Southwest Houston Real Estate Investment Strategies

[Stephen Au]

Hey all, 

I'm a 20 year old college student set to graduate in the Spring. After graduating, I am going to work in Houston on a rotational basis (2 weeks in Midland, TX and 2 weeks in Houston, TX). I want to get a head start in my financial portfolio, and I thought real estate was a top-notch way to do so. As a young investor, I would like to know your real estate investment strategies in Houston, particularly in Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond area. What are some things to watch out for (besides the crazy property taxes, of course)? I am personally biased towards Sugar Land because I lived there last summer and absolutely loved it. Suburbs were beautiful, culture was diverse, streets were safe... much like my upbringing in LA! What kind of numbers do you use for deal analysis that are not easily attainable, public data? (i.e. homeowner insurance, maintenance costs, etc?) I am looking to buy a house (200k range), but I want to make sure that I will be able to leverage it to renters to build equity with rental income. Thanks everyone! 

[Jeff Wallace]

@Stephen Au

Hey Stephen,

Congratulations on doing SOMETHING to set yourself up for financial independence - Honestly, at your age, it will be hard to make a bad LONGTERM decision wherever you decide to invest - In fact, just acquiring investment property at your age will pay HUGE returns over time - Time is the most important concept when investing - Time makes even moderate investment today seem like genius ten or fifteen years down the road - My advice -

Live below your means and invest every available penny in real estate as quickly as possible - Keep a nice pile of cash available for emergencies