Starting My Real Estate Journey

Birmingham, Alabama
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Starting My Real Estate Journey

Dustin Rabon
Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes

Hi everyone, I'm Dustin Rabon and my wife and I began our real estate journey in November, 2024. We bought our first buy and hold property in the Birmingham, AL area using the BRRRR method. The only thing left to do is to refinance and repeat! We went conventional for this property, so there is a 6 month seasoning period until we can refinance, but I'm not waiting until then to find our next property lol.

We are currently in the process of finding a fix/flip or our next buy and hold, whichever comes first. We plan to use hard money or a private lender for the next one so that we can sell a flip or refinance sooner. 

My goal is to continue this process until we reach financial freedom. I'm glad to be here to network and learn as much as I can, and eventually be a professional providing advice to new investors. 

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Mike Klarman
Specialist · NJ · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 649 votes
1y

Dustin, Welcome.  I have a client who BRRRRs 2 - 4 units in and around Montgomery.  The rents are comparatively high compared to the loan amounts.  He has a duplex that grosses him 800/month that I just refinanced for him a few months ago.

Lots of great people and information here.  

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Dustin Rabon:

    Hi everyone, I'm Dustin Rabon and my wife and I began our real estate journey in November, 2024. We bought our first buy and hold property in the Birmingham, AL area using the BRRRR method. The only thing left to do is to refinance and repeat! We went conventional for this property, so there is a 6 month seasoning period until we can refinance, but I'm not waiting until then to find our next property lol.

    We are currently in the process of finding a fix/flip or our next buy and hold, whichever comes first. We plan to use hard money or a private lender for the next one so that we can sell a flip or refinance sooner. 

    My goal is to continue this process until we reach financial freedom. I'm glad to be here to network and learn as much as I can, and eventually be a professional providing advice to new investors. 


    Congratulations on the first one. I recommend getting a DSCR loan possibly on the refinance and working with a lender that can do a fix and flip loan into a DSCR on the next one. We just did that for someone and it was a lot less painful since you work with the same person.


    keep up the good work 

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    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Chris Seveney:
      Quote from @Dustin Rabon:

      Hi everyone, I'm Dustin Rabon and my wife and I began our real estate journey in November, 2024. We bought our first buy and hold property in the Birmingham, AL area using the BRRRR method. The only thing left to do is to refinance and repeat! We went conventional for this property, so there is a 6 month seasoning period until we can refinance, but I'm not waiting until then to find our next property lol.

      We are currently in the process of finding a fix/flip or our next buy and hold, whichever comes first. We plan to use hard money or a private lender for the next one so that we can sell a flip or refinance sooner. 

      My goal is to continue this process until we reach financial freedom. I'm glad to be here to network and learn as much as I can, and eventually be a professional providing advice to new investors. 


      Congratulations on the first one. I recommend getting a DSCR loan possibly on the refinance and working with a lender that can do a fix and flip loan into a DSCR on the next one. We just did that for someone and it was a lot less painful since you work with the same person.


      keep up the good work 


      Hi Chris, thanks for the advice! You mentioned working with someone recently for a fix/flip and DSCR loan, can you send me some info?

      Thanks!

      0Reply
  • Christopher RayPro Member
    Member since 2025 · 14 posts · 5 votes
    1y
    Quote from @Dustin Rabon:

    Hi everyone, I'm Dustin Rabon and my wife and I began our real estate journey in November, 2024. We bought our first buy and hold property in the Birmingham, AL area using the BRRRR method. The only thing left to do is to refinance and repeat! We went conventional for this property, so there is a 6 month seasoning period until we can refinance, but I'm not waiting until then to find our next property lol.

    We are currently in the process of finding a fix/flip or our next buy and hold, whichever comes first. We plan to use hard money or a private lender for the next one so that we can sell a flip or refinance sooner. 

    My goal is to continue this process until we reach financial freedom. I'm glad to be here to network and learn as much as I can, and eventually be a professional providing advice to new investors. 


     Congrats on the successful rehab. Let me know if you need any local help in the Birmingham area. 

    0Reply
    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Christopher Ray:
      Quote from @Dustin Rabon:

      Hi everyone, I'm Dustin Rabon and my wife and I began our real estate journey in November, 2024. We bought our first buy and hold property in the Birmingham, AL area using the BRRRR method. The only thing left to do is to refinance and repeat! We went conventional for this property, so there is a 6 month seasoning period until we can refinance, but I'm not waiting until then to find our next property lol.

      We are currently in the process of finding a fix/flip or our next buy and hold, whichever comes first. We plan to use hard money or a private lender for the next one so that we can sell a flip or refinance sooner. 

      My goal is to continue this process until we reach financial freedom. I'm glad to be here to network and learn as much as I can, and eventually be a professional providing advice to new investors. 


       Congrats on the successful rehab. Let me know if you need any local help in the Birmingham area. 


      Thanks! I really appreciate that. I’d definitely be open to some local help in Birmingham—any recommendations for reliable contractors, property managers, or other resources you’ve worked with? Always good to connect with folks who know the area well.

