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50 lessons available
RED-L1-001
Learn the three things bundled into every real estate purchase — land, structure, and legal rights — before diving into financing or investing.
RED-L1-002
Understand what responsibilities, costs, and risks actually shift when someone moves from renting to owning a home.
RED-L1-003
Learn how home equity is calculated, the two ways it can rise, the two ways it can fall, and why it isn't the same as cash.
RED-L1-004
Learn what a mortgage actually is — a loan secured by the property itself — and why that security matters to both borrower and lender.
RED-L1-005
Learn how a mortgage payment splits between principal and interest, and why that split changes over the life of the loan.
RED-L1-006
Learn what a down payment actually does — beyond just "starting the loan smaller" — and how it affects risk for both buyer and lender.
RED-L1-007
Learn the real difference between fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages, and the trade-off each one represents.
RED-L1-008
Learn what PMI protects, who it actually protects, and when it applies to a mortgage.
RED-L1-009
Learn how property tax is calculated, who actually sets the rate, and why it can change even if the owner does nothing.
RED-L1-010
Learn what a lien actually is, how it attaches to a property, and why it can block a sale until resolved.
RED-L1-011
Learn how tax lien states and tax deed states handle unpaid property taxes differently, and what an investor actually receives in each.
RED-L1-012
Learn what a property appraisal actually measures, who orders it, and why the appraised value and the sale price can differ.
RED-L1-013
Learn how comparable sales are used to estimate a property's value, and what makes a comp genuinely useful versus misleading.
RED-L1-014
Learn what a home inspection covers, why it's different from an appraisal, and what it means for a buyer's next steps.
RED-L1-015
Learn what title actually means, why it must be clear to close a sale, and what can put it in question.
RED-L1-016
Learn what title insurance protects against, who typically pays for it, and why it's a one-time cost rather than a recurring one.
RED-L1-017
Learn what escrow means in a real estate transaction, and the two different ways the term gets used.
RED-L1-018
Learn what closing costs typically include, roughly how large they can be, and why they're separate from the down payment.
RED-L1-019
Learn what a homeowners association actually is, what it can enforce, and what to check before buying into one.
RED-L1-020
Learn how single-family and multi-family properties differ for an owner, beyond just unit count.
RED-L1-021
Commercial real estate operates under different rules than residential. This lesson introduces office, retail, industrial, and multifamily commercial properties, and the key metrics investors use to evaluate them.
RED-L1-022
Learn how cash flow is calculated for a rental property, and why positive cash flow isn't guaranteed just because rent is collected.
RED-L1-023
Learn the basic cap rate formula and what it estimates, as an introduction to a concept covered more deeply in Level 2.
RED-L1-024
Learn how cash-on-cash return differs from cap rate by factoring in the actual cash an investor put into a deal.
RED-L1-025
Learn what property appreciation means, what tends to drive it, and why it should never be assumed.
RED-L1-026
Learn what depreciation means as a tax concept in real estate, and why a paper loss can provide a real benefit.
RED-L1-027
Learn the basic idea behind a 1031 exchange — deferring tax on an investment property sale by reinvesting the proceeds.
RED-L1-028
Learn the core responsibilities a landlord takes on, distinct from what tenants are responsible for.
RED-L1-029
Learn what a lease actually is legally, and the core terms every lease should clearly address.
RED-L1-030
Learn the basic purpose of a security deposit and why landlords generally can't use it however they want.
RED-L1-031
Learn what eviction actually is legally, why it requires a formal process, and why it's typically a last resort for landlords.
RED-L1-032
Learn what a property manager does, what it typically costs, and when hiring one starts to make sense.
RED-L1-033
Learn what zoning laws control, why they exist, and how they can limit what an owner can do with their own property.
RED-L1-034
Learn the core differences between residential and commercial real estate, beyond just property type.
RED-L1-035
Learn what a REIT is, how it lets investors access real estate returns without owning physical property, and a real trade-off involved.
RED-L1-036
Learn what house hacking means, how it can reduce housing costs, and a real limitation to consider.
RED-L1-037
Learn what wholesaling means, how it differs from buying property, and why it depends heavily on finding motivated sellers.
RED-L1-038
Learn what property flipping means, and the real risks that can turn a promising flip into a loss.
RED-L1-039
Learn what a contractor estimate actually represents, and why getting multiple estimates matters.
RED-L1-040
Learn what a HOA special assessment is, why it happens, and why it's a real, unplanned cost owners in a HOA should be aware of.
RED-L1-041
Learn what a standard homeowner's insurance policy typically covers, and a common gap owners should know about.
RED-L1-042
Learn why flood insurance is typically a separate policy, and who's generally required to carry it.
RED-L1-043
Learn what a reverse mortgage is, who it's generally designed for, and a key trade-off involved.
RED-L1-044
Learn what refinancing means, common reasons owners refinance, and why the decision depends on real numbers, not just a lower rate.
RED-L1-045
Learn the basic difference between a home equity loan and a HELOC, and when each structure tends to fit better.
RED-L1-046
Learn what it means to be underwater on a mortgage, how it can happen, and why it's a real risk worth understanding.
RED-L1-047
Learn the general stages a foreclosure process moves through, and why it's a lengthy legal process, not an instant event.
RED-L1-048
Learn what a short sale is, how it differs from foreclosure, and why a lender might actually prefer it.
RED-L1-049
Learn the general order of steps in a typical property purchase, tying together concepts from earlier in this level.
RED-L1-050
Apply everything from RED Level 1 by walking through a complete, realistic property purchase scenario from start to finish.