It's nice to have access to the MLS data and how easy it is to set up a showing of a property that I want to see.The downside is you will have to pay the broker, MLS, and NAR fees along with continuing education requirements to maintain your license which can sometimes not be worth it.The biggest perk for me was having people I know come to me to list their house for them but instead I would just offer to buy it and make the process easy for them.

We reviewed this deal from one of the major brokers as a potential value-added implementation, however this does not pan out with our current underwriting assumptions.

I think it is.Not sure how much a new broker will help.

Referrals may be a big part of your business so I'd recommend creating a business page here and having some of your customers write you a review.Lastly, one of the best ways for people to find you is through your profile.

In person its a place I could see maybe doing an investment or two in but its not where I really want to set up shop (I mean that literally; set up a home and also set up a wood shop - so I can build custom cabinets and stuff).If Santa Cruz, CA ever goes on sale then I'll go there and suck it up with CA laws and cost of living, but for the foreseeable future it is not even a remotely viable option; I looked at a fourplex there generating $10k in monthly income and priced at $2,700,000. 

Build a relationship with a knowledgeable mortgage broker to navigate loan options and leverage house-hacking strategies to boost your investment portfolio.Good luck!

Have a broker come in and say “ you won’t be able to rent this to non-smoking tenants without mitigation”Hire people don’t do it yourself.

Good morning @Sebastian Lough, I am the broker/owner of ELDA Management Services and would love to connect and discuss any of your Houston needs. 

Who is your real estate agent, broker, partner or person you team with?  

(Investigate the presence of Fortune 100 companies and industry diversity, using resources like metropolitan council reports and broker websites (e.g., CBRE, Colliers).)Affordability: Ensure household income has grown at least 1% YoY for the past 20 years.