Stepping out of comfort zone for 1st BRRRR

[Takarra Fowler]

Hello everyone,

My name is Takarra, and I currently live in Augusta, GA. I've joined the BP platform to join in on the wealth of knowledge within the group. As titled, I am looking to finally step out of my comfort zone and buy my first property. I've researched many aspects of REI for many years and haven't taken the leap. I am tired of wasting time due to wondering if I'm ready. I plan to utilize the BRRRR method in and around the Augusta area through a SFH or duplex. I would love to connect with any local REI Groups. I am open to any insights and best practices. I am also looking to build my team.

[Jorge Vazquez]

Yes—BRRRRs are still working great for us. In fact, most of our investors are still using this strategy. While flipping might look more profitable in the short term, BRRRRs are winning long-term because rents are creeping back up toward that sweet 1% rule. We're still picking up properties with built-in equity and adding forced equity through rehab.

Let me break it down with an example: You could buy a house for $200K, put $100K into it, and it’s worth $400K after rehab. If you flip it, you pay closing costs, agent fees, etc.—you might walk away with $50K.

But with a BRRRR? Let's say you buy for $200K, rehab it for $50K (so you're in at $250K), and it appraises for $350K. When you do a cash-out refi, you can tap into 85% of that $100K equity gain—maybe you walk away with $35K, but here's the kicker: you still own the property, you're getting rental income, enjoying passive cash flow, and benefiting from the tax perks. That beats the flip in my book.

We’re also always watching neighborhoods for signs of growth. When we see rehabs, new builds, old buildings getting torn down—that's our cue. We’re not chasing areas that are already gentrified. We're going after spots that are just starting to shift. That’s where the real long-term equity is built. You get in now, ride the first wave of value from forced equity, then 5–7 years later, boom—another equity lift as the neighborhood hits that middle-class sweet spot.

So yes, BRRRRs are alive, well, and honestly, better than ever.