PropStream Pros: Brian Valencia on Getting Motivated for Change

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. PropStream does not provide investment advice or guarantee profits. Wholesaling laws differ by state and city, and some areas may require a real estate license or specific disclosures. Always research local regulations and consult a qualified professional before proceeding.

From College Student to Full-Time Investor at 23

What if you could go from working 80-hour weeks at a factory to closing your first wholesale real estate deals before your 21st birthday? That’s exactly what Brian Valencia did. At just 23 years old, Brian has already completed over 80 real estate deals, built a thriving business, and set his sights on growing far beyond real estate.

In this episode of PropStream Pros, host Burton Alicando sits down with Brian to discuss his journey from clocking in for graveyard shifts at International Paper to building Apex Home Solutions. Their conversation is packed with insights on faith, mindset, strategies, and how tools like PropStream powered Brian’s breakthrough into real estate.

Early Lessons in Value Creation

Brian’s story begins in Visalia, California, where he grew up in a modest household with four siblings. Watching his father clean carpets for little pay, he quickly learned that hard work alone doesn’t guarantee wealth; value creation does.

That lesson deepened at 18 when he tried to invest $500 at a Wells Fargo branch with his mom. The banker declined, saying the minimum was $10K. Embarrassed but determined, Brian dove into financial literacy books and YouTube videos, sparking his obsession with building wealth and ownership.

A Leap of Faith: Leaving a Secure Job Behind

By age 20, Brian was working exhausting 80-hour weeks at International Paper, making “good money” but feeling increasingly trapped. One night around 2:30 AM, drenched in sweat and exhausted from another graveyard shift, he had an epiphany:

“What am I doing with my life?”

That moment of clarity became his turning point. On October 1, 2022, Brian quit his job, dropped out of college, sold his car, and invested $10,000 into a coaching program. With no safety net, he decided there was only one option: make real estate work.

The Turning Point: Dean’s Influence

Still broke, young, and nervous, Brian almost skipped his first real estate meetup in Fresno. He brought his sister along for support, battling imposter syndrome the whole way. But that night, he met Dean Rogers, a seasoned investor who would change his life.

Brian shook Dean’s hand and promised, “You’re going to be seeing me around more.” Encouraged by Dean’s authenticity and guidance, Brian enrolled in his coaching program. It was a bold leap with the $10,000 that he didn’t have, but it gave him the accountability, structure, and insider knowledge to move forward with confidence.

“Joining Dean’s program was scary, but it forced me to figure things out. I was no longer dabbling, and I was all in,” Brian recalls.

How Brian Found His First Wholesale Deal

Like many beginners, Brian’s early days were filled with rejection and self-doubt. But persistence paid off. His first wholesale deal came after multiple steak dinners and hours of conversation with a seller in Bakersfield. Using a “seller holdback” strategy he’d learned, Brian solved the seller’s problem and walked away with a $7,500 assignment fee.

That first success snowballed. Within weeks, he closed a second deal for $11,000 and then a third, a foreclosure in Visalia, where he earned $25,000. Looking back, Brian admits he left another $20,000 on the table by not having a strong buyers list, a hard but valuable lesson in building leverage.

“These first deals taught me that persistence, creativity, and relationships matter more than anything,” Brian laughs. “Sometimes it took three steaks and eight hours of conversation, but I got it done.”

Shifting Focus: From MLS Struggles to Off-Market Deals

Initially, Brian’s instinct was to search for opportunities on the MLS. But after about a month of trying, he realized it wasn’t working.

“If people are paying close to retail, it doesn’t make any financial sense,” he recalls. “I couldn’t get deals because everything I chased was stuck on the MLS.”

The issue wasn’t effort; it was competition. The MLS was saturated, and agents often made it harder to negotiate creative solutions because of their commission-driven approach. That’s when Dean stepped in and showed Brian a different path: off-market properties.

Instead of competing with dozens of offers on listed homes, Brian began conecting with homeowners directly who weren’t listed with an agent but seemed motivated to sell.

“Off-market deals were the next best thing,” Brian explains. “And the first system I ever used to find them was PropStream.”

Leveraging PropStream to Scale

From day one, PropStream has been Brian’s go-to tool.

• He used it to pull high-equity absentee lists.
• He filtered for pre-foreclosures and tired landlords to find motivated sellers.
• He ran comps and valuations to negotiate confidently.
• He even used it to build and manage direct mail campaigns that reached property owners directly.

“PropStream is where I started, and I still recommend it to every new wholesaler who trains with me,” Brian says. “It’s simple, powerful, and gives you the data you need to take action right away.”

Building Beyond Deals: Brian’s Future Plans

While real estate remains the foundation of his success, Brian’s vision stretches far beyond it. In the years ahead, he plans to scale Apex Home Solutions while pursuing new ventures, from opening a community-focused coffee shop in Visalia to launching a high-end landscaping company. More importantly, he wants to expand his personal brand to inspire young people to take ownership of their futures.

“I want to keep solving problems and creating value,” Brian says. “Real estate gave me confidence and capital, but now I see opportunities everywhere.”

Final Thoughts

From long factory shifts to running a seven-figure real estate business before age 25, Brian Valencia’s journey is a testament to mindset, mentorship, and taking bold action. His story shows how powerful it can be to combine the right tools with guidance and an unshakable persistence to succeed.

If you’re ready to take your first step, whether pulling your first list, attending a local real estate meetup, or launching your first direct mail campaign, PropStream can help you find and analyze deals anywhere in the U.S.

Follow Brian’s Journey

• Instagram: @apex_home_solutions
• Company: Apex Home Solutions