The Quiet Burnout: Why This Landlord Traded Stress for Freedom

A Landlord’s Journey from Investment to Burnout

For sixteen years, Jeremy was a landlord. He always believed rental properties were a smart investment, so with some extra cash and a bit of inspiration from others, he bought his first property at 33. Over the next few years, he built up a modest portfolio in Austin.

The Challenges of Landlord Life

But even “good” tenants couldn’t prevent the surprises. One tenant left a house reeking and a backyard full of holes from her dogs. Another insisted she didn’t smoke but left the place smelling like cigarettes. There were no wild evictions or legal disasters, but the steady drip of property problems wore him down.

At first, owning rentals in Austin felt like the right call. Home values soared, and Jeremy enjoyed the returns. He managed three properties—enough to spread out the risk, but not enough to rely on for all his retirement income. He had helpful realtors who found tenants and a crew of contacts for repairs. Nothing ever blew up overnight.

Yet that sense of calm was only on the surface. Being a landlord meant he was always on alert. Texts about running toilets or a neighbor’s complaint could pop up at any hour. After a bad contractor experience, every message made his stomach drop. “Oh no, what’s wrong now?” became a daily thought.

The Breaking Point

The real breaking point crept up on him. In January 2024, a pipe burst during a cold snap. Thankfully, it was outside, so the house was fine. A couple of months later, a different problem—a constantly running toilet. Then something else. None of these were disasters. But each one chipped away at his patience.

Finally, Jeremy reached his limit. “I just kind of snapped,” he says. “It wasn’t a roof caving in or a basement flooding. It was the little things, over and over, that made me realize I was done.”

He talked it over with his wife. Retirement was something they were beginning to think more about and wanted to get to planning for it. Dealing with repairs and rent payments wasn’t how he wanted to spend that time. Three rentals weren’t enough to fund every expense, and the hands-on work was taking its toll.

Finding a Way Out

Jeremy dove into research for a solution. He looked into Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), hoping for a more passive investment, but was deterred by the large fees and complexity of setting one up. That’s when a postcard from Flock Homes landed in his mailbox. He hesitated at first—a mailer isn’t how most great ideas start. But the more he read, the more it made sense. Flock offered a way to keep his investment working without the day-to-day stress. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after careful research and plenty of questions, Jeremy knew it was the best option.

Life After Landlording

He signed all three properties over. Instantly, the noise stopped. No more tracking payments. No more fielding repair calls or managing turnovers that dragged on for weeks. The monthly slog of spreadsheets and schedules disappeared.

The silence was the biggest change. Suddenly, there were no buzzing phones or nagging emails to worry about. The constant anxiety faded. Jeremy says, “It’s certainly less stress. I know I don’t have to worry about things anymore.” Days that once included chores and coordination were now his again. At least a day or two every week—just back in his hands.

For landlords feeling burned out, Jeremy’s advice is straightforward: Do your research. Talk to people. Ask questions. He looked into every angle and was glad he did. “It was definitely the right decision for us,” he says. “Give Flock a strong look.”

In the end, Jeremy learned that real estate investing shouldn’t take over your life. It should give you the freedom to enjoy it. For him, that meant trading noise for peace, work for freedom, and worry for the quiet satisfaction of a smart choice.