All Forum Posts by: Dawson Burton

My fiancée and I talked last week and we now plan to start our real estate journey by house hacking a duplex once we're married. The idea is to buy a distressed duplex in the area where we plan to live, rehab it to force appreciation, and then refinance to pull our capital back out. After that first deal, I'm considering doing a few fix-and-flip projects to build additional capital. Once we've built that cushion, my goal is to transition into BRRRR investments to scale our portfolio and cash flow.

1. 1.) Does this sound like a solid plan, or would you approach it differently?
2. 2.) We’re open to moving to either Florida or Texas (we currently live in Kansas). Which market would you recommend for this strategy?
3. 3.) On average, how many years does it typically take to reach the point where cash flow is strong enough to leave your W-2 job?

@Melissa Justice

I’ve actually been leaning heavily toward the BRRRR strategy since I like the ability to force appreciation, recycle my capital, and build long-term wealth without constantly needing new funds. Right now, I’m more focused on using my own capital rather than taking on financing up front, but I’m open to creative strategies if the right opportunity presents itself.

I’ve been looking into a few of the markets you mentioned — Memphis is high on my list, especially for its cash flow potential and investor infrastructure. Florida’s also on my radar, especially if I can find value-add opportunities in affordable pockets with long-term growth potential.

Appreciate the offer to run deal scenarios. I’d be happy to take you up on that soon as I narrow in on the next step.

@Evan Polaski 

I’m leaning heavily toward the BRRRR strategy because it gives me the ability to recycle capital and grow a portfolio faster without constantly needing new money. I just want to see what you all would do in my situation. Learn from those who are already there. 

With $150k+ to invest, what strategy or market would you prioritize and why?

@Matthew Irish-Jones 

Based on point #3 in Strategy 1, what’s your take on using the BRRRR method to refinance much sooner than the typical 5–7 year timeline?

@Collin Hays thank you for the wisdom! 

@Collin Hays Once you get to 100k what do you recommend the first move be with that. 

@James Hamling 

You read my mind! We’re actually still unsure about where we want to settle down. Would you recommend choosing a long-term location before buying a duplex or investment property?

The boat is a project—we bought it used and have been working on it all summer, but there’s still quite a bit left to fix. Being able to move around based on the weather is definitely a big advantage, though.

@James Hamling wow! Definitely appreciate your help! This helps a ton. Learning a lot right now. 

@James Hamling awesome I appreciate your wisdom!