Second option, if it's even valid, I could build a new house in one of these new communities and then have the house for another few months and sell it (assuming that it would have increased in value) Any input to any of these two strategies would be highly appreciated!

Hi BP, I am a newbie investor in Houston, TX and I want to build a rental portfolio.

I settled on a new build under $200K.

We are looking to build a guest/STR house on our property.

In a scenario where the landlord resides in the same building, It may be wise to hold off on making substantial investments in the apartment where the landlord plans to reside for the first 3-4 months,This approach can help prevent any perception of discrepancies in the living standards between landlord and tenant.

When I talk to new investors, the first question I always ask is "Are you just looking for the investment benefits of real estate (cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits) or are you looking to build a side hustle business around real estate investing?"

That is now my plan as I am liquidating the "losers" in my portfolio and working on building up my reserves to properly invest in the next investment.

Is anyone a current building code inspector in the state of FL or have a connection who is?

If all you are looking for is motivated seller leads, I would recommend not using an agent and building another pipeline via direct mail, cold calling, ect.

I can build any app if it is useful for us.