From $500 to 60 Units: How To Build a $12M Rental Portfolio with Andres Bernal

Most investors with 60 units didn't start with capital, connections, or a roadmap. Andres Bernal started with $500 and an FHA loan on a three-unit in Connecticut. He built that rental portfolio from there, one deal and one strategy at a time, until the income replaced his day job entirely.

About Andres Bernal

Andres Bernal came to the United States in 2012 as a professional tennis player from the Dominican Republic. He began investing in real estate in 2016 while still coaching full-time. Today he owns more than 60 rental units across Section 8, student, and long-term rentals, with a portfolio valued over $12 million. He is also the author of Born to Retire Young and currently runs three to five fix-and-flip projects per month in Connecticut.

What We Cover in This Episode

• Why house hacking with an FHA loan is still the most reliable first move for new real estate investors
• How Andres scaled from 18 units to 60 in just two years by partnering strategically
• The case for student rentals: higher rents, parent co-signers, and lower effective expenses than traditional long-term rentals
• Why Connecticut is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country right now and why nobody is talking about it
• The tenant education process Andres runs at every move-in and why it is the single biggest factor in smooth property management
• How he manages three to five flips per month with 12 in-house contractors and a four-person rental management team
• When to sell a rental property with strong equity but weak cash flow and what to do with the proceeds

Key Insight

Andres bought his first house hack in 2016 for $210,000. It appraised last year at nearly $500,000. After refinancing, it cash flows $1,600 per month. He still owns it. That one deal funded everything that came after.

Why This Episode Matters

If you are sitting on the sideline waiting for the right market or the right amount of money, this episode is worth your time. Andres did it with $500, no network, and a coaching job. The strategies he used, house hacking, the BRRRR method, student rentals, and strategic flipping, are all still available to investors who are willing to execute.

Find Out More

Andres Bernal's book, Born to Retire Young, is available on Amazon. Proceeds from book sales go toward a charity in the Dominican Republic that supports improving the school system for children.

His second book on flipping is expected mid-2026.

Instagram: @AndresBerna1
Facebook: Andres Bernal

Sponsors

Today's episode is brought to you by Green Property Management, managing everything from single family homes to apartment complexes in the West Michigan area. www.livegreenlocal.com

And RCB & Associates, helping Michigan-based real estate investors and small business owners navigate the complex world of health insurance and Medicare benefits. www.rcbassociatesllc.com