Jacob Cox - Author

🎉 Chapter 7 is officially in the books (pun intended)!

Writing a book about real estate investing is one thing. Editing it? That’s where the real heavy lifting happens.

I just finished a massive structural edit of Chapter 7—the chapter where I break down the high-stakes financial mechanics of refinancing one property to buy the next all-cash, alongside the brutal reality of dealing with home warranties, tax compliance, and property managers.

Honestly, editing can be a grind. You have to willingly kill your own favorite sentences, untangle messy timelines, and stare down the data until it's completely airtight. It’s tempting to just hit "publish" on the first draft and call it a day.

But putting in the hours to ruthlessly refine the manuscript is where the real value lies. It forces you to turn raw, chaotic experiences into clear, actionable frameworks. It’s how you ensure that the lessons bought with years of sweat, mistakes, and hard-earned capital actually translate into a step-by-step roadmap for someone else.

One chapter closer to getting Building Wealth After-Hours into your hands. On to Chapter 8! 🚀




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Just crossed another major milestone for the book! It took a minute, but I officially finished editing Chapter 6, which zeroes in on "Calypso-0"—my very first intentional, deliberate rental property purchase back in 2019.

Let me tell you, keeping this one concise was a serious exercise in discipline! When you’re writing about the property that taught you the raw reality of "passive" income versus active management, it’s easy to want to dump every single lesson learned onto the page. I had to cut out a lot of fluff to keep the narrative tight, but the core gold is all there.

From navigating cash deals and figuring out why you shouldn't insure "ghost square footage" (rookie mistake: paying premiums on a garage the property didn't actually have! 🤦‍♂️), to a painful Saturday wrestling with a 5-foot caustic Agave plant in military fatigues... this property threw it at me.

It was also the property that proved active management with a demanding W-2 day job just wasn't the right math for my time or the IRS. Six months in, I handed it over to a property manager, and despite dealing with a tenant eviction in 2021, holding my ground against a pushy agent, and dealing with a chaotic closing attorney, we walked away with a $30,000 gain in just two years to fuel the next deal.

Chapter 6 is officially lean, mean, and packed with the real-world math of scaling a portfolio. Can't wait to share the full journey with you all soon! 🚀🏡





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Checked on progress today, we're getting there. Just a handful of items to wrap up.

✅Check out the backyard.
✅Look at that master bath, mirror is coming.
✅New HVAC is making the place feel cooler than it looks.
✅Appliances and Backsplash are coming.



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What a crazy, fast-paced, and incredibly educational year it has been! 🙌

It's too early to say how rewarding it will be, but I see promise.

Balancing a 9-5 as a Solutions Architect designing AI projects for the government is a massive undertaking in itself, but building an "after-hours" real estate portfolio has taken things to a whole new level.

I’m incredibly proud to share some major milestones from this year:
🏡 First Rental in South Carolina Acquired: Officially added a beautiful, high-end 4-bed, 2-bath rental property to the portfolio in North Augusta, SC. Nearly all my rentals are in the Augusta, GA area.

🔨 First Flip In Progress: Stepped outside my comfort zone and took on my very first property flip—a 3/2 also in North Augusta!

💼 Private Money Lending: Expanding my horizons even further this week by officially entering the private lending space to fund another investor’s flip-over in Martinez, GA.

Shoutout to everyone who has supported me on this journey, shared advice, or partnered with me along the way. Managing code, generative AI models, and my after-hours special project from my home office here in Grovetown has been a rigorous journey, but momentum is building. 🚀

🙌

I checked in on the Taylor Pond Project today. The floors and countertops are in , along with the new HVAC.

Someone with a boat or camper is going to love that driveway extending beyond the house.

Last year, I started another project chronicling my path to 10 rental properties. I thought other investors, especially those who work a 9-5 like me, might be interested in how I did it. I don't self-manage; I don't run my own renovations; I don't market; and I don't handle maintenance. My book explains why.

Instead, I focus on creative acquisitions, finding deals, and outsourcing as much as I can, which allows me to focus on my day job and extracurriculars. I'm also not trying to become my own boss or retire early. I actually like my job, but I do like knowing that work is becoming an option more and more every day, while my lifestyle is not.

I'm now 90,000 words in and scaling it down to ~80,000. Editing is time-consuming, but as Mark Twain once said, "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter." I'm making it shorter, dang'it!

I hope to complete it this year.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What would you like to learn from an insider's perspective on growing your rental portfolio?

Encouragement is welcome too!


















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🎉 Facebook recognized me as a consistent post creator this week!

Stopped by The Taylor Pond project today, and it is progressing! Walls are all repaired and painted and the flooring is ready to go in.

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I've been busy.

🚧RENOVATION UPDATE: The Taylor Pond Project is underway!🚧

This 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,620-square-foot gem was built in 2016 and is on a full one-acre lot in North Augusta, SC. It features a spacious master suite with a walk-in closet and a master bath with a luxury rainfall shower system.

So, what's in store for renovations?
✅ New flooring throughout.
✅ New HVAC with a 10-year warranty
✅ Brand new stainless steel appliances (Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher, and Microwave)
✅ Remodeled kitchen with Black pearl granite countertops and tiled backsplash.
✅ Newly updated bathrooms with quartz vanity countertop.
✅ New Plumbing
✅ Roof and ceiling work
✅ Fresh paint
✅ Small repairs throughout
✅ And, landscaping

This home is in a growing local economy supported by major regional employers, schools, dining, and recreation.

💼 Top Employment Hubs
👌Savannah River Site (SRS): A major regional employer for engineering and tech (approx. 28 miles)
👌SRP Federal Credit Union Headquarters: Local financial powerhouse (approx. 16 miles)
👌Augusta University & Medical District: Major healthcare and education hub (approx. 15 miles)
👌Georgia Cyber Center: a conglomeration of government, industry, and academia focused on all things cyber. (approx. 10 miles)
👌Fort Gordon: home of Army Cyber Command (approx 21 miles)

🎓 Schools
👌 Merriwether Elementary & Middle: Highly-rated and just minutes away! (~6 miles)
👌 Fox Creek High School: A premier charter school option nearby (~6 miles)
👌 Strom Thurmond High: The home of the Rebels! (~16 miles)

🍽️ Local Dining Favorites
👌Manuel’s Bread Café: French-inspired farm-to-table dining (approx. 12.5 miles)
👌Brink’s Tavern: Great atmosphere and Southern favorites (approx. 13 miles)
👌Hammond’s Ferry Area: Beautiful riverside dining and shops (approx. 12.5 miles)

🌳 Recreation & Activities
👌The Greeneway: 7+ miles of paved trails for biking and walking (approx. 12.5 miles)
👌SRP Park: Catch a GreenJackets baseball game by the river! (approx. 13 miles)
👌Riverview Park Activities Center: 149 acres of sports, gym facilities, and community events (approx. 12.5 miles)

Whether you’re looking for a quiet retreat or proximity to the best of North Augusta, this location has it all!

I expect to place this home on the market by early to mid-June, so it will be ready for summer. I'm targeting $305,000 or best offer.

If you're interested in following this project, enter in the comments.

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