I'm looking to scale my real estate portfolio using the BRRRR method but want to understand how investors manage to do multiple deals in a year. What are the best strategies to fund and execute several BRRRR projects simultaneously while waiting for refinancing to free up capital?
I’m particularly curious about:
I'd appreciate any advice, tips, or personal experiences from those who've successfully scaled using the BRRRR strategy. Thanks in advance!
Hey Reeves -
Scaling with BRRRR boils down to planning / resources. Building out your core 4 is going to help as you grow. A lender who understands investors, an agent to find solid deals, a contractor you trust to handle rehabs efficiently, and a property manager to stabilize properties quickly.
For financing, look into hard money loans - quick closes, interst ony payments, short terms, etc. As for the refi side, DSCRs are an excellent tool to utilize as they are based off the property, not you as the borrower, so no DTI hits / personal income verification required. Happy to connect with you!
Doing that using the BRRRR strategy right now is highly unlikely. Most of the BRRRR literature, books, and podcast episodes were from before rates went up so the systems used to make it happen aren't as streamlined. Some markets may have more viability for success, but it's not likely to scale quickly or at all in the current climate.
We do many Flips/BRRRRs annually and fund with Hard Money and Private Money. Hard Money will fund 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab on a draw schedule.
Our Private investors will fund the remaining 10% of the purchase price, the first portion of the rehab (to be drawn later from the HML), and the holding costs. Of course, with private lenders, you must give up equity or a return on the debt.
I agree with @Jonathan Greene that the BRRRR market is difficult right now. Perfect BRRRRs, where you pull all your invested money back out at the refi, are very unlikely. However, the end goal can still be profitable. We have adapted by changing the rental strategy to Co-Living (rent by the room). This has created much more cash flow, which makes up for the more money left in the deal.
It's awesome that you're looking to ramp up your BRRRR game! One thing that really helps is lining up flexible, short-term financing—like hard money loans or private lenders—who get your goals and can close quickly. You can refinance into more traditional loans later, but that initial speed matters. Also, juggling multiple rehabs often means building a core team of reliable contractors and setting firm project timelines. I've found weekly check-ins and a shared project tracker to be lifesavers, helping you spot delays before they become major issues. As for lenders, look for local banks or credit unions that understand the value-add you're creating in each property. They're often more willing to work with you on aggressive timelines, especially once you show a few wins. It takes hustle, but once you've got the right mix of funding, project management, and lender relationships, it's totally doable! Also, consider raising capital after doing the first few - consistently building your connections while learning as you go. Agree with Jonathan and Jake -- timing is just as important.
Hi Reeves,
Experience in project management/construction and financing are definitely two key components. As for financing, I highly recommend lining up financing that meets your timelines. For example, even if you finish the rehab in 1 month, not all lenders can refinance using the newly appraised value after month 1 but some can. Some hard money lenders take 1 month to close and some can close in 1 week. Using business purpose financing and brokers/lenders that specialize in these deals should smoothen things out a lot!
@Reeves Bennett Focus on quality over quantity. Most who want to scale go the quantity route and invest in lousy assets property. Those who fall under this category prioritize the BRRRR over all else. By this I mean they dismiss or proceed with purchases based on whether they can get their money back. This is often easier in lower tier markets where the appraisals are not indicative of how the property would sell in an arms length transaction.
The other risk you run is over extension. There's more to execution than merely coming up with the down payment money. Many who want to scale fail to take this into consideration, take on too many projects at once, have no capital to advance the construction and ultimately get stuck in mud unable to advance any of their projects. You seem to be aware of this risk in referencing potential bottlenecks which puts you ahead of the curve.
The old adage slow and steady wins the race can certainly be applied to real estate. Some can execute on the lower tier assets and transition out but it is a far more difficult asset class to operate and exit than most realize and many fail. Most come out ahead over an extended period of time by buying better quality assets where they perhaps have to leave some capital in the property but find themselves able to sell for real gains or refinance out appreciated equity and scale more effectively that way.
If you want to scale using the BRRRR method I could send you a list of properties in terrible Philadelphia neighborhoods where you could easily complete the BRRRR and yes, you could theoretically "scale". However I wouldn't recommend this or wish ownership of these liabilities on my worst enemies.
I would recommend beginning with one at a time until you get #2 Project Management streamlined and working well. Once you're able to hit all your projected targets on one new acquisition try doing 2 at once and so on. Rome wasn't built in a day.
The advice above about leaning into quality assets is spot on. Investors with 10 high quality rentals have historically turned out to be richer than the slumlord with 30 units.
I'll answer your questions pretending it is 2015:
1.) Private money or family money is best to get started. It is easier to get than anything else. Then refi into conventional or commercial loans, probably need a mix of lenders. Commercial portfolio loans will be quicker.
2.) You just buy as many as you can and then figure it out, there is no way to prepare, you just deal with it. You'd be surprised what you can do, if you have no choice.
