially earning quarterly dividends.
Moving beyond real estate, Sethi has advice for your love life, too.
He says the biggest issue with couples is that they have “no shared vision”. Pursuing differing goals, such as buying a house or funding education for your children, will each carry their own distinct saving and investing strategies.
These are influenced by two key factors: your time horizon (when you want to buy the house or when your kids will be old enough for university) and your risk tolerance (how comfortable you are with potential losses in favor of higher returns).
These are challenging questions to navigate alone. Trained financial professionals can help couples align on their financial goals and make a plan for their future.
Finding a financial advisor that suits your specific needs and financial goals is simple with Advisor.com.
Advisor.com connects you with vetted fiduciary financial advisors near you. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions about your finances, and Adivsor.com matches you with a short list of certified experts to choose from.
Of course, a rich life isn’t just about things. It’s about nurturing relationships, fostering experiences, and building connections.
While money can help facilitate plenty of these aspects, Sethi notes it’s crucial to consistently spend your wealth wisely.
He argues that buying a home may not always be the best route to living a fulfilling life, given the potential for unexpected hurdles, like needing a brand new roof post-purchase, or your partner losing their job. These are the types of emergencies that can render mortgage payments untenable. In those instances, you need to have liquidity, or the ability to access your assets.
And you should always have an emergency fund that you keep stashed in a high yield savings account that will grow more efficiently over time.
In addition to saving wisely, you can also spend your money in a way that prepares you for a wealthier future.
You can make your purchases productive with Acorns, an automated investing and saving app that simplifies the process of setting aside extra funds and building a portfolio.
When you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the price to the nearest dollar and places the excess into a smart investment portfolio. This way, even the most essential spending translates to money saved and invested for the future.
