From my perspective in lending, the single most important thing is seeing that the numbers make sense and the deal itself can stand on its own.

It sounds like you're in a great spot to transition into deal-making with your property management experience.As far as the markets you're considering, I can tell you Charlotte is one of the strongest growth areas right now.

That said, I’ve also tested a mix of platforms, since each seems to have its own edge (Gemini is great at breadth, Claude handles long text really well, etc.).What’s made the biggest difference for me isn’t the platform itself, but how I set it up to mirror the workflow I actually use in deals.

Lately, I’ve been thinking less about finding “the perfect deal” and more about building the right skill set to thrive no matter what the market throws at us.Here’s why:Interest rates are still unpredictable.Inventory is rising in some markets, tightening in others.Distressed properties are popping up — but not everywhere.It feels like we’re entering a phase where the investors who succeed aren’t just the ones who find opportunities — it’s those who know how to create them.That might mean:Getting creative with financing structuresUnderstanding local zoning and tax strategies better than everBuilding relationships to uncover off-market leadsKnowing how to manage risk when a property has multiple challengesThe more I talk to experienced investors, the more I hear the same thing: the ones who are thriving right now are less dependent on the “perfect market conditions” and more focused on adapting their playbook.I’m curious — do you think we’re in a time where skills matter more than deals, or are the fundamentals of location and timing still king?

Another TV deal!

If it does not work, cancel the deal and move on but make sure to learn from it and learn why it did not work out so you don't repeat those same mistakes next time.I hope this helped!

Hi @Juanna Allyms - There are always more deals than money for deals - even with private and hard money lenders willing to provide 100% financing.

In my personal investing, I made most of my mistakes in the first few deals I did because I didn't know any better.

That's not a good deal at 9% my advice is take out a DSCR loan instead with 20% down and a credit score above 700 the rate should be around 6.99%. 

I recently got an industrial deal in Oakland Park, FL but have no buyers in the area and don't usually work in the industrial/commercial RE space.