In 2012, I officially caught the real estate bug. My brother had just started college in Palm Bay, Florida, and although my investment home in Cape Coral was incomplete, I stumbled upon “the one”: a beachside cottage.

At the time, I didn’t have the 20% down payment ready. I was pinching every penny to fund the Cape Coral build, but I couldn’t stop myself from checking  Zillow listings every single day. My mom always told me, “What’s meant for you will be yours,” and remarkably, the house waited for me. I spent months saving until I finally hit that 20% mark—I’ve never been a fan of paying Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) if I can avoid it!

I closed the deal on what was technically my second home. (Interest rates for second homes are usually much friendlier than those for straight investment properties!) Then, the real fun began:  Furnishing it on a budget!

My Secret Weapon: Upcycling

My strategy relied on Craigslist and solid wood. Growing up with a father who loved carpentry, I knew that high-quality pieces from brands like Ethan Allen or Thomasville could almost always be salvaged.

One of my best finds was a Pier 1 dining set I scored for just $120. It was completely covered in red and black marker stains. I spent hours sanding it down, praying the ink hadn’t soaked too deep. My hard work paid off; I re-stained it in a beautiful honey oak, and it has survived years of heavy use since.

The Magic of Chalk Paint

That beach house was also where I discovered my love for chalk paint. To achieve that light, airy coastal aesthetic, I needed to move away from heavy wood tones. Chalk paint is a DIY dream because:

• It adheres to almost any surface (even varnished wood).
• No sanding is required.
• You simply wipe the piece down, paint, and seal it with wax or lacquer.

After finishing the furniture and adding some coastal decor from Home Goods, the transformation was complete. I had my beach house!

The Turning Point

In 2013, everything shifted. My realtor called with a favor: a friend with two German Shepherds had suffered a major water loss at his home and had nowhere to stay. Being a huge dog lover, I said yes.

His insurance ended up paying me rent for an entire year. That insurance-backed rental showed me the true power of real estate investment. I realized then that I wasn’t just fixing up furniture—I was building a business. I was officially in the rental business!