Tips on Rental Property Investing in Texas

[Mehdi Aharchaou]

I've been reading lots of books & watching podcasts on real estate investing during the past 2 years, and I'm now at a stage where I'd like to acquire a few rental properties to move from theory to practice. I'm 35, and I live in Woodlands TX, so the Houston area would be my number 1 choice, but I'm also considering Austin TX or other cities in Texas. I lean more towards the Buy & Hold strategy targeting CASHFLOW from SFR and Duplexes; my hope is to build a portfolio of rental properties providing sustainable, predictable income for the coming years. Based on my understanding of the current market & opportunities seen so far, it's somewhat challenging to find really good deals (for instance, approaching the 1% rule), but I know my channels (roofstock, zillow) can be limited & I can do better in terms of opportunity screening / identification. Part of it I believe is building a stronger network. Any advice you can share with a new investor on Buy & Hold REI in SFR / Multifamily in 1) Houston, TX, 2) Austin, TX or 3) Other cities in TX? Many thanks in advance for your inputs!!