A lot of people think you have to begin with single-family homes and slowly work your way up. The truth is, you can start with a 5, 9, or even 30-unit apartment building if you understand how to structure the deal. Here’s what most people miss: scaling faster isn’t about how much cash you have, it’s about how much value you can bring to a deal. If you don’t have the money, you can bring knowledge, relationships, or hustle. You can partner with someone who has capital but no time. You can learn how to underwrite deals, raise private funds, or find properties other investors can’t see. The skill set that matters most is the ability to put the entire deal together. When you understand financing, partnerships, and deal flow, you stop thinking small and start thinking strategically. So before you tell yourself you have to “start with a duplex,” ask a better question: What’s really holding me back...money, mindset, or skill set? Because once you fix those, you can go as big as your belief allows.