My name is Isabela, a future student rental investor-manager. I currently reside in and have been working as a real estate financial analyst in the Miami, Florida area. I have about two years' experience in this capacity and feel like it's about time that I pursue my passion of real estate investing.

I joined BP last month and have built up the courage (and knowledge of BP's traditions) to finally introduce myself. The real estate bug bit me long ago. Having gotten my MBA to help fulfill this passion, as well as read article after article and attended webinars here on BP, I've got my primary goal pretty solidified and hope that the BP community will help get me there:

What: 60 buy-and-hold rental units (more in the future, hopefully!) in small-scale buildings (6-20 or so units per building) each cash flowing a minimum of $100 per month (per @BrandonTurner's personal rule of thumb)

Where: college/university markets, beginning in Florida and then branching out to the rest of the Southeast. Miami is a no-go—at least for the moment—as asking prices are exaggeratedly high, especially in comparison to assessed values. (Man, how I wish I lived in a different market!)

Who: student renters as tenants (duh)

When: over 6 years (this would average to 10 units per year; I know it's reasonable and doable, but I still find it ambitious and overwhelming)

How: I realize I may need partners or creative financing to reach my goal (hint, hint!), but I intend to venture into my first deal with conventional financing unless a better opportunity presents itself.

Why: I am more of a long-term player, hence the buy-and-hold rental strategy. I've always been attracted to student rentals because of the asset class's specificity; the tenants (students), the market (college/university towns), the leasing cycle, the potential demand (by analyzing on-campus housing versus enrollment statistics), the unit sizes, the lease structures (cosigners and by-the-bed, in some cases), the expected/desired level of amenities and finishes, etc. are all either known in advance or can be determined via focus groups or further research. The more I know ahead of time, the better I can prepare for things. I am very analytical and get very excited when thinking about ways to organize and systematize procedures, and the repetitive and well-defined nature of the student rental business is right up this alley.

I could go on and on, but I thought it'd be a good idea to introduce myself in this way so that my goals are known from the outset so that we can all get the most out of our networking. For more info on me and my background, check out my profile.

Looking forward to getting to know my fellow investors and potentially future partners and lenders! Thanks!

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Future Investor-Manager Residing in Miami, Florida

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