All Forum Posts by: Jorge Vazquez

Hi Karla,

After investing in 32 properties and working with investors for 20+ years, I’d say Tampa is one of the strongest markets to consider. The job growth, population increase, and overall demand make it a great choice for both building to sell and long-term rentals. Areas like Wesley Chapel, Riverview, and parts of South Tampa are seeing a lot of development. If you're open to smaller cities, Lakeland and Bradenton also have solid potential.

Happy to share insights or connect you with people who can help. Let me know what you need!

Jorge

Hey Shawntay,

I hear you, insurance and taxes in Florida have been crazy. I own 30 properties, and every single one saw an increase, so I know exactly what you're dealing with. The good news is in the past 90 days, I’ve been able to find much better deals by being proactive and shopping around, so there’s definitely hope.

A few things that might help: look into an interest-only loan to lower your mortgage payments, consider mixing short-term and long-term rentals to stabilize cash flow, and shop around for better insurance rates. A lot of STR policies are overpriced, and you can usually find a better deal if you push for it. Also, check your tax bill for an appeal option. If your assessment jumped that much, it's worth disputing.

On the rental side, revamp your listing, tweak your pricing, update your photos, and maybe rework your ad to attract more bookings. Also, reach out to past guests with a deal to bring them back, and if you’ve had companies book for seasonal workers, reconnect with them. They’re great for repeat business.

Your 70 percent occupancy is solid, so a few tweaks should get you back on track. Let me know if you want to talk strategy, I’ve been through this before and happy to help.

Jorge

Hey Fabio,

House hacking a duplex is a great move! I’ve actually sold four duplexes in the past 12 months, all under $300K, and I’ve got a few more coming up. If Florida is on your radar, Tampa and surrounding areas still have some solid deals, plus the rental demand is strong.

Since you're from San Antonio, you probably know how tight the market can be, but off-market deals are key—sometimes the best duplexes never hit the MLS. Happy to connect if you want to explore options!

Best,
Jorge

Hey Luke, welcome to the community!

I’ve been investing in Florida real estate for over 20 years, and I can tell you—St. Pete is a great market with a lot of opportunity. Value-add multifamily is a solid play, especially if you’re strategic about location and renovation costs.

If you ever want to chat about scaling, financing, or property management, feel free to reach out. Always happy to connect with investors who are serious about growing their portfolio!

Best,
Jorge

Hey Christopher, in my early years, I tried syndication because it seemed like an easy way to buy bigger projects, but with the market so saturated, the deals just haven’t been good enough to split fairly between me as the manager and still provide solid returns for investors. Maybe as the market cools off, better opportunities will pop up, but right now, I’d be extra careful about where you park that $200K. If you're debating between syndications and fix-and-flips, it really comes down to how hands-on you want to be. Flipping can make great money, but finding deals, managing contractors, and hoping the market doesn’t shift mid-project is a grind. Syndications are passive, but you’re trusting someone else to run the show, so vetting the sponsor and terms is key. You could spread it across multiple syndications for diversification or flip a couple of solid deals and reinvest. Just depends on how much time and control you want over your money. Let me know if you want to chat more!

4o

Hi Andy, You are absolutely right—don’t do it. This situation has "disaster" written all over it. You’ve got to weigh the real pros and cons here. What would your parents bring to the table that a well-qualified tenant with a solid history of property care and timely payments wouldn’t? The answer: not much. The benefit of a regular tenant is that you can keep emotions out of the business, which is crucial because mixing family and money can be a recipe for disaster.

When it comes to choosing the right property, focus on the “high end of the low end”—a solid Tonka property. You don’t need luxury countertops or upgrades that won’t boost your cash flow or rental return. Rookie investors often over-improve properties as if they were living in them, which only hurts the bottom line. Stick to what’s needed to get top rental value, nothing more.

And about your wife—been there! I went from 0 to 32 homes by having open, strategic conversations with my wife. Before getting married, we agreed to house hack our way to 10 properties. Once we hit that goal, we sold the property with the most equity to buy her dream primary home. Setting clear expectations early on saved us a ton of stress and kept our investment goals on track.

Here to chat if you need any more advice!

Jorge

Hi Brady,

I've been investing in the Tampa Bay area for over 20 years, including Bradenton and the surrounding areas. Happy to share what I know and help your group out. Just let me know what questions you have!

Jorge

Hey Ravi,

After managing hundreds of properties over the years, I'd say Central Florida is a great spot for cash flow investing. The Tampa area, in particular, has some solid neighborhoods to check out—like University Area, Seminole Heights, Ybor City, Clair-Mel, Town 'n' Country, Temple Terrace, and Odessa. These areas are growing fast and offer good potential for rental income and property appreciation. Since you're working a 9-5, I'd lean towards single-family homes or smaller multifamily properties (2-4 units). They're easier to manage, and if you go the DSCR loan route, you can buy based on the property's income, not just yours—makes scaling up a lot easier. As for how much to invest, I'd suggest putting 20-25% down if possible. You can start with one or two properties and build from there. If you want more specific advice or just want to chat about strategies, let me know. I'm here to help!

Jorge

Hey Jaime,

Honestly, it all depends on your goals and the market vibe. If you're all about quick cash, flipping could work—especially in a strong seller’s market where inventory is tight. But right now, Tampa’s market feels more like it’s leaning into a buyer’s market, with inventory starting to go up. That could make flipping a bit trickier unless you’re a pro like my buddy Viral, who can handle 18 flips at once and spread the risk.

On the rental side, yeah, insurance and taxes went up last year, but rents are still pretty stable in Tampa. If you're not looking to go all-in on flips, BRRRR could be a smart play—especially with a rental stress test to make sure the numbers work. I've always been more into the long game, and owning 32 properties, a brokerage, and a property management company at 47, I've seen firsthand how building wealth over time beats chasing quick wins.

And here’s a tip: You can always hold a rental for a couple of years and then flip it when the market’s right. That way, you avoid capital gains and keep the control in your hands. Let me know if you want to dig deeper into this—happy to chat!

Jorge

Hi Carlos,

Within my 20 years of experience, one of my proudest wins recenlty was helping a client who couldn’t get approved for financing because their property had two ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units). We got creative and converted one of the ADUs into a shed, which helped them secure the approval they needed.

But the story doesn't end there! The same client faced a shady HOA demanding $15,000 in "dues" for just "6 months of missing payments" on a supposed $300-per-month fee. The builder had increased the fees by five times and was trying to enforce this through a lawsuit. After digging into the details, I discovered that no legitimate HOA meetings or member minutes existed. By proving the lack of a legitimate HOA, I helped my client avoid this unfair charge and protected their investment.

This experience reinforced why it’s so important to know your rights, do your due diligence, and think outside the box. I’m here to help if anyone is facing a similar struggle or just wants to connect!

Jorge