All Forum Posts by: Tatum Littleton

Hey Joseph, glad to hear you're starting so early! I would tell you to save and learn like crazy, spend little and save a lot, surf these forums follow conversations, and ask questions. Follow the topics that interest you and be creative with how you approach an opportunity that you like. Work as much as you can but don't overdo it, in my opinion, most everything I see on here is all work, and not much enjoying life/REI journey. Be smart and budget smart, and it will take time to learn what works for you.

I would tell you to look into where you want to be and do research and be realistic when doing deal analysis... and do a lot of them! 

House hacking is a great way to get into REI and there are plenty of different ways to do it. I would encourage you to look into as many ways as you can, a single-family rent by the room or multifamily or even multifamily and rent by the room in your unit. But that's not to say there isn't more than one way to skin a cat... again, find what excites you and interests you the most, it will come with some trial and error, but that's the growth!

Good luck and I'd be happy to talk any time!

I personally use and would recommend Empower as noted above, easy to use and has a nice interface on the computer as well as the app on my cell phone. You can link all your accounts and updates automatically to see your net worth and debts and all transactions. 

That's awesome, I love that idea and there are plenty of opportunities for that in Austin to help mitigate your risk and offset some of your expenses. The more questions, the better I think, you can't ever know enough and when you think you've got it, there's something else to learn and explore! 

I would love to help in answering questions or helping you find a property that allows you to do just that. I'm glad you're doing whatever you can to make it happen!

Hey Quinell, great question and a tough one to answer currently. But I think I would side with the first two replies that buying would be the way to go. I'm sure you've done your research and even visited, you have a feel for what Austin and the surrounding areas are like and see that it is appreciating. 

I strongly agree with the desire to own every property that you stay in and build equity and a portfolio. I look at every real estate purchase, even your primary residence as an investment and can be used creatively to grow your knowledge and how you invest. 

Looking forward to having you in Texas!

That's a fair question, Alexander, however, in my opinion, I would not worry about STR turning to LTR, in the right market, there *should* be a pretty steady demand for LTR. I cannot speak specifically to the Davenport/Kissimmee area but generally, you should be okay with jumping right into a long-term buy-and-hold LTR.

Like it was said by Chris Rich, honing in on a well-researched area will do you well. It will take time and some leg work but it can absolutely be done! I believe, aside from house hacking, a LTR as your first investment is a great option since it will teach you many different aspects but not deal with the headaches of a STR.

BUT with all that to say, it ultimately comes down to what you are most interested in and what fits what you are willing/not willing to deal with. Do you just want to get long-term tenants and not worry about the vacancy for a little longer or do you enjoy the marketing of a STR? So, ask yourself those kinds of questions.

Good luck!

Great thoughts and questions Lyla! You and your husband have valuable skills when it comes to REI and I would encourage you to explore that and see what kind of strategies work best with what you and your husband can do to add value or be creative.

In my opinion, I would go a little cheaper and keep some savings to find a value-added possibility, as mentioned in another post here. I think it is a great idea to stay there, build equity, and move out in a couple of years, you will have been able to save more money and by then, you and your husband may have found what you are most interested in and can go after that type of investment, or even try something new!

The hardest part is finding and purchasing a property, so I would say be bold in finding a property and I always say go for it as soon as you can or you'll find an excuse to stop you! Good luck!

Hey Megha! I currently live, invest, and am an agent in Texas, my wife and I invest in Bryan/College Station. We are always looking for deals in Texas, especially in Austin since that is where we have lived since the Spring of 2020. 

I can only speak for the Texas cities you listed but I believe they are strong markets for a variety of different investment methods. I would ask the same question that has been asked, what your goals are? Do you want to do STR or LTR, or rehab, or something else? We have a long-term investment that has been doing well for a little over a year and are considering buying a STR in College Station. College Station and Waco are similar as they are medium-sized cities with large universities and have great potential for STR.

Of course, there are a lot of mixed reviews on STR right now but with a creative financing plan and good marketing of your rental, I believe both markets (Waco and Austin) have strong potential to cash flow and do well. If you have questions about other areas or anything specific to Texas, I would be happy to help out!

Good luck!

Great to have you on Maria! I'm just up I-35 in Austin and visit San Antonio frequently to visit my wife's family. We are always looking for deals considering how much potential there is in SA! We also invest in Bryan/College Station where I am originally from and where my wife and I met. 

Reach out if there's something you'd like to discuss! Good luck!

Hi Tommy! Glad to hear you're starting your investment journey and asking the right questions. As you can see there are so many different opinions and plenty of people with tidbits of advice. I would encourage you to take in all that you can and sort it out for what works for your goal. Look at your goals and "why" for investing and saving, and to answer your first question... that's probably all you can tell your family and they may or may not be on board. You can't let trying to convince them, stop you, as long as you have a solid goal and what your working for that's great! 

As far as renting or selling? There isn't a perfect right answer, it depends on what kind of portfolio you want to build. In my opinion, you've done the hardest part, getting the property, I'd keep it and rent it out. As it's already been said in the thread before, you can always sell it at some point and put that money elsewhere. 

Should you hire a PM or a realtor? Again, there isn't a right answer, it depends on your financials and what kind of work you are willing to do or not do. I would not get a PM since you are so close, and can easily take care of anything that you may need to. I understand the worry of something major happening and you have to deal with it but you were comfortable with that when you bought the property in the first place... so I'd consider that. I may get an agent since they would probably be well-versed in the market and know more contacts and methods of advertising the property, but I think you could do it yourself. Again, it's about what you are willing and able to do.

I hope this helps you take another step in your journey! Good luck!

My initial thought is that you already have the property and just by that, you have the potential to profit from it whether it be by STR or another method. Aside from missing details (I won't beat a dead horse), ask yourself what else could be made from this, could it be a mid-term rental? Could it be a long-term rental? I would say try out a long-term rental, I'm unsure of your location but long-term rentals, I believe, are always a viable option.

I am in the boat of not selling unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. So, with that being said you will have to be creative in making it stand out if you want to keep it as a STR (adding amenities) or go a different route. You've done the hardest part of acquiring the property, so now, what will make you profitable? There are a lot of different opinions that have been said, so what are you willing and able to deal with, is what you should ask yourself.

I hope this helped! Good luck!