Hey everybody, welcome to the most Dwanderful real estate podcast ever. I’m your host, Dwan Bent-Twyford, America’s most sought-after real estate investor.

Today, we’re talking about the pros and cons of being a real estate investor. I’m going to break it down into five pros and five cons so you can maximize the upside and avoid the pitfalls.

I started as a broke single mom who was fired from Denny’s, and today I’ve done over 2,000 deals, built generational wealth, and even helped buy a small town. If I can do it, you can too.

Let’s get into it.

My Background: From Fired Waitress to Real Estate Investor

I had no degree, no license, and no real training. I was just a waitress and bartender trying to figure life out after a divorce and becoming a single mom.

I lost my house, my car, and my financial stability. I was completely starting over.

But I made a decision: I was going to build a life where I could raise my daughter and be present.

That decision changed everything.

I started learning real estate by hand, driving neighborhoods, mapping foreclosures, and knocking on doors with my baby on my hip. My first deal made me $22,000, and I never looked back.

The Pros of Real Estate Investing

1. You Work for Yourself

Real estate gives you freedom. No boss, no time clock. You control your business and your direction.

2. You Control Your Time

I built my business around raising my daughter. I worked when I wanted and structured my days around life, not a job.

3. You Control Your Income

Your income is directly tied to your effort. My first deals made more than my previous yearly income combined.

4. You Can Scale and Build Systems

Once you understand the process, you can duplicate it. Wholesaling, rehabbing, and rentals all become repeatable systems.

5. You Build Generational Wealth

Over time, real estate allows you to create assets that last for generations. That’s what true wealth looks like.

The Cons of Real Estate Investing

1. Self-Motivation Is Required

No one is going to push you. If you don’t act, nothing happens.

2. Too Much Information Can Confuse You

Shiny object syndrome is real. People jump from system to system instead of mastering one.

3. Lack of Education Can Hurt You

You must learn the basics. Without knowledge, you can make costly mistakes or miss opportunities.

4. Setbacks Will Happen

Deals fall apart. Budgets break. Contracts fail. You must stay resilient.

5. It Takes Time

Your first deal might take months. Many people quit too early before they ever succeed.

My Journey: Learning Through Action

I learned everything by doing. I lived in rehabs, studied at Home Depot, and used hard money lenders to fund deals.

I started with one house, then two, then three. Eventually I discovered wholesaling and did 75 deals in a year.

That’s when everything changed.

Building Systems and Predictable Income

Over time, I learned how to predict income based on deal flow.

If I did 30–50 deals, I knew what my income would look like. That gave me stability and freedom.

Real estate is not random, it becomes predictable when you understand the system.

Final Thoughts: Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons?

Yes, absolutely.

But only if you stay committed.

You will face setbacks. You will get discouraged. You will question yourself.

But if you keep going, everything changes after your first deal.

I went from fired and broke to building generational wealth, buying properties, and helping others do the same.

It all started with one decision: don’t quit.

Are the Pros of Real Estate Investing Worth It?

Real estate investing comes with both clear advantages and real challenges, but as discussed throughout this episode, success often comes down to mindset, consistency, and the willingness to take imperfect action. The ability to work for yourself, control your time, and build scalable income is powerful, but it requires discipline to push through setbacks, stay focused, and avoid distractions that can slow your progress.

Dwan Bent-Twyford closes this discussion by emphasizing that real estate is not just theory, it’s a proven path she has personally used to go from a broke single mom to completing over 2,000 deals and building long-term generational wealth. Her journey highlights that while the cons are real, they can be overcome with persistence, education, and the right guidance.

This is where Dwanderful comes in. Dwanderful is a real estate investing platform and podcast hosted by Dwan, designed to help new and experienced investors learn practical strategies, avoid common mistakes, and take action with confidence. Through the platform, you can access valuable resources including Dwan’s free book Real Estate Lingo and her paid book Five Pillars of Real Estate Investing. Visitors can also take a quick quiz, under a minute, to discover how they could potentially generate six figures in the next six months, whether they are buying their first property or scaling their next deal.

From here, the conversation transitions back to Dwan as she wraps up the episode and continues breaking down real-world strategies for building wealth through real estate investing. Contact us now!