How Nolan Turned Knowledge into His First Investment Property

From Education to Execution: How Nolan Turned Knowledge into His First Investment Property

Lessons from Christina and Nolan

In this episode of Branching Out: Where Real Estate Meets Real Life, Christina sat down with Nolan, a first-time real estate investor whose journey is the perfect example of moving from “learning about real estate” to actually doing it.

🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube or listen to the podcast here

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Like many new investors, Nolan had read all the books, watched the videos, and talked to friends already buying properties. But something was missing — execution. It wasn’t until he met the team at Branch Wealth Partners that his mindset shifted from theory to action.

“You can be as educated as you want on a topic, but until you actually execute, you’re kind of in a standstill,” Nolan shared. “Meeting Branch allowed me to get into that execution mode.”

From a “Modeling Opportunity” to a Mindset Shift

The story of how Nolan met Christina is a memorable one. Years ago, he reached out to her as a personal trainer — preparing for what he thought was a modeling gig (that turned out to be a reality TV show). That workout partnership sparked a friendship that would later lead Nolan straight into the world of real estate investing.

“It felt like divine timing,” he said. “Christina mentioned she was changing careers and had met Greg from Branch. She told me about his vision for real estate, and I just knew I had to learn more.”

That moment became the turning point — when learning about investing turned into actually building wealth through it.

Faith, Stewardship, and Money Mindset

Nolan’s faith plays a central role in how he approaches both money and business. Raised Catholic, he describes faith as the foundation for his financial perspective.

“It’s impossible to think about money without thinking about faith,” he explained. “When you view money as a tool to provide for your family and give back to the community, you reshape your mindset around wealth.”

He appreciated that Branch Wealth Partners shared those same values.

“When Greg’s first presentation started with faith, I thought — okay, I can trust this. This isn’t about get-rich-quick schemes. It’s about doing things the right way, conservatively, and with integrity.”

At Branch, we call this approach stewardship: using resources wisely, making thoughtful decisions, and building something that lasts.

Lessons from the Program

Once he joined the Real Estate Wealth Mastery Program, Nolan dove in — learning how to analyze deals, evaluate markets, and apply key investing metrics like loan-to-value ratios and rent-to-price “sniff tests.”

“Understanding how to actually analyze deals was huge,” he said. “The numbers finally made sense — and so did the process.”

But for him, the most valuable part of the program was the one-on-one mentorship.

“The group lessons were great, but the calls with Greg and Leanne were where the real magic happened,” he said. “I’d bring a deal, and we’d talk through it. Sometimes they’d say, ‘This isn’t a good deal,’ and that saved me from buying the wrong property.”

He laughed, recalling a specific one-bedroom house covered in ivy that almost became his first deal. “I was so close to pulling the trigger,” he said. “But Greg and Leanne helped me walk away — and three weeks later, I found the duplex I ended up buying. It was meant to be.”

The First Deal Makes It Real

That duplex in Concord, North Carolina, became Nolan’s first investment — and a living example of Branch’s motto: the first deal makes it real.

He purchased the property for $275,000, negotiating down from an inflated asking price of $295,000. Today, he lives in one unit and rents out the other — a strategy known as house hacking.

“It’s not a slam dunk deal, but it’s the right one for me,” he said. “I live on one side, my tenants live on the other, and their rent covers 60% of my mortgage. I’m paying about $600 a month to live — instead of $2,400 like I was in uptown Charlotte.”

His goal now? To refinance, rent both units, and rinse and repeat.

“I’m going to house-hack my way to the top,” he smiled. “That’s the plan.”

That’s exactly what we mean when we say: the first deal makes it real.

Building the Right Team

One of Nolan’s biggest takeaways from his first year as an investor was the importance of having the right people around you.

“The best leaders surround themselves with people who know more than they do,” he said. “That’s what I did in real estate — I leaned on Branch’s network for inspectors, contractors, and property management. Everyone they connected me with was solid.”

Because Nolan travels frequently for his consulting job, Branch manages his property, giving him peace of mind while he’s on the road.

“Having a property management partner who treats your property like their own is everything,” he said. “When a tree needed to be removed, Christina handled the whole thing. I was out of town, checked my phone, and it was already done.”

Investing with Grace

Nolan’s first tenant experience wasn’t easy — but it revealed his heart and integrity as an investor. When his initial renter fell ill and had to break the lease, Nolan chose compassion over profit.

“I just thought, what’s the right thing to do?” he recalled. “I gave him his deposit back and told him to take care of his family. That decision came straight from the example Branch set — do what’s right, and good things follow.”

Soon after, a new tenant moved in — and has been a perfect fit ever since.

5-Minute Fast Fire with Nolan

To close out the episode, Christina put Nolan on the spot for a 5-Minute Fast Fire — five questions, five quick answers:

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you learned in the program?

• “The first deal makes it real. You can’t scale or grow until you’ve done your first one.”
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Q: What’s your favorite part about real estate investing?

• “Freedom. It gives me options. I don’t want to leave my career completely, but I want the freedom to take risks — and real estate gives me that.”
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Q: What’s one habit that helped you go from student to investor?

• “Accountability. Investing in the program meant I was investing in myself. Having a team to keep me on track made all the difference.”
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Q: If you could go back in time, what would you tell your past self?

• “Buy in 2020,” he laughed. “Rates were 2%. I’d be on my third property by now!”
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Q: What does success mean to you now?

• “Success isn’t a number. It’s doing the work. It’s execution. It’s about saying you’ll do something — and then actually doing it.”

Nolan’s Advice to Future Investors

Before wrapping up, Nolan left listeners with one final thought:

“Even if you’ve read every book and watched every video, the one thing keeping you from success might be your network. The people you meet here — the accountability, the community — that’s what turns information into action.”

Ready to Start Your Own First-Door Journey?

If Nolan’s story resonated with you — the learning, the hesitation, the desire to finally take that next step — you’re exactly who we created the Real Estate Wealth Mastery Membership for.

It’s the same guided path Nolan used:

✔ A clear, structured plan

✔ Weekly support and accountability

✔ Step-by-step training that actually makes sense

✔ Mentors who walk with you from your first analysis to your first property

This isn’t about being flashy or trying to sprint your way to success.

It’s about thoughtful stewardship, steady progress, and building something that serves your family long-term.

And as Nolan reminded us, information isn’t what creates change — action is.

And action becomes much more doable when you’re surrounded by the right people.

👉 Learn more about the Membership and start your guided path today.

Your first door might be closer than you think.