Rental Income Podcast With Dan Lane

He Paid Off His Rentals... And Now He Regrets It With Dave Jacobs (Ep 572)

May 5, 2026·24 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Davethought he was making the smart move. By paying off several of his rental properties, he figured he’d lower his expenses, boost his cash flow, and simplify his portfolio. But after doing it, he started to feel like he made a mistake.Today, Dave believes he would have been better off keeping the debt and using that money to buy more properties. He shares why he thinks a larger portfolio with leverage could have outperformed a smaller, paid-off portfolio over the long run, and how losing the mortgage interest deduction changed the numbers.On this episode, we break down how Dave paid off his rentals, when the regret set in, and why he’s hesitant to do a cash-out refinance to pull that equity back out. We also talk about the benefits of owning properties free and clear, so you can hear both sides of the argument.We dig into Dave’s portfolio, including his strategy of owning properties in the same neighborhood and how self-managing helps him keep expenses low. He shares his actual numbers, including total rent, expenses, and net income, along with some of the toughest situations he’s faced as a landlord.We also get into whether Dave thinks investors are better off using LLCs, and how he approaches structuring his business.https://rentalincomepodcast.com/episode572Thanks To Our Sponsors:Revenued - Get working capital for your rentals quickly with a line of credit.Flock Homes - Retire from real estate investing and landlording (whether it’s one problem property or your whole portfolio) through a 721 Exchange. Ridge Lending Group - Making the investment mortgage process simple and stress-free. Sign up for a free 30-minute investor strategy session.Rental Accounting Software Made Easy. Free 30 Day Trial.

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