All Forum Posts by: Aaron Ameen

Hey Ricardo, first off—thank you for your service. Houston’s a solid market, but cash flow can be tough with high property taxes and insurance. A deal that looks great on paper can disappear once those numbers hit.

Since you're a vet, don't forget about the VA loan—zero down, no PMI, and great rates. If you house hack a duplex or small multi, you can live for free or close to it while building equity. If you're looking at traditional rentals, stick to lower-tax areas and consider mid-term rentals (traveling nurses, corporate stays). They often cash flow better than long-term leases in Houston.

Also, even if a property isn’t in a flood zone, always get a flood insurance quote. Houston’s weird like that—unexpected costs can creep up fast.

Would love to connect when you get here—DM me if you want to chat about getting started! I also run a local meetup, would love to introduce you to some folks once you're on the ground. 

Hey Ravi, welcome to BiggerPockets! Since you're focused on cash flow and open to out-of-state investing, you’ll want to target affordable markets with strong rent-to-price ratios—typically in the Midwest and the South.

I’ve built my portfolio across multiple states while working a demanding 9-5, so I’d recommend starting with:

1. Clarifying Your Strategy – Multifamily can offer better economies of scale, but SFHs tend to have lower tenant turnover and easier financing. If you’re just starting out, a single-family or small multifamily (2-4 units) is a great way to learn the ropes.
2. Picking the Right Market – Markets like the Midwest (Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri) and the Southeast (Alabama, Tennessee, the Carolinas) tend to have strong cash flow with lower entry costs. I personally expanded to Iowa for exactly this reason—lower home prices and a strong price-to-rent ratio.
3. Deciding How Much to Invest – To maximize cash flow, look for properties where you can put 20-25% down and still hit at least a 1% rent-to-price ratio (i.e., a $150k home renting for $1,500+). Depending on the market, expect to start with $50k-$100k in capital per property to cover your down payment, closing costs, and reserves.

Since you're looking to build a multi-property portfolio, setting up the right team (agent, lender, property manager) in your target market is key. I’ve navigated these challenges firsthand, so feel free to DM me if you want to chat about picking the right market or structuring your investments. Happy to share insights!

Hi Patrick

I started a local chapter of a national brand of meetups called the Cash Flow Breakfast Club. There are a range of topics across the spectrum of real estate investing, including commercial (although full disclosure we cover some commercial RE topics but it's not specifically focused on that).

Website:

https://www.cashflowbreakfastclub.com/

Meetup Link (next event is on 3/19 and it happens 3rd Wednesday of every month):

https://the.cashflowbreakfastclub.com/HoustonTX

Either way, I'm always looking to meet other investors in Houston, so feel free to DM me to connect. If I can't help you, I can likely connect you with someone who can.

Hey Haneef, great question. Mistakes are inevitable, but learning from them quickly is what really matters.

Early on, my biggest mistake was not raising rent consistently. I left rent flat for three years, thinking I was keeping tenants happy. Meanwhile, the market moved up 60%, and I was way undercharging. When I finally adjusted, I lost a tenant, had to navigate turnover, and dealt with a much bigger headache than if I had just kept up with small, steady increases. Lesson learned: gradual adjustments are much easier than big jumps later.

Another big one? Not firing a bad property manager fast enough. Our first remote rental in Iowa seemed like a smooth deal—fully renovated, no major work needed. But within 45 days, our property was abandoned by the PM. Utilities were never turned on, pipes froze and burst, and they let prospective tenants show themselves through the house with no supervision. Meanwhile, the only time we heard from them was when they charged us for “snow removal” that we later confirmed never happened.

It was a disaster. But instead of pulling out of the market, we fired them immediately, brought in a great PM through a local agent referral, and had the home leased within a week. If I had cut ties sooner, I would have saved myself thousands in unnecessary damage and stress. Now, I don’t hesitate—if a PM stops communicating, delays rent, or mishandles maintenance, I fire fast and move on.

If you’re just starting out, focus on controlling what you can—good deals, good management, and keeping cash flow strong. If you want to chat more, I’ve got a full breakdown of my portfolio and lessons learned. Feel free to DM me—happy to share insights!

Hey Jon, welcome to BiggerPockets! Are you specifically looking in Cleveland? If so, finding the right PM is key—I’ve managed out-of-state rentals, and a solid PM makes all the difference.

Best bet is to get referrals from local investors rather than relying on online reviews. Interview a few, ask about tenant placement, eviction rates, and maintenance handling. The right one will treat your property like a business, not just collect rent.

If you want to chat more about managing remotely or vetting PMs, feel free to DM me—happy to share insights!

I also have a great agent contact in Ohio that would be able to help you out. 

Hey Mike, welcome to BiggerPockets. You're thinking about this the right way—if you refine your process now, it’ll make every deal after that much easier.

For what you’re looking for—appreciation-focused in a growing area—the key is picking the right market. Look for steady job growth, population increases, and infrastructure improvements. If people are moving in, businesses are expanding, and new restaurants and retail are popping up, that’s a good sign.

Once you have a market in mind, start analyzing properties with appreciation potential. Look at historical price trends, planned developments, and how neighborhoods have evolved over the past 10-20 years. Even within a good city, the right (or wrong) neighborhood can make all the difference.

