S5 EP #5 | What You Need to Know About Bilt 2.0
Fri Feb 06 2026
Welcome back to the SARE Ladies Podcast: Season 6 is officially live, and we’re kicking it off with an EMERGENCY SESSION because the Bilt 2.0 transition has the points world in absolute chaos. We’re your hosts, Anita Wong (multifamily investor, new mom of two) and Ashley Cao (commercial mortgage lender, investor, recovering tech employee), and today we’re getting into the real story behind the Bilt “drama.”
To help us make sense of it all, we brought back one of our most-loved guests: Katherine Fan, a personal finance and travel writer whose work has appeared in NerdWallet and The Points Guy. Together, we break down Bilt in plain English: what it is, why it matters specifically for real estate investors, and what the current Bilt 2.0 offering actually looks like (beyond the headlines and hot takes).
Then we get practical: what are the real risks for consumers, and is Bilt still worth it if you only have one rent or mortgage payment?
You’ll leave with clear takeaways, a smarter way to evaluate the hype, and a next-step checklist for deciding if Bilt 2.0 belongs in your points strategy, or if it’s a “hard pass” for your situation. Plus, Katherine shares what she’s building next for investor travelers and how to keep up with her work.
Katherine Fan is a personal finance and travel journalist who's published more than 2,000 articles for media sites like Nerdwallet, The Points Guy, and Business Insider. She's also a real estate investor with six doors in central Texas, and specializes in helping small business owners maximize their credit card rewards from business-related expenses. Before transitioning to the media industry, Katherine worked in tech as a software sales account executive. Although Katherine primarily splits time between Austin and New York City, she spent her teens in Taiwan and considers Taipei her third home.
Links:
Previous Episode with Katherine Fan: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6HOJfsiIl3G726fFK9mAZb?si=eff188f99ec941eb
Bilt Card Calculator: https://nextcard.com/tools/bilt-calculator
How to find Katherine:
Instagram: @katherinefangirling
Disclosure:
Legal Disclosure for the SARE Ladies Podcast. The following is an important legal disclosure regarding the content of our podcast:
Entertainment Purposes Only: The content provided in all episodes of the SARE Ladies podcast, including discussions, opinions, interviews, and any other type of content, is intended solely for entertainment purposes. It should not be considered professional, financial, legal, or any other type of advice.
No Professional Advice: The hosts, guests, and producers of the SARE Ladies podcast are limited professional advisors. The content provided should not be relied upon for making any personal, financial, or business decisions. We strongly encourage our listeners to seek advice from qualified professionals before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.
No Liability: The creators, hosts, and producers of the SARE Ladies podcast shall not be liable for any errors or omissions in the content provided, nor for any actions taken by any listener based on the information provided in the podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
No Endorsement of Investments: While we may discuss a range of topics, including investments and financial strategies, such discussions are for illustrative and entertainment purposes only. The SARE Ladies podcast does not endorse or recommend any specific investments or financial products.
Consult Professionals: We strongly advise our listeners to consult with a qualified professional for advice tailored to their personal circumstances before making any investment or financial decisions.
By listening to the SARE Ladies podcast, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer and understand that the content provided is not intended to replace professional advice.
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Welcome back to the SARE Ladies Podcast: Season 6 is officially live, and we’re kicking it off with an EMERGENCY SESSION because the Bilt 2.0 transition has the points world in absolute chaos. We’re your hosts, Anita Wong (multifamily investor, new mom of two) and Ashley Cao (commercial mortgage lender, investor, recovering tech employee), and today we’re getting into the real story behind the Bilt “drama.” To help us make sense of it all, we brought back one of our most-loved guests: Katherine Fan, a personal finance and travel writer whose work has appeared in NerdWallet and The Points Guy. Together, we break down Bilt in plain English: what it is, why it matters specifically for real estate investors, and what the current Bilt 2.0 offering actually looks like (beyond the headlines and hot takes). Then we get practical: what are the real risks for consumers, and is Bilt still worth it if you only have one rent or mortgage payment? You’ll leave with clear takeaways, a smarter way to evaluate the hype, and a next-step checklist for deciding if Bilt 2.0 belongs in your points strategy, or if it’s a “hard pass” for your situation. Plus, Katherine shares what she’s building next for investor travelers and how to keep up with her work. Katherine Fan is a personal finance and travel journalist who's published more than 2,000 articles for media sites like Nerdwallet, The Points Guy, and Business Insider. She's also a real estate investor with six doors in central Texas, and specializes in helping small business owners maximize their credit card rewards from business-related expenses. Before transitioning to the media industry, Katherine worked in tech as a software sales account executive. Although Katherine primarily splits time between Austin and New York City, she spent her teens in Taiwan and considers Taipei her third home. Links: Previous Episode with Katherine Fan: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6HOJfsiIl3G726fFK9mAZb?si=eff188f99ec941eb Bilt Card Calculator: https://nextcard.com/tools/bilt-calculator How to find Katherine: Instagram: @katherinefangirling Disclosure: Legal Disclosure for the SARE Ladies Podcast. The following is an important legal disclosure regarding the content of our podcast: Entertainment Purposes Only: The content provided in all episodes of the SARE Ladies podcast, including discussions, opinions, interviews, and any other type of content, is intended solely for entertainment purposes. It should not be considered professional, financial, legal, or any other type of advice. No Professional Advice: The hosts, guests, and producers of the SARE Ladies podcast are limited professional advisors. The content provided should not be relied upon for making any personal, financial, or business decisions. We strongly encourage our listeners to seek advice from qualified professionals before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast. No Liability: The creators, hosts, and producers of the SARE Ladies podcast shall not be liable for any errors or omissions in the content provided, nor for any actions taken by any listener based on the information provided in the podcast. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. No Endorsement of Investments: While we may discuss a range of topics, including investments and financial strategies, such discussions are for illustrative and entertainment purposes only. The SARE Ladies podcast does not endorse or recommend any specific investments or financial products. Consult Professionals: We strongly advise our listeners to consult with a qualified professional for advice tailored to their personal circumstances before making any investment or financial decisions. By listening to the SARE Ladies podcast, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer and understand that the content provided is not intended to replace professional advice.