All Forum Posts by: Katie Linder-Jesse

I'd say the downsides would be growth is projected from half a million to a million and that level of growth can seem small in comparison to larger cities. I feel it creates the perfect sweet spot for investors. 

Also, you can be rather dependent on the growth and success of Walmart, Tyson and JB hunt as they are such huge employers in the region, however, when the economy struggles, Walmart only thrives. 

I think a key takeaway is from @Marcus Auerbach he said, "When I need a contractor, I have my real estate agent bring in a contractor she's worked with before and trusts."  

A good real estate agent has the tools and connections to help you manage a property remotely. Are there some struggles that arise because you are further away, certainly, but building your team of experts and having trusted resources where you are looking to invest should be a priority when planning for an out of state investment. 

@Marcus Auerbach I do appreciate you bringing the controversial topic to the BP crowd, because additional costs are something that should absolutely be on investors' radars when considering OOS investing. 

@Andrew Steffens those are all really good insights. Less turnovers is always appealing! Do you ever use BNBcalc? I have used airdna but I'm switching over to BNBcalc. 

I have a professional real estate photography business that I could share with you.  They do great work. Is that what you are looking for?

I love this post prompt.

Here's what I got: I had a client who was using PriceLabs on her property and for the first year it was crushing it as a short term rental. All 5 star reviews and was on the first page for searchable properties in her area. All the sudden her property had all these open dates and was not doing nearly as well.  She started to really dig and do tons of research to determine what had happened.  It was a setting on Pricelabs that was putting restrictions on her property's availability. She didn't know if she accidently did it or it was an issue on Pricelabs part but when she called them and got it all reset, she immediately filled up her calendar within days! So don't just assume the market is bad, do your homework, it could be a setting in one of your management software tools.

Hey BP Community!

I’m buying an investment property with a lock-off unit, giving me the flexibility to rent it as either one large unit or two separate smaller units. I’ve seen some short-term rental investors take advantage of this setup by adjusting their listing based on seasonal demand, but I’m curious about real-world experiences.

For those of you who have lock-off properties, I’d love to hear:
✅ Which strategy made you more money—renting it as one larger unit or as two smaller ones?
✅ Which was more consistently booked? Did guests prefer a larger space, or did the smaller units stay occupied more often?
✅ What challenges did you face managing it as two separate rentals? (Cleaning, turnover, guest confusion, etc.)
✅ Did seasonality impact your strategy? Did you switch between configurations depending on demand?

I’m trying to determine if this kind of flexibility is worth the effort or if one approach is clearly better for cash flow and occupancy rates. Would love to hear your insights and numbers if you’re willing to share!

Looking forward to your responses—thanks in advance!

Here are a few details in case it matters for responders: Lakefront 1950's gem with docks at Lake of the Ozarks, season is March through September. Currently, upstairs has 3 bed/1 bath and downstairs lock off unit has 1 bed/1 bath.  Both have their own entrances and kitchens. When we purchase we'll add another 1/2 bath upstairs. There is one more 1 bed/1 bath with kitchen and private entrance on the lower level, as well, that I'll leave as a totally separate unit.

I see many BP investors flocking to popular markets like Dallas, Miami, Houston, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Nashville. But let’s talk about a hidden gem: Northwest Arkansas. Yes, Arkansas! Dive deeper, and you'll be amazed at what this region has to offer for real estate investors.

Why Northwest Arkansas Should Be on Your Radar:

✅ Booming Economy – Home to corporate giants like Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson Foods, this area offers a strong job market and long-term economic stability.

✅ Infrastructure Upgrades – Major projects, like the Interstate 49 expansion and upgrades to Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), are making the region even more accessible.

✅ Fast-Growing Population – With projections estimating the population to hit 1 million by 2050, housing and commercial space demand is skyrocketing.

✅ Beaver Lake: A Hidden Gem – Spanning 28,000 acres, Beaver Lake offers crystal-clear water and zero crowding, unlike many other lakes in the region. It’s a prime attraction for locals and tourists alike, adding to the area's recreational and rental investment potential.

✅ Resilient Real Estate Market – Home prices are steadily rising, and commercial vacancy rates remain low, even as new developments are being added.

Isn't It Time You Considered Northwest Arkansas for Your Next Investment? What is holding you back? Have you even heard of NWA?

@Brandon Bolger This is really impactful to investors. I know it's only in Cook County, Brandon, but it is definitely something to watch develop if you consider investing there.

Sean, 

1. For the deals calculator I highly recommend the deal analyzers that BP offer.  There are other resources like Mashvisor, bnbcalc, airdna, etc, depending on the type of deals you are looking to analyze.

2. For the business plan, I am going to recommend using Chat GPT4o (not the free version) you will be amazed at the insight to get you started, try this prompt, "In a minute I'm going to ask you to act as an expert in residential real estate investing and small business planning and create a business plan for my new real estate investment business. Ask me questions to help understand my business goals then write the business plan for me."  I suggest also consulting with the local ASBTDC for a free small business consultation (I noticed you were in Fayetteville, AR too).  You would be amazed at the resources that you can find there.  I know the director so if you'd like me to introduce you to her, I'd be happy to make that connection for you.   

3.You can set up notifications for key words in your profile to make sure you get notified when things you are interested in come up.  Also, you should be able to search forums by clicking on the three lines or little magnifying glass in the top right corner.

Investment Info:

Condo buy & hold investment.

The Greenhouse on Gregg is a great investment that often serves the University of Arkansas visitor population. This 1 bed 1 bath condo is rented out 162 nights a year and covers all the costs of running the unit and debt services. This property has been a great experience and we have learned a lot from it over the last several years.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

With the University of Arkansas just blocks away we knew there would be a great need for rental houses. We realized the data indicated there was a gap in short term rental housing in the 1 bed 1 bath category. We found this existing short term rental just needed a few tweaks to help it make more money.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Because I'm a licensed real estate agent, I found this opportunity through my weekly searches and knew it was in a prime location and held a coveted short term rental license, which has become a hot commodity in the area.

How did you finance this deal?

Conventional loan

How did you add value to the deal?

When we purchased the property it was being listed as only a one bedroom with maximum of two occupants, we knew with a few fun features to help the photos pop and a very nice hide-a-bed couch we could charge more and get more nights rented.

What was the outcome?

Those simple adjustments increase our rental income by $8,000 that year.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Use a few extra tools to maximize profit with dynamic pricing and automatic emails. These services are huge savers of time and increase your returns in the long run.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Absolutely, contact me and I'd be happy to help you find the perfect rental near the University of Arkansas when you are ready.