Any friendly advice?

Question

Hello all, first post here in awhile but wanted to try.. SO.... Im a long term hold investor with 6 rentals, mostly Duplexes in SJ. So far ive relied on my professional network for leads and while what i get is GREAT, but limited.

now that im experienced and ready to scale up... How would you suggest is the most efficient (cost, time, or both) ways to go from 2 buys a year to 6.

I work 60+ hours a week at my regular job then service the rentals on top. Thats to say I have no fear at all when it comes to marketing/cold calling but time is tight.

Open to all ideas your willing to share.Thanks!

Joe Villeneuve · Answer

Don't focus on the number of properties you buy in a year. That's not important. You're NOT a property collector; you're supposed to be a REI.  That means the numbers you focus on should be the ones with $$$$ in front and +++ in front of that.  So, if you go a whole year without buying a property because you couldn't make the $$$ work on one, that's fine.  In fact, that's much better than forcing/rationalizing a bad buy just for the sake of buying.

Jonathan Lee · Answer

Hey Steven,

A few things I’ve seen work well for long-term duplex and small multifamily investors:

First, deepen relationships with 2–3 investor-focused realtors instead of relying on a broad network. The good ones will bring you off-market deals, estate sales, and properties that never hit MLS.

Second, add at least one off-market acquisition channel that runs in the background. This could be wholesalers, direct mail to duplex owners, or even targeting tired landlords with older ownership tenure. Even 1 solid off-market deal per quarter makes a huge difference.

Third, leverage your existing portfolio. Many investors scale faster by using cash-out refinances, HELOCs, or DSCR loans to recycle equity instead of waiting to save new capital each time.

Lastly, focus on efficiency of financing and closing. Having lending lined up with flexible options (especially DSCR for speed and scalability) lets you move quickly when opportunities come up, which often makes the difference.

Feel free to reach out if you ever want to bounce around ideas or discuss strategies. Always happy to connect.

Steven Weidler · Answer

God i love that advice. PMing you!