•Challenges & Opportunities: What are some common challenges that investors face in this market, and are there any unique opportunities right now?

I'm in a unique situation where my DTI ratio is preventing me from buying a house at even half the monthly payment I've been paying in rent for years (I actually pay early every month).

Urban areas like Austin and Dallas are appealing for growth potential and job markets, but the suburbs and smaller towns offer more unique opportunities (lower entry costs and a steady flow of families and retirees seeking affordability and space).

If you don't have an agreement with either one of them, select the one who you think would be the best fit to represent you.

For assessing demand, go to FurnishedFinder.com/stats and you can see demand data for a given city.When I was trying to determine demand for our area, I selected about 20 listings near the location I was focused on, and tracked them for several months.

I did not choose.I selected configurations similar to what they were renting—for example, 3-bed, 2-bath, yard space, etc.I focused on locations where they were currently living.I set rent prices within their budget.SummaryI became successful at real estate investing once I understood that what matters is the tenant segment who occupies the property.

Each city’s approach can play a unique role, but zoning for higher density developments stands out as a powerful strategy, albeit a tough one to get passed.

We are also good at networking, finding unique opportunities and partners and creating differentiated deal flow.

This isn't necessarily a unique experience.Our lease terms clearly state that the agreement is not binding until we have three things: verifiable funds for the first month's rent, deposit AND a signed lease.

They can be a bit on the pricey side and they can be selective on the development/construction side, but overall, they're solid.