In this episode of the Be Wealthy Podcast, Brett Tanner sits down with real estate investor and mortgage expert Josh Mettle to unpack the real truth about building wealth in today’s economic environment.

Josh shares his journey from buying single-family rentals with little cash flow, to scaling into large multifamily assets, and ultimately becoming a sophisticated investor who understands inflation, risk, and long-term wealth creation.

This powerful conversation dives deep into the realities of today’s housing market, what actually creates financial freedom, and why many investors get stuck chasing low-return, high-friction strategies. Josh also reveals how he shifted from hustling “for cash flow” to building a portfolio that compounds safely, sustainably, and with far less stress.

- Hard assets win long-term. Real wealth is created through assets that appreciate, hedge inflation, and give you optionality.

- Cash flow isn’t always in the first phase. Early investing gives you equity; the cash flow often comes in the later stages through refinancing or trading up.

- Single-family rentals are harder today. Higher repairs, taxes, insurance, and tenant behavior make cash flow challenging without the ability to bill back costs.

- Know your return on equity. Investors should measure actual dollars distributed vs. the total equity tied up — many would be better off reallocating.

- Mindset matters. Wealth comes from disciplined thinking, resiliency, and moving from “hustle energy” to strategic, sustainable growth.

00:00 – Introduction: Meet Josh Mettle

02:00 – Early Investing: How Josh Started in Single-Family Rentals

05:00 – Understanding Today’s Housing Market vs. the 1990s

12:45 – The Challenge of Cash Flow in 2024–2025

17:15 – Stage 2: Discovering Return on Equity & Rethinking Cash Flow

19:00 – Why Some Properties Are “High Friction, Low Payoff”

23:00 – From Rentals to Larger Assets: Scaling with Intention

27:00 – Inflation, Rates, and the Hidden Forces Affecting Investors

32:00 – Why Many Investors Overestimate Their Returns

36:00 – Hard Assets vs. The Dollar: Protecting Yourself from Inflation

40:00 – Silver, Gold, Bitcoin — and Why They Matter Today

45:00 – AI, Silver Demand, and Global Economic Shifts

52:00 – The True Cost of Being a Landlord in the Modern Market

57:00 – What Josh Wishes Investors Understood About Wealth

1:03:00 – Final Insights: Building Long-Term Financial Freedom

• Josh’s Article: WTF Happened to the American Dream: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wtf-happened-american-dream-joshua-mettle-zoh1c/?trackingId=AIL36sgKQKiAfbWux2UVJg%3D%3D
• Josh on The Jason Hartman Podcast: https://youtu.be/zlE23yF95DI?si=TfcDMCEKVPOmfE__

• https://www.jameslavish.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@allin
• https://www.youtube.com/@JasonHartmanEmpoweredInvestor
• https://www.zerohedge.com