When you find a property, make sure the numbers still work. Even if cash flow isn’t your top priority, you don’t want a deal that only works if values go up. At a minimum, it should cover expenses so you’re not feeding it every month. If there’s a way to add value—even through simple cosmetic updates—that can help boost appreciation over time.

When it comes to making the offer, your research will give you confidence. If you know the market well, you’ll recognize when a good deal pops up and can move quickly.

Sounds like you’re on the right track—if you’ve got a market in mind, happy to swap ideas. Feel free to DM me if you want to chat further.

I think you’re making a solid move, and I’d push back on the negative takes about Vegas. I own rentals there, and over the past five years, the growth has been strong—both in terms of property appreciation and overall economic development.

A few things to consider:

1. Vegas is expanding beyond tourism. While the Strip has its ups and downs, the city has been diversifying with major league sports teams, new arenas, and a growing corporate presence. The influx of businesses and remote workers has kept demand high, especially for well-located homes.
2. The no-state-income-tax advantage is real. Moving from LA, you’ll immediately see the financial benefits—not just in lower home prices, but also in keeping more of your income.
3. Neighborhoods matter. Since you’re coming in cash, I’d focus on areas with strong fundamentals—Summerlin and Henderson are the usual favorites, but there are plenty of other solid spots depending on your lifestyle.
4. Rentals have performed well. From my own experience, appreciation and rent growth in Vegas have been steady, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The biggest factor is buying in the right area.

I’d say go into your trip with an open mind and look beyond just the Strip. Happy to share more insights if you want to DM me—hope your trip goes well!

Tina, I’ve been in the same boat before. I left rent flat for too long, thinking I was keeping things smooth with my tenant, only to realize later that market rents had jumped 60% and I was way undercharging. It was a painful lesson.

I’d just keep it polite but firm. Something like:

"Hey Sarah, I appreciate you reaching out early. I always aim to keep rent adjustments fair and aligned with the market. After reviewing local trends and rising costs, I’ve decided on a modest increase for the upcoming lease term. I’ll be sending over the renewal details soon, but I wanted to give you a heads-up. Let me know if you have any questions."

No need to justify beyond that. If she pushes back, just hold firm: "I understand wanting to keep costs steady, but I’ve been more than fair with rent adjustments. If the updated rate doesn’t work for you, I respect your decision, but I won’t be making exceptions."

At the end of the day, tenants will always want to pay less, but our job is to run a sustainable rental business. Hope this helps—have you checked current market rents in your area? That might help reinforce your case.

That’s a tough spot to be in, and I can definitely relate—managing remotely means you have to trust your team, and when a PM goes dark like this, it creates chaos. 

I had a similar issue with a property manager who was unresponsive, and I had to step in quickly to regain control before it got worse. Here’s what worked for me and what might help in your situation:

1. Take Control of Communication with Tenants

Since the tenants are hesitant to work with the new PM without confirmation from the old one, go direct. Have the new PM send a certified letter to the tenants stating the transition is official, along with instructions on where to pay rent. Include your own formal letter as the owner to back it up. In my case, tenants responded much better once I made it clear I was the owner and I was making the change.

2. Leverage Legal Pressure

The PM is actively obstructing the transition by withholding documents and communication. In a similar situation, I had success sending a firm demand letter via certified mail (not just email or text) citing the breach of contract and legal consequences if they failed to comply. You might also start building relationships with a local real estate attorney if you haven't already. 

3. Bypass Them Where Possible

If you’re missing key tenant info, check county tax records to see if you can pull any tenant names from utility accounts. I once had to track down a tenant by calling the local utility company—you might be able to get a name or at least confirm who is paying. Another option: visit the property (or have your new PM do so) and post a notice on the door instructing the tenant to contact the new PM immediately.

4. Escalate If Necessary

If the PM continues holding rent and documents hostage, you may need to file a formal complaint with the Ohio Division of Real Estate and consider a small claims action for missing payments and lease documentation. In my case, just the threat of reporting to the real estate commission was enough to make them hand over documents quickly.

At the end of the day, you own the asset—the PM is just a service provider, and if they aren’t doing their job, they don’t get to stand in the way of your business. If you need to apply more pressure, do it fast since they're already past the 2/27 deadline.

Hope this helps.

Hey Gavin, great question.

Tariffs can certainly impact the economy, but real estate markets tend to respond in more nuanced ways depending on location, supply-demand dynamics, and investor sentiment rather than broad, immediate declines.

A few things to consider:

1. Local Market Fundamentals – Instead of assuming a market-wide drop, look at how tariffs might specifically affect your market in Beaverton, OR. Is there a strong job market? Any industries there that could be hit hard by increased costs? Areas with diverse economies tend to be more resilient.
2. Interest Rates & Lending – If tariffs contribute to inflation, the Fed might adjust interest rates, impacting borrowing power. If rates go up, affordability decreases, which could soften demand and slow price growth—but not necessarily cause a crash.
3. Supply Chain & Construction Costs – If tariffs drive up material costs, new construction could slow down, keeping existing home prices more stable than expected. Fewer new builds can limit supply, preventing dramatic price drops.
4. Finding Opportunities – Rather than assuming prices will decline across the board, look for motivated sellers, properties that need work, or areas where short-term uncertainty creates long-term opportunity. Staying liquid and ready to move on a deal when the right one comes along is always a good approach.

If you're looking at buying, I'd focus more on long-term fundamentals over short-term speculation. 

What kind of properties are you considering?