All Forum Posts by: Cole Bossert

Hey Nick, 

Welcome to BP. I'm a realtor working in NC and would love to connect and answer any questions you might have about NC real estate in particular. 

Let’s say you’re looking to invest in a new area but can’t physically walk the neighborhoods. What’s your go-to process for figuring out if the market (or micro-neighborhood) is worth the risk? I'm trying to do research on what exactly buyers are looking for when investing somewhere they haven't visited.

Not dumb, but risky. Biggest issues: buyers defaulting, tying up your capital longer, and legal headaches with foreclosure. Screen buyers hard, get a solid note and deed of trust, and use a real estate attorney.

With $100K, you're in a good spot to start BRRRR. Focus on markets where you can buy, rehab, and still have equity after a refinance. Target light cosmetic rehabs to limit risk. Build your team: investor-friendly agent, lender for cash-out refis, contractor, and property manager. Run conservative numbers with room for surprises.

A real estate attorney doesn’t have to be local, but your agent likely knows a good one familiar with local laws. A tax expert who understands real estate investing is also worth adding, even if they’re not local.

Good question to ask yourself here—how strong are the numbers on the deal? If the cash flow, equity, or appreciation potential is excellent, it might be worth pushing through and finding a creative management solution. But if the deal’s borderline and self-managing isn’t realistic for you right now, backing out might be the smarter move. Would help to know your projected cash flow, rent, and purchase price.

Hey everyone — I'm an agent working in the High Country of North Carolina (Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock area). I mainly work with second-home owners, out-of-town investors, and people looking to sell properties that have STR potential.

Lately, I’ve been leaning into direct mail to build listing relationships — not for acquisitions, but just good old-fashioned sales prospecting.

Here’s what I’m doing:

• Targeting expired listings and absentee owners (in-state only for now)

• Sending personalized letters printed at home — no fancy mail house, just sweat equity

• Keeping it honest and simple — offering market updates, home evals, or just checking in if they’re still considering selling

I’m curious — are any other agents here using mail in 2025? Has it actually worked for you?

And if so, what’s been most effective: postcards, letters, QR codes, hand signatures, follow-up cadence?

Would love to swap ideas or hear what’s working (or not) for you in your market.

Don’t settle for an unresponsive PM—especially if you’re remote. Keep calling around, even outside your target zip code. Some PMs will expand for the right property. Also ask local agents, investors, or title companies for referrals. Worst case, consider short-term self-management using a service like Hemlane or RentRedi while you keep searching.

Welcome to BP, I personally think median sold price is the better metric. It’s not distorted by extreme highs or lows like average home value can be. I use it to track price trends, compare to median income (affordability), and check rent-to-price ratios for cash flow.

I don’t hate these ideas at all. As a realtor and someone who appreciates the efficiency AI can bring, I think—like anything—it comes down to how it’s used. Most buyers and sellers still value the relationship and guidance of a real agent, but if we can leverage tools like this to stay more available or responsive, it’s just one more way to raise the bar and deliver top-tier service.