Many investors believe growing their real estate portfolio requires saving for years to afford the down payment on their next property. But sometimes, the greatest opportunity is already sitting in the investments you own.

That’s exactly what Sue and Dan McCarthy, JWB investors since 2017, discovered.

After years of thoughtfully investing for retirement throughout her career, Sue had rolled her former school district 403(b) into a Solo 401(k) after retiring in 2017. This freed them up to use those funds to purchase two Jacksonville rental properties, putting approximately 50% down on each.

But rather than simply holding those properties, they made it a habit to review their portfolio regularly with the JWB team.

As home values appreciated and financing options improved, Sue and Dan recognized an opportunity. They could refinance their two existing properties, unlocking enough equity to purchase two additional JWB investment properties – without having to start saving from scratch again.

The projected impact? An estimated $428,348 in additional portfolio value over the next 10 years.

Their experience highlights a couple important lessons many investors overlook.

First, purchasing real estate with existing retirement accounts may be easier than you think. Sue and Dan’s first properties were purchased using a Solo 401(k), which had been funded by years of post-tax contributions while Sue worked for the school district.

“Have a long-term plan to get out of 401(k) chaos,” Dan explains. “Pay off your partner – the U.S. Government – and move toward tax-free distributions.”

Second, and perhaps more importantly, your portfolio shouldn’t be something you build once and forget. It should evolve as markets, property values, financing, and your personal goals change.

“Leverage what you have. Review every six months at a minimum,” Dan says. Their recent refinances actually lowered their 2017 mortgage rates by nearly 1.5%, and their new purchases will share this a similar lower rate and a much smaller down payment.

Of course, none of this happened by accident. Having experienced professionals to help evaluate financing opportunities, investment strategy, and long-term planning made all the difference.

“Working with Kate [Sutherland] and everyone at JWB has been a real pleasure. Win-win at its finest.”

For many investors, the question isn’t whether they can earn enough capital to grow – it’s whether they’re making the most of the assets they already own.

If it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your investment portfolio, now may be the perfect time. A simple portfolio review with the JWB team (regardless of whether or not your portfolio was created with JWB) could uncover opportunities to increase cash flow, access equity, or accelerate your path toward financial freedom.

Sometimes, building more wealth doesn’t start with saving for a new property. It starts with taking a fresh look at the ones you already own.