New to Real Estate 路 Atlanta, GA 路 Member since 2026 路 17 posts 路 7 votes
I am an aspiring developer and looking to get my start in LTR rental properties. I have started to dip my feet into the wholesaling side of things a few weeks ago to help fund the initial down payment on my first investment property but no luck so far.
I am thinking that starting out my strategy will be primarily be rentals, but would love to connect with mentor or an agent I can work with who understands the LTR rental process and regularly works with investors. This will help provide guidance and assist in getting my ideas fully fledged out, working towards a solid gameplan.
Looking forward to connect with you all and make solid long lasting connections!
Welcome, and you are asking the right question early. For a first long-term rental, I would start by getting clear on your numbers before you look for a mentor: what rent would cover mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and reserves, and what return you actually need. A good mentor will not just cheer you on; they will challenge your assumptions and show you their own deals, including the ones that did not work. Look for someone active in the market where you plan to buy, and be specific about what help you want, whether that is deal review, contractor introductions, or walking a property with you. A knowledgeable local agent who regularly works with investors can also be a useful part of that team, especially for testing rents and resale assumptions. Start with one small, understandable deal rather than trying to learn development and rentals at once.
Welcome, and you are asking the right question early. For a first long-term rental, I would start by getting clear on your numbers before you look for a mentor: what rent would cover mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and reserves, and what return you actually need. A good mentor will not just cheer you on; they will challenge your assumptions and show you their own deals, including the ones that did not work. Look for someone active in the market where you plan to buy, and be specific about what help you want, whether that is deal review, contractor introductions, or walking a property with you. A knowledgeable local agent who regularly works with investors can also be a useful part of that team, especially for testing rents and resale assumptions. Start with one small, understandable deal rather than trying to learn development and rentals at once.
Adamma, wholesaling to fund your first rental is a seriously scrappy way to start, love it. When you talk to agents, ask how many investor clients they closed with this year and whether they can pull rent comps for you, because an agent who only sells primary homes will show you pretty houses instead of rentals that cash flow. My team and I can point you to a good investor friendly agent in Atlanta if you want.
No luck a few weeks into wholesaling is totally normal, dont let it get you down 馃挭 One idea, ask a local home inspector if you can tag along for a day. You'll see what goes wrong in houses way faster than any video can show you.
@Adamma Jean-Pierre Eze A few weeks without a deal is normal, and the fix is usually a smaller, better list rather than more marketing. Instead of a broad absentee-owner pull, look for properties showing several problems at once, like back taxes plus code violations plus an owner who lives elsewhere, because those owners usually have a real reason to sell. In Allegheny County, where I track this, about 25,000 residential parcels show three or more of those signals out of roughly 116,000 with at least one, so stacking them cuts a list down fast. Most of that is free in county tax and court records, which keeps your costs low while you save for the rental.