We grew up hearing the same message over and over again:

“Buying a home is the American Dream.”

And for the longest time, we believed it. we mean, who didn’t?  🙄🙄

White picket fence. Swing set in the backyard. The smell of cookies wafting through a kitchen that’s yours.

But what no one ever told us was that sometimes that dream home?

Might actually be the thing quietly draining your bank account… and your future.

Now don’t get me wrong—we love real estate. Like, truly love it.

Our portfolio has over $400 million in real estate assets.

So this isn’t coming from someone who thinks homes are bad or real estate is risky.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

Not all real estate is created equal.

And owning your dream house?

Well, it might be the prettiest trap you ever walk into.

Let’s break it down.

The True Cost of “Home Sweet Home”

Let’s say you buy a $500,000 house.

You put down $100,000 (that maybe took you years to save) and finance the other $400K at today’s average mortgage rate of 7.5%. Your monthly payment? Around $2,797.

But here’s what no one talks about:

Over 30 years, you’ll pay…

• $606,869 in mortgage interest

• $187,500 in property taxes

• $60,000 in homeowners insurance

• $150,000 in maintenance + repairs

• $39,000 in realtor fees when you sell

And just like that, your $500K dream home?

Has cost you over $1.5 million.

Let that sink in.

But It Feels Like Home…

We get it.  We really, really do. 😬😬

Because for so many of us, a home isn’t just a financial decision.

It’s where babies take their first steps. Where birthday candles get blown out. Where your dog has that one spot by the window.

It’s warmth. Pride. Legacy.

When we first moved to the U.S., our family bounced around a lot. We lived with friends, crammed into apartments, moved from place to place in L.A.

And then finally… we landed in this tiny apartment on Menlo Street.

It wasn’t glamorous.

Honestly, it was kind of a mess—think roaches, weird smells, and a landlord who doubled as the repair guy. But it was the first place that felt like home.

Not because it was ours on paper—but because it was ours in heart.

And that’s the thing:

The moments you crave don’t come from mortgage papers. They come from the life you build inside those walls.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The problem isn’t wanting a home. It’s assuming that ownership = security.

And in today’s world? That math doesn’t always check out.

Because when you dump most of your savings into a home:

• You lose liquidity. (That money’s tied up in walls.)

• You lose flexibility. (Want to move? Sell? Borrow? Not so easy.)

• You lose options. (Every extra payment you make into the mortgage? That money could’ve been growing somewhere else.)

And the worst part?

Your “home equity” isn’t really yours until you either:

a) Sell your home, pay fees, and potentially taxes,
b) Borrow your own money back through a HELOC, and pay interest to the bank for the privilege, or
c) Reverse mortgage it, which sounds safe but can slowly eat away the inheritance you wanted to leave behind.

It’s like planting your own fruit tree, watering it for 30 years… and then having to buy the fruit back.

Oof.

The World Has Changed—But the Advice Hasn’t

We’re still told that:

• “Renting is throwing money away.”

• “Buy a house—it’s the best investment you’ll ever make.”

• “Don’t pay someone else’s mortgage.”

But that advice?

It was written for a totally different world:

• When homes were 2.5x your income—not 10x.

• When you could buy on a single salary.

• When mortgage rates were 3%.

• When property taxes and insurance were stable.

• When a $10K down payment could still win the deal.

Today?

• Six-figure down payments are the norm.

• Interest rates have doubled.

• Insurance companies are literally leaving some states because they don’t want the risk.

• And in some areas? You literally can’t insure your home anymore.

That’s not a dream. That’s a financial time bomb wrapped in shiplap and Pinterest boards.

So What Now?

This isn’t an anti-homeownership post.

This is a pro-awareness post.

You deserve to know the truth about what that “dream home” is really costing you.
And then—if you still want to buy—you’ll do it with eyes wide open.

Here’s what we want you to remember:

• Renting isn’t throwing money away.

• Freedom isn’t found in granite countertops.

• The warm, safe, cozy life you crave? Doesn’t require a 30-year mortgage.

You’re allowed to question the path that’s been sold to us as “the only way.”

You’re allowed to choose financial flexibility over square footage.

You’re allowed to want more than just a house—you’re allowed to want options, time, peace.

And that…

That’s a dream worth building.

So here’s your next move:

Start thinking like an investor. Look for assets that pay you—not just impress your neighbors.

And build a portfolio that funds your lifestyle, instead of one that drains it.

And if you want to see exactly how we’re doing this right now—today—in this market…

Stick with us—because in the very next video, we’re going to show you why it’s easier than you think to buy a $10 million apartment… without using your own money.

You don’t want to miss this one.  We’ll see you in the video!