Keys to Success

Keys to Success

Keys to Success" is the go-to podcast for aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned business owners, and anyone passionate about real estate and personal growth. Hosted by Litra Simms, this show unlocks powerful insights and practical strategies to help listeners build wealth, master essential business tools, and achieve lasting empowerment. Each episode dives deep into topics like real estate investment, financial planning, business development, and overcoming challenges, offering listeners the “keys” they need to open doors to a prosperous future. Join us to discover real stories, expert tips, and actionable advice that will inspire you to turn ambition into action and dreams into reality. "Your Guide to Building Wealth and Empowerment, One Key at a Time.

Episodes

What Should I Look for in a Real Estate Mentor?

August 28, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of "Keys to Success," hosted by Litra Simms, the subject of what to look for in a real estate mentor is explored. The importance of choosing a mentor aligned with one's specific real estate goals was discussed, emphasizing the importance of relevant experience over popularity. Simms offered insights into green flags indicating a good mentor and red flags to watch out for. The characteristics of an excellent mentor i...
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Using Real Estate to Fund Retirement: Start Now, Not Later

August 26, 2025 • 6 mins
On this episode of "Keys to Success," host Litra Simms discusses the important role of real estate investment in retirement planning. She debunks common misconceptions about market timing, expressing the importance of leveraging time over trying to predict market fluctuations. She explains how starting your real estate journey early allows investments to grow and generate significant income by retirement. Litra compares real estate...
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Investing in Real Estate With a Full-Time Job: How to Make It Work

August 19, 2025 • 6 mins
In the podcast 'Keys to Success,' Litra Simms offers insightful advice on how to successfully balance full-time work and investing in real estate. Simms recommends starting small, with properties that fit one's lifestyle and hiring property managers for dealing with day-to-day operations. They highlight the advantage of a steady income from a full-time job when dealing with lenders, saying it adds attractiveness to you as a borrowe...
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ASK LITRA: What’s the Difference Between Pre-Approval and Pre-Qualification?

August 14, 2025 • 4 mins
In the latest episode of "Keys to Success," host Litra Simms demystifies a common question in the world of real estate: the difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification when buying a home. The podcast explains that pre-qualification is a preliminary, informal process that gives potential buyers an estimate of what they can afford based on self-reported financial data. On the other hand, pre-approval is a more detailed, off...
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Understanding the 1% Rule in 2025: Still a Useful Tool?

August 12, 2025 • 4 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms discusses the utility of the 1% Rule in the ever-changing landscape of real estate investing. The 1% Rule suggests that a rental property should generate rent equivalent to 1% of its purchase price each month. Litra expresses that, while useful as a first-line screening tool for potential investments, this rule doesn’t offer a comprehensive appraisal of a property’s investment va...
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How Do I Know If I’m Ready to Go Full-Time in Real Estate?

July 31, 2025 • 5 mins
In the podcast episode, host Litra Simms discusses the prerequisites for transitioning to a full-time career in real estate. She outlines three areas to assess readiness: financial stability, part-time experience, and preparedness for the stable transition. Financial indicators include having six months of living expenses saved, a regular income from real estate that covers bills, and minimal high-interest debt. Gaining experience ...
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Scaling Your Portfolio: When and How to Expand Your Investments

July 29, 2025 • 4 mins
In the Keys to Success podcast episode, host Litra Simms provides guidance on when and how to successfully expand a real estate portfolio. She shares key indicators to assess readiness, including profitability of the properties, controlled debt with a healthy debt-to-income ratio, smooth running management systems, and consistent returns on investments. Litra stresses the importance of calculated, strategic decisions in scaling a p...
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Ask Litra: How Do I Overcome Fear as a First-Time Investor?

July 24, 2025 • 9 mins
In this episode of "Keys to Success," host Litra Simms delves into the fears often faced by first-time real estate investors, offering strategies to overcome and manage them. Litra underscores that fear is normal and provides guidance on understanding and assessing it before taking the first step in investment. The episode highlights the importance of having a firm grasp over financials and intensive market studies to foster invest...
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Real Estate Tools and Tech You Should Be Using in 2025

July 22, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms covers essential real estate tools and tech to be used in 2025. She discusses tools for deal sourcing, analysis, CRM and workflow automation, and organizational platforms. For finding potential opportunities and analyzing deals, she suggests platforms such as PropStream, BatchLeads, Privy, DealCheck, BiggerPockets, and ChatGPT. She discusses the usefulness of CRMs like Follow Up ...
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Real Estate Taxes 101: What Every Investor Needs to Know

July 15, 2025 • 11 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms provides an in-depth look at tax strategies crucial for real estate investment. Beginning with tax planning and its pivotal role in maximizing profit, the episode delves into various tax deductions such as mortgage interest, property taxes, depreciation, repair costs, and operating expenses. Litra then explains capital gains and 1031 exchanges, emphasizing the importance of under...
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Can I Invest in Real Estate If I Still Have Student Loans?

