Trouble finding investment property that has positive cash flow

[Ivan Wudexi]

Hello everyone, 

I am having trouble finding an investment property that has positive cash flow in my area. Since I am a beginner, I wonder if anyone can provide advice. 

The way I see this is :

1. not utilizing the calculator well enough (eg. undervaluing my rent estimation) 

2. there is no good properties in the area to invest. 

3. other issues that I may not see (blind spot). 

Please advice. 

Thank you.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Ivan Wudexi:

The market has changed. Prices are much higher than they were four years ago. Mortgage rates are much higher than they were four years ago. You can't expect to buy houses the same way we did four years ago.

It's the same in every market. You have to really work hard to find property off-market, or you have to change how you buy to make the numbers work. In 2018 I bought a six-unit property with 10% down and earned great cash flow. If I tried buying that property today, the expenses would be significantly higher than the income and it would be a bad investment. The only way it would work with today's mortgage rates is if I put down around 40-50%.

When the market changes, you have to change. If you spend your time trying to fit 2019 methods into a 2024 market, you'll never make any progress.