Being frugal at this point is only going to cause you to lose out on some great deals and those homes will be worth more faster in 2025.

Then you can utilize her money later to grow the portfolio faster once you have demonstrated success.

Probably like any market, look where the new construction is happening.Look at what people are buying and what they are willing to pay.See if you can do it better, faster, cheaper and still make money.Then calculate the max you can pay for lots.Then go find lots to build on.I'd probably draw a big circle around DFW and buy on that circle or just outside of it. 

Homes are either selling a bit faster than the previous month.

They were able to get moving much faster because they had access to a great website, forms, letters, and even policies and procedures.

Your first few deals not only get your bank roll going but they also set you off on the right foot if you have success.

@Robert Rixer, I don't know how creative these are, as many are common plays:Valet TrashFencing in first floor yardsProviding washer and dryers for added rentReserved, Covered parkingTech PackagesInternet and Cable contracts, with reimbursementsPayment Plan rents, with small service charge (i.e. bill 1/4 rent each week)Reserved Rental cabanas at poolPrivate pool party rental optionGolf Simulator in clubhouse - fee basedOn site, self serve car wash (quarter feeder style)Charged group fitness/personal training servicesGame room in clubhouse with monthly subscription for tenants (Xbox, Playstation, etc)Changing out high maintenance grass for astro turf or lower maintenance/lower water use shrubberyBut ultimately, I think a lot of NOI increases come from deep dive into understanding EVERY expense and finding ways to minimize them, and/or no outsource them.Train maintenance team on basic HVAC and appliance repairs (find way to get them licensed as needed)Buy paint sprayers for faster, easier turns versus having to hire a contract painter, and possibly repaint whole unit each timeStandardize all finishes, so you can buy in bulk, everything from hinges and door knobs to cabinets, paint colors, and light fixtures.Potentially get leasing people onto lower base salary with higher bonus potentialBulk/bundled insurance across portfolio (even better at scale is to self insure)Regularly test sprinkler systems for leaks.Non-NOI, but benefit to you: partner with insurance agency to get referral kickbacks from your tenant base for renter insurance.  

There are several reasons why you might like private lending when compared to traditional banking.We provide much faster approval, there are fewer bureaucratic hurdles in our process. 

The ZIPs in Realtor.com’s Top 10 are seeing nearly 4x as many views per listing and selling 1 month faster than the typical home nationally.

This can be an advantage as smaller investors are far more nimble and get things done much faster than the big banks.There's a reason that pools nowadays are heavy with notes in slow moving states.