      0Reply
  • Mike Klarman
    Specialist · NJ · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 649 votes
    1y

    Dustin, Welcome.  I have a client who BRRRRs 2 - 4 units in and around Montgomery.  The rents are comparatively high compared to the loan amounts.  He has a duplex that grosses him 800/month that I just refinanced for him a few months ago.

    Lots of great people and information here.  

    1Reply
    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Mike Klarman:

      Dustin, Welcome.  I have a client who BRRRRs 2 - 4 units in and around Montgomery.  The rents are comparatively high compared to the loan amounts.  He has a duplex that grosses him 800/month that I just refinanced for him a few months ago.

      Lots of great people and information here.  


      Thanks for the welcome! That’s awesome to hear about your client’s success in Montgomery. I’m actually about an hour from Montgomery myself, so it’s definitely on my radar. Right now, I’m investing in Birmingham, but I’m thinking about exploring Montgomery soon too, especially for 2-4 unit properties like your client’s. Do you have any tips or contacts for either area that might help with those kinds of deals? 

      1Reply
    • Ron AvellanPro Member
      Member since 2020 · 4 posts · 0 votes
      11mo
      Quote from @Mike Klarman:

      Dustin, Welcome.  I have a client who BRRRRs 2 - 4 units in and around Montgomery.  The rents are comparatively high compared to the loan amounts.  He has a duplex that grosses him 800/month that I just refinanced for him a few months ago.

      Lots of great people and information here.  


       Hey Mike, I actually just BRRRRd my first montgomery property.  working on scaling now.  Would love to connect with you or your client whos brrrring 2-4, i assume monthly?  

      0Reply
  • Aryia BalaBusiness Member
    Lender · 26 Harbor Park Dr Port Washington, NY 11050 · Member since 2023 · 49 posts · 9 votes
    1y

    Exactly! Keep the momentum going!! Our most profitable borrowers are always working a deal. Going from DSCR to Purchase > Fix > DSCR. They have in mind seasoning (depending on your lender) and cash flow to make sure the have proper exists

    [email protected]866-611-4206
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  • Julio GonzalezPro Member
    Specialist · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    Great to have you here, Dustin! Love that you're already thinking ahead to the next deal!"

    -Julio

    561-253-6640
    0Reply
    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Julio Gonzalez:

      Great to have you here, Dustin! Love that you're already thinking ahead to the next deal!"

      -Julio


       Thank you!

      0Reply
  • Lindsay DavisBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2019 · 322 posts · 200 votes
    1y

    @Dustin Rabon,

    Congrats on getting started with your first deal—that’s really exciting stuff!

    I see that you’ve listed Birmingham as your location. I’ve had a good amount of success doing buy-and-holds in the Magic City for about 15 years. Happy to share what I know if you have any specific questions!

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    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Lindsay Davis:

      @Dustin Rabon,

      Congrats on getting started with your first deal—that’s really exciting stuff!

      I see that you’ve listed Birmingham as your location. I’ve had a good amount of success doing buy-and-holds in the Magic City for about 15 years. Happy to share what I know if you have any specific questions!


       Thanks, just messaged you!

      0Reply
    • Meghan Hunter
      Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 30 posts · 13 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Lindsay Davis:

      @Dustin Rabon,

      Congrats on getting started with your first deal—that’s really exciting stuff!

      I see that you’ve listed Birmingham as your location. I’ve had a good amount of success doing buy-and-holds in the Magic City for about 15 years. Happy to share what I know if you have any specific questions!

      @Lindsay Davis can we connect? looking at the posibility of selling two SFH in Birmingham.

      0Reply
  • Chris Schmidt-Loffler
    Specialist · MI · Member since 2024 · 49 posts · 11 votes
    1y

    Congrats on the rehab, Dustin! 

    0Reply
  • Steve Brown
    El Centro, CA · Member since 2025 · 7 posts · 9 votes
    1y

    Birmingham caught my eye.  I used to work for US Steel at the Oak Grove Coal Mine and Concord Prep Plant.  My former wife and I lived outside of Alabaster.  Having been born and raised out West in Nevada, I fell in love with Alabama and Southern BBQ.

    1Reply
    • Dustin Rabon
      OP
      Investor · Opelika, AL · Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Steve Brown:

      Birmingham caught my eye.  I used to work for US Steel at the Oak Grove Coal Mine and Concord Prep Plant.  My former wife and I lived outside of Alabaster.  Having been born and raised out West in Nevada, I fell in love with Alabama and Southern BBQ.


       Very cool! The BBQ is definitely some of the best around. 

      0Reply
  • Shuff MauldinPro Member
    Investor · MS AL TN, GA · Member since 2019 · 70 posts · 45 votes
    1y

    Welcome @Dustin Rabon!  Congrats on nearing the last R!

    I live in Homewood and work in downtown BHM.  Lets connect and let me know if I can ever help. 

    Sincerely - Shuff

    0Reply
  • Mike Klarman
    Specialist · NJ · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 649 votes
    11mo

    Nice, Ron.  Congrats.  Where are you finding properties?

    0Reply
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