In my experience, you can purchase the existing home and the encroachment is grandfathered in, meaning the vacant lot owner can't force you to move it.

From my observation/experience, Berryessa and Piedmont Hills areas are more family-oriented, so the demand there is generally for primary residences, renters, or travelers visiting families.

My own realtor said that 2020 was the most lucrative year of her career and that nearly all the people buying houses in Waco are people who are fleeing California, New York, and Oregon, moving to Texas in hopes of living in a free and functional society again.

Newbie here - learned a very valuable lesson on my first property (actually a few, but that's another story).

I have a few realtors whom I have relations with however my network does not specialize in creative financing.

I have a sex offender and he’s been my best tenant.

After reviewing the latest ordinances, reports, and city guidelines, here’s a summary of my findings as of 11/18/2024:Key FindingsPermit Types and Fees:Type 1 (Owner-Occupied): $300 for 3 years.Type 2 (Non-Owner-Occupied): $450 for 3 years.Density caps apply to Type 2 permits (12.5% of block face).Enforcement:3 violations in 3 years lead to permit revocation.Fines up to $500/day for violations.Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT):City: 9%, County: 1.75%, State: 6%.Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO will remit directly to the city starting Feb 2025.Platform Obligations:STRs must have valid permits; unpermitted properties will be removed by platforms like Airbnb.Special Exceptions for Density Limits:Require approval by the Board of Adjustment (BOA).Zip Code BreakdownI focused on these 11 zip codes:Under San Antonio Rules:78205, 78204, 78215, 78210, 78212, 78245, 78258Independent Municipalities (Separate Rules):Alamo Heights (78209)Leon Valley (78238)Helotes (78023)Next Steps:Research density caps and zoning in specific zip codes.Dive into independent municipality rules for Alamo Heights, Leon Valley, and Helotes.Evaluate market maturity and income potential using tools like AirDNA.If anyone has experience operating STRs in San Antonio or these specific zip codes, I’d love to hear your insights, especially about density limits, enforcement trends, or community sentiment.Thanks in advance!

As a PM with 65 Units my core PMS is over $5k per month. 

I’ve been managing it myself, utilizing Guesty to sync my bookings and send out automated messages.

In my opinion, if you’re new to this, find an experienced investor/flipper and partner with them.