What It's Like Building A $4+ Million New Home From Scratch

What It's Like Building A $4+ Million New Home From Scratch

Author: Sam Dogen: Financial Samurai founder, personal finance blogger April 29, 2025 Duration: 56:01

In this episode, I talk with Harry, a long-time Financial Samurai reader, about his journey to building a $4+ million home in the Los Angeles area. While most people buy move-in ready homes, Harry shares an insightful behind-the-scenes look at how it's done — from financing the project to the timeline it takes to build, and whether it's ultimately a good investment.

Related posts:

How To Survive The Most Dangerous Time After Buying A Home

A Big Expensive How Can Ruin Your Path To Financial Freedom

To Remodel With Permits Or Without To Save Time And Money

Wealth-Building Recommendations

This episode is brought to you by Fundrise, my preferred private real estate investment platform. Fundrise predominantly in residential and industrial commercial real estate in the Sunbelt, where valuations are lower and yields are higher. I've personally invested over $300,000 in Fundrise to diversify. The investment minimum is only $10, so it's easy to dollar-cost average in. 

If you're ready to build more wealth than 93% of the population, grab a copy of my new book, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. With over 30 years of experience working in, studying, and writing about finance, I've distilled everything I know into this practical guide to help you achieve financial success.

To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

To Your Financial Freedom,

Sam


Money isn't just about numbers on a screen; it's the tool that carves out the life you want to live. On The Financial Samurai Podcast, Sam Dogen digs into that reality with the same direct, experienced perspective that built his influential personal finance blog. You'll hear conversations that go beyond basic tips, focusing instead on the strategic decisions and mental shifts required to build genuine wealth and security. Sam explores the intersection of career, investing, and lifestyle design, drawing from his own journey and insights from various financial trenches. This isn't about get-rich-quick schemes, but about developing a sustainable and intelligent approach to your finances. Each episode feels like a candid discussion with a knowledgeable friend who isn't afraid to tackle the tough questions about risk, opportunity, and what "financial freedom" actually means for different people. Tune in for a podcast that consistently challenges conventional wisdom, offering actionable advice for making your money work harder so you can focus on living better, on your own terms.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Financial Samurai Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Real Estate Commissions Are Already Coming Down Fast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:22
Every residential real estate investor and homeowner is richer after the National Association Of Realtors settled its price fixing lawsuit. I know many real estate agents, realtors, and brokerages are upset with the ruli…
How To Overcome Your Fear Of Investing And Make More Money Long Term [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:23
Since 2009, when I began Financial Samurai, I've noticed some people are too afraid to invest or get easily shaken out whenever there is economic or stock market turbulence. Then, these investors get left behind as the e…
Creating A Million Dollar Weekend As An Entrepreneur With Noah Kagan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:03
I speak with Noah Kagan about being one of the first employees at Facebook and Mint, not making the megabucks, and then turning into a successful entrepreneur with AppSumo. Noah's new book is called Million Dollar Weeken…
Past The Real Estate Market Bottom With Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:55
In this episode, I speak to Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise about his change in outlook for the real estate market in 2024 and beyond. He believes October 2023 was the bottom and we're going up from here. In this episode we…
2024 Financial Samurai Goals And Predictions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:24
Happy 2024 everyone! Here are some of our goals and financial predictions for 2024. Overall, we're optimistic about the year. Related posts: 2024 S&P 500 Forecasts 2024 Housing Price Forecasts 2024 Financial Samurai Goal…