How David Dodge Became an Industry Expert

Ugo Aliogo examines Dodge success story in real estate

With over 17 years of experience, David Dodge is no stranger to success in the real estate industry. However, he did not get there overnight. David began investing in real estate when he was only 20 while attending college at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Since then, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

He recalled, “You’re not going to have fun all the time.  Some days are really going to suck. You are going to have to make tough decisions.  You might have to fire employees that are not aligned with your goals.  You might want to cry at some point. It will be hard.”

However, he further explained, “The rewards of being your own boss and having your own business are better than any rewards that another boss or job can provide to you.”

Dodge hopes to share some of the lessons he learned the hard way in hopes of preventing others from experiencing the same things. When asked about his rental portfolio, he admits that he is in the process of rebuilding after hitting some bumps in the road. “I had over 100 properties and then I had to sell off about half of them to buy out a partner and pay off a ton of bad debt that we had accumulated over the past three years,” he hinted. “I’ll get back over 100 in one or two years again, no problem. I know what not to do this time around.”

While he works towards growing his portfolio, Dodge has also leveraged his career to help others achieve the same success he has. Today, Dodge and his team have wholesaled over 500 houses. He has also co-authored three books and even launched a podcast, “Discount Property Investor”, where he teaches people all the ins and outs of wholesaling real estate, along with tips and tricks for marketing, landlording, and rehabbing properties. Most recently, Dodge and his partner Mike have created a free resource on wholesaling real estate in order to help others learn how simple and effective the business truly is. “Fear is just a mindset,” he espoused. “Success is also just a mindset. Everything is affected by mindset, both good and bad. It’s the most important thing.”