New Investor from South Florida-Ready to Learn!
Member since 2026 · 1 post · 4 votes
New Investor from South Florida-Ready to Learn!
13 Replies
- Inland Empire, CA · Member since 2017 · 151 posts · 79 votes7mo
Hi@Alisha Hogg good to meet you and welcome! My partners and I are based out of CA and invest in larger multifamily out of state. I actually know a handful of operators out in FL. Happy to connect, see if it makes sense to refer you to them
- Real Estate Agent · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2020 · 50 posts · 49 votes7mo
Hello Alisha,
Welcome! I am an investor and realtor in Palm Beach.
I will send you a message with a couple lender and credit union contacts I have used personally.
Best Advice? Surround yourself with people that you trust (contractor, various tradesman, realtor, etc.) You want to have people in your corner.
Not sure what type of investing you will be doing but if it is long term rentals, heavily vet your tenants. High quality tenants will make your life easier and preserve your investment.
- Lender · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2025 · 100 posts · 9 votes7mo
Welcome to the community, Alisha, and best of luck as you begin this journey! I am a residential investment loan officer and would be more than happy to serve as a resource to provide insight into various lending programs and financing strategies.
- 7moJonathan LeeBusiness MemberLender · FL · Member since 2025 · 86 posts · 30 votes
Hi Alisha,
Welcome! South Florida is a strong market with a lot of opportunity. You’re definitely taking the right approach by focusing on education first and surrounding yourself with the right community.
I’m a mortgage broker based in Miami and work with many investors at different stages, from first deals to building larger portfolios. Happy to be a resource if you ever have questions about financing, deal structure, or what tends to make sense locally.
Helm Mortgage Corp.5126 Reviews - Property Manager · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2025 · 18 posts · 13 votes6mo
Welcome Alisha,
I am sure you are well aware with the influx of people, but South Florida continues to grow and grow!
I am with a Property Management company based out of West Palm Beach and service all of Palm Beach County. I am happy to help any way I can throughout your real estate journey!
- Architect · FL · Member since 2023 · 6 posts · 0 votes6mo
Welcome. I’m close to the area too, so it’s great to connect with someone working in the same market.
- Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2026 · 28 posts · 14 votes6mo
Welcome Alisha. A lot of people start exactly where you are, reading, learning and trying to understand the numbers before jumping into a first deal.
One thing I wish someone had emphasized earlier is how important it is to really understand deal analysis before buying anything. Purchase price, renovation costs, holding costs, and realistic resale or rental numbers can make or break a deal, especially in South Florida where margins can get tight.
Also worth spending some time getting familiar with local contractors and how much renovations actually cost in your area. Rehab numbers vary a lot depending on the market.
For banks and credit unions, some investors in South Florida end up working with smaller local lenders or portfolio lenders rather than the big banks, especially once they start doing investment properties.
Are you leaning more toward long term rentals or something like a small fix and flip for your first project?
- 4moVijay FriedmanBusiness MemberMiami, FL · Member since 2026 · 766 posts · 122 votes
Quote from @Alisha Hogg:
Hi everyone! I’m Alisha, a science teacher in South Florida who’s recently decided to pursue real estate investing. I attended a Life Surge event and a 3‑day real estate class that sparked my interest, and after giving myself a couple of weeks to think it over, I’m still excited and committed to this path.
I’m currently focused on learning as much as I can through books and resources, and I’m joining this community to connect with people who are already making moves in the field.
A few quick questions as I get started:
1. Any local banks or credit unions you recommend for new investors in West Palm to Ft Lauderdale areas?
2. Any first‑steps advice you wish you’d known?
Looking forward to learning from you all!
Welcome, Alisha. For a new investor, I’d start by building relationships with local banks/credit unions and investor-focused lenders, but I wouldn’t choose financing before choosing your strategy.
First decide if you want to focus on:
- long-term rentals
- short-term rentals
- small multifamily
- fix-and-flip
- house hacking
For first steps, I’d learn how to analyze deals before buying anything. Focus on purchase price, rent, taxes, insurance, repairs, reserves, cash flow, and exit strategy.
Local banks and credit unions can be helpful for newer investors, especially if they offer portfolio loans. DSCR/investor lenders may also help once you have a specific property.
