She Lost Her Job of 30 Years. Then Made $165K on Her First Real Estate Deal.

She gave 30 years to corporate America. Then it gave her a spinal fusion, an FMLA leave, and a layoff notice. What happened next is the episode your avatar needs to hear. Shelly was a Director of Business Development at a major financial services company - national team, constant travel, high stress. When a back injury led to spinal fusion surgery and then a displacement notice while she was still recovering, she could have spiraled. Instead she called a friend, found a program, and within months closed on a Philadelphia triplex that could make her $165,000 in equity with only $50K out of pocket. In this episode, Palak Shah sits down with Shelly to break down exactly how she went from corporate casualty to real estate investor - without ever having to be in the room where it happens. Timestamps 00:00 - Meet Shelly: Corporate director, Northern Virginia, invests in Philly 01:30 - 30 years at a major firm and why she had to walk away 03:00 - Spinal fusion, FMLA, and a layoff that changed everything 04:30 - How a vulnerable conversation led her to real estate 06:00 - Why she was scared of wholesalers and how she got over it 07:15 - The Philadelphia triplex: the numbers that matter 08:45 - How AI exposed a lowball appraisal and saved the deal 10:00 - $50K in, $165K out - the hard money breakdown 11:30 - $4,800/month in rent, conservative 12:45 - The three things that actually moved the needle 14:30 - Building a family legacy with her adult kids Resources: \- Get a copy of Accelerate Your Real Estate - https://a.co/d/bdW6j7K \- Book a call - http://www.openspaceswomen.com/bookacall \- 5-Day Real Estate Investor Accelerator - https://www.theinvestoraccelerator.com
 Connect with Palak and Niti • Website: https://www.openspaceswomen.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openspaceswomen/   https://www.instagram.com/openspacesacademy/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openspaceswomen • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/openspacescapital/ • YouTube: https://youtube.com/@openspaces1251 • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacesacademy https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacesacademy Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and reflects one investor's personal experience. Results are not typical and will vary based on market conditions, individual effort, and financial circumstances. This is not financial, legal, or investment advice. Always conduct your own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals before making any real estate investment decisions. Open Spaces Coaching does not guarantee specific outcomes.