July 10, 2025 • 8 mins
In this podcast episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms discusses tackling the daunting question many new investors grapple with - 'Can I invest in real estate if I still have student loans?' Litra introduces listeners to understanding their financial picture, especially focusing on the Debt-to-income ratio or DTI that makes investors attractive to lenders. She also sheds light on the potential impact of student loans and hint...
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House Hacking in 2025: Live for Free While Building Wealth

June 24, 2025 • 5 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, Litra Simms explores the strategy of house hacking in real estate investing as a potential path to financial freedom. She clarifies house hacking as using part of one's own home as a rental, generating income to offset living expenses, particularly advantageous for first-time investors. The financial dynamics described emphasize the significant contribution from tenant rental income in covering t...
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How Do I Calculate a Good Return on a Rental Property?

June 19, 2025 • 7 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms discusses how to calculate whether a rental property is a good investment. The episode is broken down into four key segments: Cash Flow, Cash-on-Cash Return, Cap Rate, and the 1% Rule. Simms explains how to calculate and evaluate each of these metrics to determine the potential profitability of a rental property. The episode is part of the 'Ask Litra' series, and Simms offers pra...
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Creative Financing Strategies for First-Time Real Estate Investors

June 17, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, Litra Simms discusses various creative financing strategies for first-time real estate investors, including seller financing, subject-to deals, and private/hard money lending. She emphasizes that these alternatives to traditional loans can help overcome high interest rates, credit challenges, and limited savings. She points out that rather than being deterred by these obstacles, new investors can...
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How Do I Buy Real Estate With No or Low Money Down?

June 12, 2025 • 10 mins
In her podcast, Keys to Success, Litra Simms explores various strategies individuals can use to invest in real estate with little or no money down. She discusses creative financing options like seller financing, lease options, and subject-to deals that allow investors to get started without substantial upfront capital. Litra also uncovers several government-backed loan programs, such as FHA, VA, and USDA rural loans, which offer lo...
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How to Analyze a Deal Like a Pro

June 10, 2025 • 7 mins
In this episode of Keys to Success, host Litra Simms covers the vital topic of deal analysis in real estate investment. She walks through the basics of calculating cash flow and ROI, highlighting their importance in understanding the profitability of a property. She also emphasizes the need to consider other factors such as vacancy rates, local taxes, insurance rates, neighborhood trends, and job growth indicators, which can greatl...
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Building a Real Estate Portfolio That Scales

June 3, 2025 • 8 mins
The podcast, Keys to Success, led by host Litra Simms, provides listeners with strategy-based insight to guide them in building and expanding their real estate portfolios. Litra explains the importance of defining clear objectives, setting benchmarks, and knowing what type of properties to invest in. She encourages using property management software and standardizing processes to streamline workflow, as well as considering virtual ...
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What’s the First Thing to Do After Closing on an Investment Property?

May 29, 2025 • 10 mins
In this episode of "Keys to Success," hosted by Litra Simms, the primary focus is on the initial steps necessary after closing on an investment property. She explains essential actions like changing locks and security codes, conducting a thorough walkthrough to assess the property’s condition, documenting damages, setting up utilities, and arranging comprehensive insurance coverage. The discussion also revolves around the need for ...
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Real Estate Partnerships: Pros, Cons, and How to Structure Them

May 27, 2025 • 10 mins
In this episode of "Keys to Success", host Litra Simms discusses the potential of real estate partnerships as a strategy for success. She highlights the advantages such partnerships can bring, including the pooling of resources and expertise, diversification of risks, and the prospect of securing larger investments. She also takes a deep look at common partnership structures like general partnerships, limited partnerships, joint ve...
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What’s the Best Way to Screen Tenants Without Discrimination?

May 22, 2025 • 11 mins
In the podcast 'Keys to Success', host Litra Simms takes listeners through real estate basics, focusing on how property owners can most effectively screen prospective tenants while adhering to fair housing laws. Explaining the stipulations of the Fair Housing Act, Litra emphasizes that landlords must not discriminate based on protected characteristics such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disabili...
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