Demand in the market was very high after COVID.

Therefore, working with a single real estate agent doesn't make much sense as it will limit you to his/her very limited inventory and he/she might have as main objective to sell a property to you take advantage of your lack of knowledge of the market.

Fix-and-flip is an exciting area, and being flexible is important in this changing market.

I would add Facebook Marketplace to your list for marketing.

Quote from @John Paul Palace: Our plan was to invest locally, however our market here is tough.

I'm a Ny'er and own a wholesaling business in the Milwaukee Market. 

I am in the Milwaukee market. 

Message me and we can cover all that and where I think you'll be best served investing in our market and similar markets in Texas as well as best practices.

Passive income is certainly the name of the game - building a real estate portfolio and creating generational wealth are key ingredients to long term holistic financial health and success.There are fantastic real estate investment opportunities in various markets, particularly in the Midwest and Southeast of the country. 

If rates drop, more buyers will come to the market and you can refinance to lower your monthly payment.