3.) Local banks. Spend some time talking to investors, asking for names, talk to a lot of banks. Every bank is looking for something different and it changes over time.
However, we are not in a BRRRR market anymore, you'd be sailing upwind.
After more than a decade I have stopped BRRRR-ing a couple of years ago when the market started going nuts. So we are not buying as much anymore, but still growing. I closed two properties last night actually, both move-in ready, fully updated and rented. I was able to negotiate about 10% discount that was purely circumstantial, I'll let time do the appreciating passively instead of running a 6 months construction project with holding cost.
Hey Reeves -
Scaling with BRRRR boils down to planning / resources. Building out your core 4 is going to help as you grow. A lender who understands investors, an agent to find solid deals, a contractor you trust to handle rehabs efficiently, and a property manager to stabilize properties quickly.
For financing, look into hard money loans - quick closes, interst ony payments, short terms, etc. As for the refi side, DSCRs are an excellent tool to utilize as they are based off the property, not you as the borrower, so no DTI hits / personal income verification required. Happy to connect with you!
Hey @Reeves Bennett - BRRRR is a great strategy, just to be crystal clear, it will take 2 different loans to complete. First - a 12 month hard money loan to acquire & rehab. Second - a DSCR 30 year fixed perm loan to refi the hard money loan and hold onto long term.
What others have replied to is completely accurate - it is hard to accomplish BRRRRs right now due to the DSCR refi constraints (interest rates, LTVs and seasoning periods), however, not impossible. There are just numerous variables and calculations you must analyze to check.
If done right, a well purchased flip will have multiple exits. DSCR loans are easier to qualify for when the asset values are a bit lower and rents a bit higher. Start with 1 flip, exit successfully, then slowly scale. I see so many investors go out of business due to growing to fast. Rates will take a while to come down, so don't try to time the market perfectly, just start slowly.
Scaling your real estate portfolio using the BRRRR method (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) can be highly effective, but it requires strategic planning and execution. Here are some insights and strategies to help you manage multiple BRRRR projects simultaneously:
Financing Options
When scaling quickly, having access to flexible and reliable funding sources is crucial. Here are some options:
Project Management
Managing timelines and avoiding bottlenecks is essential when handling multiple rehabs. Here are some strategies:
Lender Recommendations
Finding the right lenders who understand the BRRRR strategy and can support multiple deals is vital. Here are some recommendations:
Personal Experiences and Tips
By leveraging these strategies and resources, you can effectively scale your real estate portfolio using the BRRRR method and achieve your investment goals.
I'm looking to scale my real estate portfolio using the BRRRR method but want to understand how investors manage to do multiple deals in a year. What are the best strategies to fund and execute several BRRRR projects simultaneously while waiting for refinancing to free up capital?
I’m particularly curious about:
I'd appreciate any advice, tips, or personal experiences from those who've successfully scaled using the BRRRR strategy. Thanks in advance!
It sounds good in theory. Don’t buy more than your job can support. They might actually end up costing you monthly instead of making you money monthly.
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for sharing such thoughtful and detailed advice about scaling with the BRRRR strategy. I'm blown away by how generous you all were with your time and insights.
Hearing your real-world experiences with financing, managing projects, and navigating today’s market gave me so much clarity. The candid advice about balancing quality, building the right team, and adapting to challenges really hit home. It’s reassuring to know there’s a supportive community of experienced investors willing to share their hard-earned lessons.
I’ve taken a ton of notes and feel much more prepared to move forward with a smarter, more intentional approach. I look forward to learning more from all of you and contributing in return as I progress in my real estate journey.
Thanks again!
Best,
Reeves Bennett
Bennett & Co. Properties | Bennett & Co. Investments
You are welcome Reeves. Feel free to reach out direct. We have experience with acquisition through property management.
Great Question. As someone who has coordinated 40+ deals in last 18 months for clients, I can tell you that the hardest piece of the puzzle is the property, the opportunity. You need to have sources (agents, wholesalers, GCs) that bring you opportunity that they have mined and they are bringing it to you cause they know you buy.
To the vendors of the industry: Agents, Wholesalers, GCs, PMs, what have you...you are nothing until you buy something, until then you are window shopping. And an Agent/GC will only run around so much without you pulling the trigger. Maybe a property or two they'll do the whole comp analysis with the contracting bid and deliver it, but if you pass twice do not expect them to answer much anymore.
I use wholesalers for 85% of the deals I source. I've facilitated the purchase of 5 properties in last two months at a reputable national wholesaler. I was introduced to the acquisitions manager and given his direct line. They called me the other day and said they had a property they had a buyer into for 270k but they would take 260k from one of my clients cause they never worked with the other guy before. These wholesalers get left with you know what in their hands at closing sometimes. I've had a client tell me the morning of the close he didn't have the money as well. So when you close with people, you'll have a chance to scale. When they get that commission check That's the benefit of working within a group that is QB'd by a single individual cause any new member gets the benefits already mined by the group.