All Forum Posts by: Travis Biziorek

We used to do a lot with Legacy but now it's more Regions and Title Inc.

For reference, we're doing 120-150 wholesale type deals in Detroit per year.

 Almost always two in these. It would be an exception if there was just one.

Hey Ivette — great question, and one I see a lot of new investors wrestle with.

I actually wrote a full post on this recently because it’s such a personal and nuanced decision. The short version? There’s no single “best” place to invest—only the best place for you.

Here’s the framework I suggest:

1. Start with your goals.

Don’t just chase what others are hyping. Get clear on what you want (e.g. cash flow vs appreciation), how much, and in what timeframe. Your market needs to match that.

2. Favor markets you know.

Where you live is usually your best competitive advantage. But if that doesn’t work, look at places you’ve lived, have friends/family, or already know. Local knowledge and a network go a long way.

3. Make sure it’s viable.

Run the numbers. Do you have the capital to play in that market? Does your bandwidth match the strategy you’re trying to use? I originally thought I’d invest in Ann Arbor—until I realized the returns didn’t match our goals. We ended up investing in Detroit instead because it made more sense financially and logistically.

Bottom line:

The best place to buy rental property is the one that aligns with your goals, experience, and resources. Ignore the noise and build your own conviction—that’s what’ll keep you going when it gets hard.

Happy to share the full post if you want a deeper dive.

Cole, there's a lot of good advice on this thread already. Out of state investing can be tough, but a lot of the horror stories are also due to people rushing into it.

They look at these cheap properties and think "how bad could it get?" They come into the market overconfident and having done little due diligence. I can tell you how this ends 9 times out of 10... 

That said, you can grossly stack the odds of success in your favor by treating it seriously and finding great people to work with.

I own 12-doors in Detroit and live in California. It's been fantastic to me. 3 of my tenants are Section 8. They don't destroy my homes. Everyone else pays rent on time or pays the late fee when they don't.

My point is, these markets can definitely be lucrative and you can be successful. But they can also be disasters. I've seen it all, and I'm happy to share more about my experience if you'd like.

Got it. I would look at what makes sense for you and not other people's opinions or arbitrary rules. If you're happy with a 4% CoC, potential appreciation, and mortgage pay down... who's to say it doesn't make sense?

I know it's tough, but try not to let others' opinions influence you. Everyone is at a different spot in their journey and what makes sense for someone may not make sense for the next person.

I've never heard of them and I do a LOT in Detroit.

Drew hasn't heard of them, and he does a LOT in Detroit.

I'm not saying they are bad, but they are either newer or aren't doing a lot of business in the city. 

You have to be extremely careful who you work with in Detroit.

I agree, the 10-15k quotes seems insane. I had a client look into doing this last year (in Detroit as well) and here is what he said. @Ryan Clark you'll probably find this useful:

Welcome, Ivette! I own 12 doors in Detroit and have extensively documented my journey—everything from building my portfolio to managing properties and scaling up.

I publicly share my experiences, including real performance numbers and insights, so others can see what investing in Detroit is really like. If you’re interested, feel free to DM me, and I can send you the link. Happy to share insights!

Not enough info to say one way or another. If this is a BRRRR deal where you're leaving very little money in and it's operating at break-even, then maybe it makes sense. But if this is a traditional 20-25% down deal and it's only doing 4% CoC, that's not particularly attractive unless there's another upside at play.

A lot depends on your goals—some investors value appreciation more than cash flow, while others prioritize stability over returns. If this is a strong area with real appreciation potential, maybe it’s worth it. But there are just too many variables to give a definitive answer.

What’s the long-term plan for this deal?

$23,000 isn't going to get a "full gut rehab" done on a house like this.

If it's in decent shape and only needs cosmetic work? Sure. I'm talking flooring, paint, kitchen and bath revamp, basement clean up (and painted), etc.

Need a new roof? Add $5k-$7k if you have the right contacts.

Foundation work? Probably spending $10k+ more. 

Exterior work? You get the idea.

$23k just isn't going to get it done. 

Beyond that, I'd avoid a 2/1 in Detroit. The numbers usually don't make as much sense from a rental investment perspective.