Value-Add vs. New Construction: Which Makes MORE Money in 2026? @biggerpockets

Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

Episode #1323

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Is it better to *buy an existing property with value-add potential* or a *new construction home* in 2026?

For years, there was no debate. The ability to buy a property at a discount, *add value through renovations, force appreciation,* and *recycle your money* made the *BRRRR method* a no-brainer for most investors.

But in 2026, things are a little different. *Builders are sitting on inventory,* which means *new homes are being sold for less than we’ve seen in years.* Not to mention, builders are *giving buyers massive incentives like mortgage rate buydowns, closing credits, and even price reductions* — just to get these properties off their books.

But are these perks enough to make new construction a better option than the BRRRR strategy?

Today, *we’re going to put them head-to-head and find out.* I’m comparing two *real estate deals* in the exact same market — a new construction home and a value-add property. We’ll crunch the numbers and see which strategy _actually_ comes out on top from a *cash flow* and appreciation perspective. The answer may surprise you.

Episode Show Notes:
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0:00 Intro
1:07 Value-Add vs. New Build
2:27 2026 Housing Market Conditions
6:49 Sponsor: Mynd!
7:18 New Build Breakdown
14:11 Increasing Your Cash Flow
18:53 BRRRR Breakdown
25:20 The Beauty of Building Equity
27:16 Which Strategy Wins?

Value-Add vs. New Construction: Which Makes MORE Money in 2026?

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$If You Can Do This 20 Mins/Day, You Can Become a Rental Millionaire Episode #1268 Baselane: Automate your real estate finances with banking and AI-powered bookkeeping. Claim your $100 bonus! https://www.baselane.com/lp/bigger-pockets/?utm_source=bigger_pockets&utm_campaign=bigger_pockets&utm_medium=YT-M By buying just *One Rental at a Time, Michael Zuber* was able to *replace his entire W-2 income,* scale from one rental to four, then to over 80 rental units, go from *paycheck to paycheck* to becoming a *real estate millionaire,* and survive the Dot Com bubble, the 2008 crash, and the post-pandemic meltdown. And in todays show, Michael has two things to say: First, *the average American won’t make it without becoming an investor.* Second, there’s good news— *this year will be horrible for everyone but investors.* Michael says we’re sitting in the *best housing market in a decade.* He’s putting his money where his mouth is, pulling a *million dollars* out of his properties’ equity *to buy more,* starting now. He’s *aggressively making offers* and getting deals for a fraction of their face value. Using a simple, but easily repeatable “wealth formula,” Michael has *become the millionaire* next door, and he says *with just 20 minutes per day, you can, too.* This is a masterclass from one of the most respected real estate investors in the country. Michael shares exactly how the average American can *become an “elite investor” with his 20 minutes per day* exercise, the properties Michael is looking to buy now, the two (yes, two) offers you should make on every house, and why he never bets on appreciation (and we agree). Michael says *this market could last another year* —are you going to make a move or wish you had? Episode Show Notes: https://lnk.to/biggerpocketsYT Join BiggerPockets for FREE 👇 https://www.biggerpockets.com/signup?utm_source=owned_media 🎉Join us at the BiggerPockets Conference October 2-4 in Orlando. Buy tickets: https://biggerpockets.com/bpcon2026 Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! https://www.BiggerPockets.com/Podcastfeedback Grab the Classic, _Rich Dad Poor Dad_ : https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/rich-dad-poor-dad?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Sign Up for the BiggerPockets Real Estate Newsletter: https://www.biggerpockets.com/email-subscribe?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area: http://biggerpockets.com/agentmatch Paycheck to Paycheck in His 40s, Millionaire in His 50s with “Boring” Rentals: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/real-estate-1231?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Michael: BiggerPockets: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/michaelz76 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OneRentalataTime Website: https://onerentalatatime.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/One-Rental-Time-Financial-Independence-ebook/dp/B07N1C8S7Z Connect with Henry: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/henryw22?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Dave: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/davem27?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none 00:00 Intro 01:33 W-2 Worker to Rental Millionaire 04:25 Best Market in a DECADE 06:40 Do THIS 20 Minutes a Day 15:57 Sponsor: Baselane! 16:46 The Rental Wealth Formula 24:42 2 Offers You Must Make 27:22 Ignore Appreciation? 31:20 Average Americans WON’T Make It 36:45 Signs of Opportunity 41:13 What Michael is Buying NOW$

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