We were lucky to catch up with Julia Ericson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julia , appreciate you joining us today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

I got started in real estate investing in 2021 when I began by renting out the extra rooms in my current house to generate additional income. That decision ended up lowering my housing cost by about $3,000 a month, so I was only paying around $500 out of pocket toward my mortgage. It was a huge eye opener for me. Not only did it make living in a larger home much more affordable, but it also showed me how real estate could create real financial freedom. I was essentially house hacking, which allowed me to free up money for other goals, like travel, without feeling stretched financially.

What also stood out to me was that the setup worked well beyond just the financial side. I had good roommates, it was social, and it made me realize that real estate could be both profitable and manageable when approached the right way.

Once I started building up extra cash from that rental income, I used it to help fund the down payment on another property nearby. I followed a similar strategy there, but with even more upside. Instead of just housing one tenant, I looked for opportunities where I could have multiple tenants in the property. Because it was close by, it was easy for me to stay involved, keep an eye on the property, and make sure everything was running smoothly.

As I grew, I also focused on improving the properties themselves. I reinvested into renovations and upgrades, which not only made the homes better places to live, but also helped increase their value. Over time, those improvements were used for cash out refinance, which helped me buy more properties.

From there, I kept repeating the process: buying strategically, improving the property, placing quality tenants, and reinvesting the cash out refi into the next opportunity. That consistent approach is what allowed me to scale to 19 units today.

Now, my focus is evolving. My goal is to move away from smaller single family and scattered multifamily properties and into commercial real estate. What really attracts me to commercial is the scalability. Having many tenants under one roof can be much more efficient operationally and financially than managing a large number of smaller, separate properties. So for me, this next stage is about building on the same principles that helped me get here, but doing it at a larger scale.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I kind of stumbled into it through house hacking, and that experience completely changed the way I looked at money, ownership, and what was possible at a younger age. Once I saw the income potential that could come from using a property strategically, it opened my eyes to the bigger opportunity in real estate. From there, I started following real estate investors and industry influencers who shared practical advice on everything from rent collection and tenant communication to setting up systems and managing maintenance. That helped me build a real understanding of how to operate properties efficiently.

One thing I learned quickly is that real estate is often called passive income, but in reality, it is very hands on. Something is always coming up, whether it is a repair, a maintenance issue, or a tenant need, so you have to be available and responsive if you want to do it well. Over time, I built systems that helped me manage that more effectively, from knowing who to call for repairs to creating a more consistent process for screening tenants and maintaining the property. I have found that keeping a good tenant happy is far more valuable than constantly turning units over. Finding new tenants, marketing the property, screening applications, and handling move ins takes a lot of time and energy, so I put a big focus on creating an experience that makes people want to stay long term.

That is really the heart of my brand and what I take the most pride in. I am not just providing someone with a place to stay. I am creating a living experience that feels comfortable, well cared for, and genuinely like home. I am very intentional about the quality of tenants I place and the quality of the environment I create for them. I look for people who are stable, responsible, and will take pride in where they live. In return, I work hard to make sure the property continues to improve. Whether that means upgrading appliances, improving outdoor areas, or simply staying on top of maintenance, I want my tenants to feel that they are living in a place that matters. At the end of the day, that is the product I create: a positive, high quality living experience where people feel proud to live and want to stay for years.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

I have bought seven businesses. The way I look at it, when I purchase a property that already has paying tenants in place, I am essentially acquiring an operating business. There is already income coming in, there are existing systems, there are tenant relationships, and there is an entire way that property has been managed before I step in. So for me, buying an occupied property is very similar to buying a business because I have to learn everything about how it runs.

When I take over a property, I need to understand all of the moving parts. That includes type of tenants, how rent has been collected, how maintenance requests have been handled, how tenants have been communicated with, and even the practical details, like electric meters/water shutoff valves are and how the property functions day to day. I need to know everything about a property so that I can correctly delegate in the future. There is always a learning curve at the beginning, because every property is different, but once I understand the systems and get the right people in place, it becomes much easier to operate efficiently.

One example of that was my most recent property purchase in Colorado. That one was more challenging than some of my earlier properties in Florida because it involved a completely new market, a new lease structure, and tenants I did not know yet. From a numbers standpoint, it made sense because it was close to the 1% rule, which gave me confidence in the deal financially. But operationally, it was a new ballgame. I had to learn the area, evaluate the tenant situation, and adjust to a different environment than what I had been used to.

That experience ultimately made me more confident as an investor. It showed me that I can step into a new market, learn quickly, and make a property work as long as the fundamentals are strong and I put trustworthy people in place. A big part of that is having reliable vendors and service professionals I can call when something comes up. I have built a strong network of people I trust for repairs and service requests, and that allows me to keep things running smoothly without having to handle every issue personally.

The less time I have to spend reacting to day-to-day problems, the more time I have to focus on growth, strategy, and finding the next opportunity. So yes, I absolutely see these acquisitions as buying businesses, and I am excited to continue doing that in the future.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best sources of new clients for me have definitely been Zillow and Facebook Marketplace. Those platforms have consistently brought in the highest volume of leads, but more importantly, they attract people who are actively looking for their next home. Because they are such widely used and trusted platforms, they give me access to a large pool of potential tenants, which allows me to be selective and focus on finding the right fit rather than just filling a vacancy quickly.

My process is very intentional when it comes to screening. I look at practical factors first, such as creditworthiness, background history, employment stability, and whether someone is likely to be financially responsible. Beyond that, I also pay attention to lifestyle fit. I want to understand whether a person will contribute to a respectful, comfortable living environment, especially in properties where multiple tenants may be sharing space or living nearby. Things like pets, daily habits, and overall personality can make a big difference in whether someone will be a good long term fit.

Over time, I have found that we naturally attract a quieter, more responsible type of tenant people who truly see their home as a place to recharge and feel at peace, rather than a party environment. That has been a big part of creating the kind of rental experience I want my properties to offer. So while Zillow and Facebook Marketplace are the top lead sources, the real value comes from how I use those platforms to carefully vet applicants and choose tenants who align with the kind of living environment I am trying to create.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliaericsonfit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliaanneericson/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-ehrlich/

Image Credits

Julia Ericson