How This Vision Board Helped Buy 2 Properties in 2 Years
- By Jim Blackburn
- on
Client Profile:
- Name: Simone
- Age: 29
- Occupation: Social worker
- Goal: Buy 3 doors by 35 and create passive income for early retirement
- Location: Kansas City, MO
The Situation
Simone was renting, saving diligently, and listening to every real estate podcast she could find — but feeling paralyzed about where to start.
She was flooded with questions:
“Should I house hack or buy a duplex? Flip or hold? SFR or Airbnb?”
We asked her to pause… and build a vision board.
Not just for properties, but for lifestyle. Time freedom. Travel. Kids. What her life could look like in 5 years if she had cash-flowing properties and a solid plan.
The Strategy
Using the Real Estate Vision Board Template, Simone:
- Identified 3 key values: freedom, family, flexibility
- Found images of duplexes, beaches, and a laptop on a sunny porch
- Set her goal: own 3 doors by 35
- Committed to buying her first house hack in 12 months
- Wrote “$1,500/month in rental income” on a sticky note and put it on her mirror
We helped her reverse-engineer the steps:
- Buy a duplex → live in one unit
- Refi after 12 months
- Use equity + saved rent to fund next property
The Results (24 Months Later)
- Purchased a duplex (lived in one unit, rented the other)
- Refi’d and used cash-out equity to buy a single-family rental
- Built $83,000 in equity
- Collects $1,420/month in net rent
- Just started vision boarding her 4th door for next year
What Simone Said
“I used to get overwhelmed because I didn’t know which path to take. But once I had a vision, it was like turning on headlights. Now I know where I’m going — and why.”
Takeaway for Readers
When you know what you’re looking for, decision-making becomes simple. A clear Buy Box is the antidote to analysis paralysis — and the key to securing the right deal, fast.
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