New member - Dallas TX

Dallas, Texas
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New member - Dallas TX

Chris Campomanes
Member since 2026 · 5 posts · 4 votes

Hello and nice to meet everyone, thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge people have built here over so many deals and years.

I am based in DFW and looking to BRRRR or build a 2nd house to rent it. I am an architect by profession on the multifamily side of things. My biggest challenge so far has been sourcing private money. (If anyone has any recommendations for TX contracts or a lawyer, please let me know)

Again thanks for letting me join! I am excited to build my own portfolio of residential properties over the years ahead :)

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Bill HamptonBusiness Member
Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF®, Financial Planner, Tax Strategist, Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 978 votes
1mo

Welcome to Bigger Pockets. Good luck. 

404-482-3170
Hampton Tax and Financial Services LLC4.7106 Reviews
WebsiteView Page
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  • Arman AhmedPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 942 votes
    1mo
    Quote from @Chris Campomanes:

    Hello and nice to meet everyone, thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge people have built here over so many deals and years.

    I am based in DFW and looking to BRRRR or build a 2nd house to rent it. I am an architect by profession on the multifamily side of things. My biggest challenge so far has been sourcing private money. (If anyone has any recommendations for TX contracts or a lawyer, please let me know)

    Again thanks for letting me join! I am excited to build my own portfolio of residential properties over the years ahead :)


    Welcome, Chris! Having an architecture background on the multifamily side is a huge advantage when you start evaluating deals and managing a rehab. For the BRRRR strategy, I'd focus heavily on building your lender and contractor relationships before getting too deep into acquisitions. And don't feel like you have to stay in DFW; Midwest markets can be worth looking at if you're open to investing out of state, especially where the purchase price leaves more room for the rehab and refinance.

    [email protected]614-418-6081
    0Reply
  • Bill HamptonBusiness Member
    Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF®, Financial Planner, Tax Strategist, Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 978 votes
    1mo

    Welcome to Bigger Pockets. Good luck. 

    404-482-3170
    Hampton Tax and Financial Services LLC4.7106 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Diego AlvaradoBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Flower Mound, TX · Member since 2016 · 298 posts · 140 votes
    1mo

    Hi @Chris Campomanes

    Welcome to BiggerPockets!

    Sourcing private money is often one of the biggest hurdles for investors. Private lenders want to feel confident in your track record and need to know the guarantor is fully equipped to handle worst-case scenarios. That being said, there are creative solutions for almost every situation.

    I have some excellent resources that can help you find what you’re looking for. Feel free to reach out—I’d love to chat and get a better understanding of your specific needs so I can point you in the right direction.

    [email protected]214-833-8911
    Alvarado Realty Group522 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Michael Eskenasy
    Investor · Pacific Northwest · Member since 2026 · 538 posts · 307 votes
    1mo

    Welcome, Chris. Your architecture background is probably more useful than you realize, especially if you’re looking at BRRRRs or ground-up construction.

    I’d just be careful about treating private money as the first problem to solve.

    Private capital gets much easier to find when you can put a very boring, very complete deal in front of someone and answer every obvious question before they ask it.

    What are you buying it for?

    What is the rehab or construction budget?

    What is it worth when you’re done?

    What does it rent for?

    How long does the project realistically take?

    What happens if construction runs 15% over?

    What happens if the appraisal misses?

    What happens if the refinance doesn’t return as much capital as expected?

    And most importantly, how does the lender get paid if your preferred plan doesn’t work?

    That last question matters a lot more than the projected return.

    Your advantage as an architect is that you can probably get much better than average at understanding feasibility, scope, permitting, layout, construction risk and where a project can go sideways before money gets spent. I’d lean into that instead of trying to compete with investors who just have prettier pitch decks.

    For your first few deals, I’d probably build the financing bench before I actually need the money. Talk to local banks, hard-money lenders, private lenders, other investors, and people who have actually funded small residential projects in DFW. You’re not asking everyone for money immediately. You’re learning what each capital source will and won’t fund, required equity, loan-to-cost, seasoning, appraisal expectations, recourse, points, interest, and what experience they expect from the borrower.

    Then you can hunt for deals that fit financing you already understand instead of finding a property first and scrambling for capital afterward.

    On contracts, I wouldn’t grab somebody’s generic “private lender agreement” off the internet and assume it works because another investor used it. Once you know the actual structure you’re considering, spend the money on a Texas attorney who regularly handles real estate investment transactions and private lending. The documents should follow the deal, not the other way around.

    And if by “private money” you mean bringing passive investors into the equity rather than simply borrowing money, I’d be even more deliberate about getting the structure reviewed before you start raising.

    You’re in a good spot, though. You already understand buildings. Now you’re learning the capital side.

    Those two skill sets together can become a pretty serious advantage.

