How/Why We Acquired a 10-Unit at 50% Occupancy

How/Why We Acquired a 10-Unit at 50% Occupancy

Rental Property Investor · Blacksburg, VA · Member since 2020 · 33 posts · 24 votes

Investment Info:

Large multi-family (5+ units) commercial investment investment.

Purchase price: $740,000
Cash invested: $100,000

Deal Breakdown: 10-Unit Value Add – Roanoke, VA

Just closed on this 10-unit multifamily in Southwest Roanoke as part of a project we worked on inside our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint.

A few investors from the group partnered with us on the acquisition and went through the full process from underwriting to closing.

Deal Snapshot

Location: Roanoke, VA
Purchase Price: $740,000
Units: 10
Occupancy at Purchase: ~50%
Investor Capital Deployed: ~$100K

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

We focus heavily on workforce housing in secondary markets like Roanoke. This property had strong upside with low occupancy, below-market rents, and operational inefficiencies that could be improved through active management.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

This was sourced through local relationships and direct conversations with owners in the area. The property had been struggling operationally, which allowed us to negotiate based on the stabilized potential rather than the current performance.

How did you finance this deal?

Traditional bank financing paired with investor capital. About $100K of investor equity was deployed at closing to support stabilization and improvements.

How did you add value to the deal?

Our plan focuses on:

• Increasing occupancy
• Renovating units as they turn
• Bringing rents closer to market
• Adding ancillary income (laundry, storage, parking)

Even small improvements across 10 units can move NOI significantly.

What was the outcome?

We just closed and are moving into the execution phase with renovations, leasing, and operational improvements.

This deal was also part of a project we worked through inside our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint, where investors partner with our team to go from deal analysis to actually closing on a property.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Many value-add opportunities come from operational problems rather than physical ones. Deals with low occupancy and management issues can create strong upside if you have the systems to stabilize them.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Yes — this deal was sourced and executed through our team at Haven Management Group in the Roanoke / New River Valley market.

We operate as a vertically integrated team handling deal sourcing, underwriting, acquisition, renovations, leasing, and property management, which allows us to control the full lifecycle of the investment.

This project was also completed alongside members of our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint, where investors work through the process of finding, funding, & executing a deal.

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  • J CastroBusiness Member
    Lender · Florida · Member since 2025 · 684 posts · 245 votes
    6mo

    Nice deal @Cody Journell — this is exactly the kind of value-add play where the upside is in operations, not just the real estate.

    Buying at ~50% occupancy gives you a lot of room to force appreciation, especially if rents are below market. Even modest improvements across 10 units can move NOI pretty quickly once you stabilize.

    One thing I’d be curious about is your financing structure during the lease-up phase. With occupancy that low, a lot of lenders get conservative, so having the right debt in place (or enough reserves) becomes critical while you’re pushing toward stabilization.

    Also agree 100% with your point — some of the best deals come from management inefficiencies, not heavy rehab. Those are often overlooked but can produce strong returns if executed properly.

    Sounds like a solid plan. Keep us posted once you get closer to stabilized occupancy — that’s where the real value shows up.

    JCREIG Capital Funding
  • Investor · Hendersonville, NC · Member since 2016 · 498 posts · 285 votes
    6mo
    Quote from @Cody Journell:

    Investment Info:

    Large multi-family (5+ units) commercial investment investment.

    Purchase price: $740,000
    Cash invested: $100,000

    Deal Breakdown: 10-Unit Value Add – Roanoke, VA

    Just closed on this 10-unit multifamily in Southwest Roanoke as part of a project we worked on inside our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint.

    A few investors from the group partnered with us on the acquisition and went through the full process from underwriting to closing.

    Deal Snapshot

    Location: Roanoke, VA
    Purchase Price: $740,000
    Units: 10
    Occupancy at Purchase: ~50%
    Investor Capital Deployed: ~$100K

    What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

    We focus heavily on workforce housing in secondary markets like Roanoke. This property had strong upside with low occupancy, below-market rents, and operational inefficiencies that could be improved through active management.

    How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

    This was sourced through local relationships and direct conversations with owners in the area. The property had been struggling operationally, which allowed us to negotiate based on the stabilized potential rather than the current performance.

    How did you finance this deal?

    Traditional bank financing paired with investor capital. About $100K of investor equity was deployed at closing to support stabilization and improvements.

    How did you add value to the deal?

    Our plan focuses on:

    • Increasing occupancy
    • Renovating units as they turn
    • Bringing rents closer to market
    • Adding ancillary income (laundry, storage, parking)

    Even small improvements across 10 units can move NOI significantly.

    What was the outcome?

    We just closed and are moving into the execution phase with renovations, leasing, and operational improvements.

    This deal was also part of a project we worked through inside our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint, where investors partner with our team to go from deal analysis to actually closing on a property.

    Lessons learned? Challenges?

    Many value-add opportunities come from operational problems rather than physical ones. Deals with low occupancy and management issues can create strong upside if you have the systems to stabilize them.

    Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

    Yes — this deal was sourced and executed through our team at Haven Management Group in the Roanoke / New River Valley market.

    We operate as a vertically integrated team handling deal sourcing, underwriting, acquisition, renovations, leasing, and property management, which allows us to control the full lifecycle of the investment.

    This project was also completed alongside members of our 90 Day Multifamily Sprint, where investors work through the process of finding, funding, & executing a deal.


    Good breakdown on how operational inefficiencies create value. I’ve seen similar deals where the biggest hurdle isn’t physical rehab but getting tenant turnover down and tightening property management. The key is having the systems in place to quickly lease units at market rents, which you mentioned. In workforce housing markets like Roanoke, cash flow can improve dramatically just by stabilizing occupancy and bringing rents up gradually. Also, keep an eye on local code violations. Sometimes properties with management issues hover under the radar because owners can’t or won’t address them properly. Those can be great entry points for investors ready to roll up their sleeves. 

  • Michael K GallagherBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus OH · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6mo

    @Cody Journell thanks for sharing in such detail.  what do you anticipate the value being when you are stabilized?  Is the plan to exit? hold long term?

  • Rental Property Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2021 · 774 posts · 500 votes
    6mo

    @Cody Journell - Would you be able to comment more on how you found this opportunity? Did you research databases to call owners, network with brokers, etc... Great job!

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