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Updated about 8 years ago on . Most recent reply

Investing Strategy: 5+ apartment complex vs several 4-units>
Hi everyone! This is officially my first post to Bigger Pockets, but hoping to become a more regular participant. I've been listening to the Podcasts and reading blogs for several months now, and am hooked. Wanting to start getting serious on acquiring more REI's.
I do own 1 rental single fam here in St. Louis (~5 years) that I manage myself, and also have (very hands off) investments in several apartment complexes in FL - so not completely new to the world of REI. But would still consider myself somewhat of N00B if that makes sense. While my SF cash flows positive, I didn't know about the world of BP when I acquired it so frankly thought it was a decent deal until I started hearing all of your success stories on BP and now come to realize I could probably have done better :)
I want to get my head wrapped around multi-family strategies. While I own part of several large apartment complexes in FL, I'm a non-active investor - meaning someone else found the deal, I wrote checks for my buy in, and receive my returns. Now that I've had a taste of it, I'd like to invest some more money and get more active in the multi-fam space.
So to start my first post off with a high level, simple question - thoughts on smaller apartment complexes vs multiple 2-4 multi-fam properties? I have enough to go after either a 10-20 unit complex, or maybe 3-4 4-unit multi fams. I would be pursuing financing in either situation (BP users make it pretty clear that OPM is a great thing, right?) and understand the commercial loans are more complex... so should I spend my time digging in to find a larger complex? Or focus on the smaller multi-fams? I feel like I need to decide on a strategy to focus my time and efforts wisely, as opposed to chasing both strategies half heartedly.
Any thoughts or tips are appreciated!
Most Popular Reply

If you're interested in multifamily, check out Wheelbarrow Profits by fellow forum members Jake & Gino, they acquired 600+ units in 3 years using the strategy they outline in their book.