#714: When you’re making big financial decisions, what matters more: optimizing for the best long-term outcome, or choosing the path that gives you the most flexibility and peace of mind right now? Melissa retired early and now lives off rental income, but she’s considering selling one property to pay off another. The catch? Her monthly income would stay about the same—so the real question is whether giving up future appreciation is worth the simplicity and stability today. Von is trying to better understand how real estate returns actually work—specifically, whether cap rates tell the full story for multifamily properties, or whether there’s more going on beneath the surface. Layla is planning to retire at 50 and has built a strong portfolio—but she’s wondering if she’s leaned too heavily into Roth accounts. Should she keep maximizing a mega backdoor Roth at a high tax rate, or shift toward a taxable brokerage to better bridge the early retirement years? We’ll get into all of that—the tradeoffs, the assumptions behind them, and how to think through each decision. Resources: TONIGHT, May 12th: "Can You Still Buy a Profitable Rental Property in 2026?" webinar. Register for free here: https://affordanything.com/rental2026 Share this episode with a friend, colleagues, and your Uber driver: https://affordanything.com/episode714 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices