Section 8 success

Multi-Family and Apartment Investing
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Section 8 success

Bill Vaughan
Member since 2026 · 9 posts · 8 votes

My mom has a 12 plex of all large 1 bedroom in a working part of dfw. She has taken sec 8 for over 10 years and tenants have stayed and for the most part not trashed the units. 

How do we find more sec 8 tenants. We have a 3rd party mgt who will syndicate and she has advertised on affordable housing.com with Little results lately. 

We are looking for a unit in a gentrifying area. Are sec 8 tenants harder on 2 bedrooms?

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  • Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
    CPA, CFP®, PFS · FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    1mo

    Bill, I’d go directly to the housing authorities serving the neighborhoods you’re targeting and ask about active voucher demand, landlord listing opportunities, payment standards, and whether they have a landlord liaison or referral process.

    For the 2-bedroom question, I wouldn’t assume they’re harder to fill. The better question is how many voucher holders in that specific area are currently approved for 2-bedroom units and whether the achievable rent supports the property after taxes, insurance, repairs, vacancy, and management.

    Since your family already has experience with voucher tenants, I’d also ask the current tenants or management company where successful applicants have historically found the property. Sometimes the strongest lead sources are much more local than the big listing platforms.

    From the tax side, I’d also review cost segregation on the existing 12-plex and any additional multifamily you acquire. Multifamily can be a strong candidate for accelerated depreciation, but the important part is whether your family can actually use the resulting losses under the passive-loss rules. I’d model that before assuming a large depreciation deduction automatically means immediate tax savings.

    For the next acquisition, I’d underwrite the actual voucher demand and after-tax cash flow rather than choosing a 1BR or 2BR based on a general rule.

    Happy to connect!

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  • Vijay FriedmanBusiness Member
    Miami, FL · Member since 2026 · 766 posts · 122 votes
    1mo
    Quote from @Bill Vaughan:

    My mom has a 12 plex of all large 1 bedroom in a working part of dfw. She has taken sec 8 for over 10 years and tenants have stayed and for the most part not trashed the units. 

    How do we find more sec 8 tenants. We have a 3rd party mgt who will syndicate and she has advertised on affordable housing.com with Little results lately. 

    We are looking for a unit in a gentrifying area. Are sec 8 tenants harder on 2 bedrooms?

    @Bill Vaughan
    I’d start with the local housing authority and make sure the property manager is reaching voucher holders directly, not just relying on one listing site. For the 2BR question, I’d compare the local voucher/payment standards and current waitlist demand by bedroom size before assuming one unit type will lease faster.

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  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    1mo
    Quote from @Bill Vaughan:

    My mom has a 12 plex of all large 1 bedroom in a working part of dfw. She has taken sec 8 for over 10 years and tenants have stayed and for the most part not trashed the units. 

    How do we find more sec 8 tenants. We have a 3rd party mgt who will syndicate and she has advertised on affordable housing.com with Little results lately. 

    We are looking for a unit in a gentrifying area. Are sec 8 tenants harder on 2 bedrooms?


    Study & understand your target market!

    Majority of S8 voucher holders do NOT have a computer.
    At best, they access internet on their phone.

    Many voucher holders are older and barely know how to access the internet.
    So, they rely on family or CASEWORKER to find a home.
    Most Housing Commission that distribute/control vouchers have a computer in their office for tenants to use. Some still use a physical book of listings.  
    - Others, like many in Detroit, only allow office access by appointment.

    Check your state & local laws to see if you can offer an incentive, like a free TV or used W/D, to S8 tenants ONLY.

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  • Ali Najjar
    Lender · NJ · Member since 2025 · 50 posts · 23 votes
    3w

    I’d probably focus less on finding more Section 8 tenants specifically and more on getting the unit in front of as many qualified applicants as possible. If the management company is already advertising it, I’d also ask where they’re listing and how much interest they’re actually getting.

    I could see the 2 bedroom being a little tougher depending on the rent and what similar units nearby are offering.

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  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 30k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    1d

    No they are easier with more bedrooms. You'll start getting all the single moms when you start offering up 2 and 3 bed units.

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