Thus, I think that we could see national rents rising in the high single digits, or possibly surging as much as 10% in 2026 vs 2025, with some markets seeing rents rise even faster than that - Austin, TX regaining much of the lost growth in 2024 and 2025, for example.

My sister lives in Lee’s Summit, so I’ll have family nearby to help navigate the local scene.

Start small with duplexes or triplexes, analyze deals carefully, and build a team of local experts.

Go to local meetups, search these forums for people that have mentioned that they do private lending and attend other RE events.

Beyond trying to connect on this forum would recommend look in the BP Meet up section and checking out local DFW FB RE investor Facebook groups as well as Meetup.com and Eventbrite for local events. 

I’m open to brokerage inquiries and excited to contribute my skills to the local market.What I'm Looking For:I'm actively seeking "live and flip" opportunities to kickstart my real estate portfolio in Arizona.

Could you please recommend any local real estate agents?

As for meeting local wholesalers, networking at meetups or even online could help you connect with the right people. 

Once you have ran through about 3 months or so of this and penciled out 50-100 deals for fun, I would talk to a local agent and start the process of looking.

Stay disciplined and avoid rushing into deals without thorough due diligence.Resources for InvestorsIf you’re new to investing in distressed properties or looking to expand your portfolio, consider leveraging resources like:Local Realtors: Realtors specializing in distressed properties can assist in locating off-market deals and navigating complex transactions.Community Forums: Attend a local investor meetup or join online forums for the Phoenix market.Educational Tools: Search out webinars, workshops, or courses on investing in distressed properties.Final ThoughtsThe distressed property market in Phoenix is creating some excellent potential for the right investors willing to go the extra mile necessary to take on strategic risks associated with this category of real estate.