It’s easy to fall for the charm and potential of a place like Minden, Louisiana — just ask Sara McDaniel.
In 2020, she came across an opportunity to purchase an eight-unit, villa-style apartment complex that had been abandoned for nearly 40 years. By then, McDaniel was no stranger to real estate; she already owned over 20 properties, ranging from short-term rentals to vacant land.
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“The villas weren’t my first rodeo with abandoned properties,” McDaniel told CNBC Make It. “But this project really pushed my skill set.”
In 2021, she purchased what would become The Villas at Spanish Court for $51,306, using her savings to pay for it. But was dipping into her savings to invest in a long-neglected property really worth it?
Falling for potential
McDaniel wasn’t just chasing financial freedom — she was sprinting toward it. As a devotee of the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement, she embraced extreme saving and strategic investing to achieve early retirement. The premise is to save aggressively, invest wisely and eventually live off small withdrawals from a carefully built portfolio — typically around 3% to 4% — or supplement with part-time work.
For McDaniel, real estate was her golden ticket. In her early 30s, she started saving nearly 50% of her income to build a life of freedom and flexibility.
“I was very confident when we closed the deal. But it wasn’t long thereafter that I literally started having panic attacks wondering, ‘What in the world did I get myself into?’” McDaniel admitted. While real estate can be a smart path to financial independence, it’s not exactly a fairy tale. Market shifts and unforeseen expenses can turn a dream investment into a cautionary tale.
Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
An unexpected surprise
What seemed like a promising investment quickly turned into a financial nightmare. The charm of the apartments faded fast when ceilings began caving in and bullet holes in the windows hinted at deeper structural and safety issues.
Only after closing the deal did McDaniel realize she had skipped a crucial step — an environmental hazard assessment. To bring the properties up to livable standards, she had to pour in far more money than she’d planned. She sold another investment property for $175,364, added $8,000 from other income streams, secured a $202,725 interim construction loan and took out a permanent mortgage of $290,710.
When the villas were fully restored 18 months later, the total cost had ballooned to $729,885.
McDaniel’s experience highlights a hard truth about real estate investing: what looks like a great deal can quickly become a financial drain. Rushing into an investment without fully evaluating the risks can end up costing far more than the purchase price.
Despite the setbacks, by 2024, the villas were fully booked for approximately 1,300 nights at an average rate of $143 per night, generating a total revenue of $224,133 for the year.
Getting into the market
Real estate can be a great investment, but not everyone wants to deal with renovations, maintenance or surprise expenses that eat into profits. Fortunately, there are ways to tap into the market without purchasing a property outright.
One option is investing in fractional shares of vacation and rental properties, sometimes for as little as $100. This allows investors to gain exposure to real estate without the overhead costs or financial risks associated with full ownership.
For those looking to make a larger investment, commercial real estate can offer strong returns. According to Nolo, commercial properties typically yield an annual return of 6% to 12% of the purchase price, making them an attractive option for portfolio diversification.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