- 4moJames WachobBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Memphis, TN · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 887 votes
Hey @Alisha Hogg! Wwelcome to the community, and honestly it sounds like you’re approaching this the right way already. The biggest advantage you can have early on is staying genuinely curious and continuing to learn before rushing into a deal.
A lot of investors prefer working with smaller regional banks or credit unions because they can be more flexible and relationship-focused than large national banks.
As for first-step advice, I’d focus on:
- - Learning how to analyze deals conservatively
- - Understanding financing and reserves
- - Picking one strategy first (LTR, house hack, BRRRR, STR, etc.) instead of trying to learn everything at once
- - Networking with investor-friendly agents and property managers early
I’m a real estate agent based in Memphis and work with out-of-state investors building rental portfolios. A lot of investors from South Florida eventually explore markets like Memphis because the entry prices and rent-to-price ratios make it easier to start building cash flow.
Most importantly, don’t feel pressured to move fast just because you attended an event or course. The investors who last are usually the ones who take the time to build a solid foundation first.
Excited for your journey! And if you ever want to learn more about out-of-state investing or compare markets, I’d be happy to connect and help however I can.
- 4moJ CastroBusiness MemberLender · Florida · Member since 2025 · 673 posts · 240 votes
Hi @Alisha Hogg, welcome to BP and good to see you taking time to learn before jumping in—those first few months of foundation-building usually matter more than the first deal.
From a lender’s perspective in South Florida, a few practical thoughts for you:
1. Local lenders / credit unions
In the West Palm → Fort Lauderdale corridor, many new investors start with:
- Local community banks and credit unions (they tend to be more flexible on first-time investment relationships than large national banks)
- Mortgage brokers who can shop both conventional and DSCR products
- Lenders familiar with investment-heavy markets like South Florida (important because insurance and taxes heavily impact qualification here)
The key isn’t just the institution—it’s finding a loan officer who actually understands investment property underwriting, not just primary residences.
2. First steps most new investors miss
A few things I wish more first-time investors focused on early:
- Know your lending box before finding deals (price range, down payment, DSCR expectations)
- Underwrite deals with today’s numbers, not projected rent growth
- Account for insurance in South Florida early—it’s often the deal-breaker, not price or rent
- Build your team before your first contract (agent + lender + contractor if possible)
3. Strategy perspective
In your market, many new investors start with:
- small multifamily (house hack 2–4 units), or
- long-term rentals with conservative DSCR, or
- light BRRRR deals where rehab risk is controlled
The biggest early win is usually not maximizing returns—it’s getting a clean, financeable first deal done so you can build from there.
If it’s helpful, we can also walk you through what your first deal would likely look like from a financing standpoint so you can shop with more confidence and avoid deals that won’t pencil once lending is applied.
Either way, you’re approaching this the right way—build knowledge first, then align the financing strategy to it.
- 4moIsmael ReyesPro MemberRental Property Investor · Port St. Lucie · Member since 2013 · 137 posts · 96 votes
Great to connect with you and welcome to the space, Alisha
Good move taking time to learn first, that alone puts you ahead of most people starting out.
On banks, instead of chasing a specific name, focus on finding a local lender or credit union with investor-friendly loan officers. The relationship matters more than the institution.
And on getting started, I’d say don’t get stuck in learning mode too long. Pick a simple strategy, start looking at real deals, and learn as you go. Real progress comes from exposure, not just theory.
- fort lauderdale FL · Member since 2026 · 27 posts · 10 votes4mo
hey Alisha my names David, I’m a project manager in South Florida working on renovation projects for investors, mostly value-add and fix/flip deals.
For local banks/credit unions, I'd look at smaller community banks in your specific county—they're usually more flexible with new investors than the big banks. Just ask directly for investor-friendly or DSCR-style loan options.
For getting started, the biggest thing I’d focus on early is understanding real deal numbers (purchase price, rehab costs, and holding costs). That’s usually where first deals make sense or fall apart, more than anything else you’ll read in books or courses.”
- Investor · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2026 · 8 posts · 3 votes4mo
Welcome to the journey, Alisha.
One thing I wish I had understood earlier:
Most investors make or lose money when they BUY the property, not when they SELL it.Focus on:
Buying below market value
Understanding repair costs
Bonservative cash flow estimates
Avoiding overleveraging early. Books and courses help, but analyzing real deals is what builds confidence fastest.
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