Here are some key highlights from the report, which compares January 2025 with January 2024:The median sales price for the greater Austin metro fell 4.7% to $409,765, while the City of Austin saw a 4.7% increase to $553,465.Total sales in the metro rose 1.1%, whereas the city saw a 4% decrease in closed sales, demonstrating continued demand in spite of economic challenges.Pending sales under contract dropped 7.5% in the metro and 1.4% in the City of Austin, suggesting a slight decrease in demand at the start of 2025.Listing inventory increased 16.5% in the metro and 15.5% in the City of Austin, resulting in 5.6 months of available housing inventory in the metro and 6.2 months in the city, approximately one month more than in January 2024.According to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, a balanced real estate market has around 6.5 months of inventory.

If we assume all cash and a 50% expense ratio (this improve with time due to the near fixed property tax) would provide 4.8% return from cash flow not including closing costs).  0.5 (rent ratio) * 0.5 (50% rule) * 12 (months). 

I'm having to offer this as a fully furnished house to be able to charge a premium on rent just to get close to the mortgage.

Quote from @Katie Camargo: Recently closed on an older property that needs some updating.

Then when you see some tractions or close some deals, you can reinvest in your website.

For example, my client just closed a 3/2 single family house for $160k that was already rented at $1900/month and near turnkey and in a super desirable residential area.

Quote from @Garry Lawrence: Hey everyone,I’m 19 and about to close on my first rental property!

This amounts to lost opportunity because if you had purchased RE, at the closing it can start producing return. 5) ADUs detract from the existing structure whether this is privacy, a garage, or just yard space. 6) this is related to number 1, but there are many more buyers looking to purchase homes for their family than there are RE investors looking to purchase small unit count properties.

I am specifically looking in Essex county, MA because I want to house back close enough to my current W-2 job.

Originally posted by @Eric Goldman:I closed today on a SFH in North Hollywood CA (91601).