My first flip taught me that you can make a lot of decisions after closing, but it's much harder to fix a deal if you overpay or don't have the right financing in place. Having a clear plan before making an offer made a huge difference.
Owning an MTR has been a different kind of education. Property management and understanding your target tenant have probably been the biggest lessons there. Keeping the property occupied isn't just about having a nice house—it's about understanding who you're serving and creating a good experience.
I'm still early in my investing journey, but every deal has taught me something different. That's one of the things I enjoy most about real estate—there's always something new to learn.