    0Reply
    • Chris Campomanes
      OP
      Member since 2026 · 5 posts · 4 votes
      1mo
      Quote from @Michael Eskenasy:

      Welcome, Chris. Your architecture background is probably more useful than you realize, especially if you’re looking at BRRRRs or ground-up construction.

      I’d just be careful about treating private money as the first problem to solve.

      Private capital gets much easier to find when you can put a very boring, very complete deal in front of someone and answer every obvious question before they ask it.

      What are you buying it for?

      What is the rehab or construction budget?

      What is it worth when you’re done?

      What does it rent for?

      How long does the project realistically take?

      ...

      Thanks so much for the great insight Michael. I have been thinking on these and am putting together the potential deal on paper. My thought is, while working on finding private money, I can drill myself in preparing the estimates, loan costs, etc and I can share these to friends and family to help explain the process.

      I agree wholeheartedly - I would like to have the funding lined up before I find a property. That would be ideal but I can be flexible. I think I am the only one in my family/circle of friends who is doing this, so I have lots of networking to do

      Thanks for the advise re the contracts. I'll be looking around in the BP network for a attorney for help.
      0Reply
    • Michael Eskenasy
      Investor · Pacific Northwest · Member since 2026 · 538 posts · 307 votes
      1mo
      0Reply
  • Brad SeidBusiness Member
    Lender · Licensed in 28 States · Member since 2026 · 161 posts · 46 votes
    1mo

    @Chris Campomanes Welcome! With your architecture background, you already have a great advantage when it comes to evaluating and planning projects.

    Private money can definitely be one of the bigger hurdles, especially for BRRRR or ground-up builds. I help investors explore lending options for these types of deals, so if you're still looking for financing, feel free to reach out. Happy to see what options might fit your project. 👍

    [email protected]248-408-3855
    West Capital Lending5125 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
    • Chris Campomanes
      OP
      Member since 2026 · 5 posts · 4 votes
      1mo
      Quote from @Brad Seid:

      @Chris Campomanes Welcome! With your architecture background, you already have a great advantage when it comes to evaluating and planning projects.

      Private money can definitely be one of the bigger hurdles, especially for BRRRR or ground-up builds. I help investors explore lending options for these types of deals, so if you're still looking for financing, feel free to reach out. Happy to see what options might fit your project. 👍


       Thanks Brad - I hope we can work on something soon once I have something. Much appreciated!

      0Reply
  • Aaron BreckenridgePro Member
    Technology · Dallas, TX · Member since 2022 · 476 posts · 304 votes
    1mo

    Welcome @Chris Campomanes, hope to see you at a local meetup soon!

    BiggerPockets
    0Reply
  • Jesus SuarezBusiness Member
    Lender · TX, FL · Member since 2025 · 131 posts · 56 votes
    1mo
    Quote from @Chris Campomanes:

    Hello and nice to meet everyone, thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge people have built here over so many deals and years.

    I am based in DFW and looking to BRRRR or build a 2nd house to rent it. I am an architect by profession on the multifamily side of things. My biggest challenge so far has been sourcing private money. (If anyone has any recommendations for TX contracts or a lawyer, please let me know)

    Again thanks for letting me join! I am excited to build my own portfolio of residential properties over the years ahead :)

    Welcome to the community! You’re definitely on the right path—just focus on networking heavily with local REI groups to connect with people, vendors, and lenders who can help you grow.
    0Reply
  • Diana KhanPro Member
    Attorney · 10451 Mill Run Cir #755 Owings Mills, MD 21117 · Member since 2024 · 483 posts · 177 votes
    4d
    Quote from @Chris Campomanes:

    Hello and nice to meet everyone, thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge people have built here over so many deals and years.

    I am based in DFW and looking to BRRRR or build a 2nd house to rent it. I am an architect by profession on the multifamily side of things. My biggest challenge so far has been sourcing private money. (If anyone has any recommendations for TX contracts or a lawyer, please let me know)

    Again thanks for letting me join! I am excited to build my own portfolio of residential properties over the years ahead :)

    @Chris Campomanes, I agree with Michael’s point about not starting with a generic agreement and trying to make the deal fit it. Since you’re still working through how the private money would actually be structured, I’d get clear on that first and then have a Texas real estate attorney prepare or review the documents around the actual arrangement.

    I’m a real estate attorney and investor in Maryland, and I’ve worked with investors where the relationship started with everyone completely on the same page, but the documents did not clearly address what would happen if the project took longer, needed more money, or the original exit plan changed. Those are usually the situations where having everything clearly documented from the beginning matters most.

    I like that you’re working through the numbers and the legal side before you have a property in front of you, @Chris Campomanes. A lot of my work involves real estate contracts and helping investors structure their deals, so your post caught my attention. Happy to stay connected and exchange perspectives as you build your portfolio.

    [email protected]240-266-0291
    0Reply
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