I'm orginally from the valley (Brownsville) and worked in Harlingen as an architectural designer.

I also have an undergrad degree in architecture.The real estate investment field is something that has always mesmerized me, and I'm finally ready to dedicate myself fully to this endeavor.I wish all the readers the best of luck in all future endeavors, and if any of you need input from a design or project perspective please don't hesitate to ask.

I wrote the book and designed it as a step-by-step guide...

As for the professional service fees, those appear to be in line with what our development side pays for the design fees of a project.

Look on HomeAway at North Lake in Dexter--there is an interior designer's home listed there that is gorgeous.

Hagerty has a product designed specifically for commercial car storage and will even market our services to their clients as our coastal environment presents a huge risk to existing collections.

@Larry Fried I've looked into the crowdfunding methods and they are certainly attractive but the big negative, correct me if I'm wrong, is the lack of leverage meaning when you buy a property, you usually put 20% down and you are now capitalizing on an investment worth 4x the principle.

During the bust, I got busy with a 100% DIY remodel of my current house to make it more attractive to the next buyer (or appraiser) and, thru my effort, managed to at least not *lose* any value when things tanked.

That being said there are plenty of design build firms out there that are capable of that but don't expect all GC's to be ready to design your project for you. 

Nice job with the kitchen design and such.