All Forum Posts by: Lisa Choi

Hi Omar,

Thanks for sharing—it's great to see Veterans building strong, purpose-driven businesses in real estate.

I’m based in Texas and work closely with investors throughout the state. While my focus is in San Antonio, my brother-in-law is one of the top agents in Houston and a fantastic resource with deep local insight. Between the two of us, we may be able to help identify and source quality off-market opportunities in the Houston area.

I’d love to learn more about what you're looking for and see how I might be able to support your goals. Feel free to reach out—looking forward to connecting.

Best regards,

Hey Garrick, welcome to the investing world—and props to you for coming in with a clear vision, solid groundwork, and an admirable "why." You're already ahead of the curve with the books you've read, your financial prep, and your analytical mindset. That engineering background will serve you well.

Here are a few thoughts based on your questions:

1. Remote Market Analysis Tools:

• PropStream is helpful for pulling lists, comps, and ownership data.

• RentCast is great for rental estimates and tracking rent trends.

• City-Data, BestPlaces.net, and Niche.com give solid demographic and neighborhood-level info.

• Google Street View and local Facebook investor groups can also provide boots-on-the-ground insights in areas you're considering.

2. Starting While Working Full-Time:
It’s 100% doable—I work with a lot of investors who juggle W-2 jobs and investing. The key is building a reliable local team. Focus on one market initially and build strong relationships with a trustworthy agent, contractor, and property manager. Delegating well will be your lifeline.

3. Evaluating Small Multifamily / Distressed Properties:

• Always underwrite conservatively. Use worst-case rents, high vacancy estimates, and realistic rehab costs.

• Smaller multifamily = economies of scale but also shared systems—make sure plumbing, electrical, and roofs are solid or budget accordingly.

• Distressed properties can be goldmines if you have the right GC and exit strategy.

4. Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Deal:

• Don’t skip on due diligence (permits, comps, title issues).

• Avoid overestimating ARV or underestimating holding/rehab costs.

• Make sure your lender (especially hard money) is vetted—read every line of the term sheet.

• Always have more reserves than you think you’ll need.

5. Montana / Western U.S. Insights:
I'm based in Texas, but I do work with out-of-state investors frequently. Western markets can be tight on cash flow but strong on appreciation. If you're open to other regions, there may be stronger ROI opportunities depending on your strategy.

If you’re ever considering Central Texas or want to talk through strategy, I’d be happy to connect. No pitch—just here to help if I can.

Keep taking intentional steps like you are now, and you’ll be well on your way.

 Not sure why the most important part of my comment doesn't show on the post! 😅

Here is my suggestion: 

“Thanks so much for reaching out to us directly—it means a lot, especially since we already live on the street. We saw that a very similar duplex sold recently for $350K, which feels more in line with the current market. Given the updates needed on the first floor, $460K would be tough for us to justify. We’d be comfortable in the $XXX–$XXX range based on what’s selling nearby and the rental income potential. We’d love to keep the property in the neighborhood and are open to a conversation if that’s something the family would consider.”

Hi Rogelio,

Welcome to San Antonio investing—and great job asking these questions upfront.

Yes, it's actually very common here for sellers (especially investors, wholesalers, and agents listing “as-is” properties) to reject financing addendums. Most off-market and investor-focused deals are expected to close with either cash or hard money, and traditional financing just isn’t competitive in that space.

Even with a hard money preapproval, sellers can still be cautious. That’s because deals can fall through if the lender backs out late due to appraisal issues, repair budgets, or title concerns. In fact, we’ve stopped working with certain hard money lenders for this exact reason—they looked good on paper but couldn’t consistently close. That’s why vetting your lender is just as important as finding the right deal.

At my brokerage, we only accept cash or vetted hard money—no traditional financing. Before accepting an earnest deposit or contract, we make sure the lender is solid, understands the deal structure, and can close on time. That extra step helps protect everyone involved.

To minimize your risk of losing EMD:

• Work only with proven hard money lenders who have a track record of closing quickly and reliably in San Antonio.

• Communicate with the seller or wholesaler about your lender upfront, so they know your financing is strong.

• Avoid adding financing contingencies if you’re confident in your lender and the numbers—most sellers interpret that as a red flag.

• Make sure your lender is looped in early on the property, rehab scope, and timeline before submitting offers.

If you’d like, I’m happy to connect you with a few trusted local lenders we work with regularly. They know the San Antonio market and what sellers here expect.

Best of luck on your first deals—and feel free to reach out if I can help in any way!

Best,

Hey Juan Carlos,

Welcome! I’m a local agent and investor-focused realtor here in San Antonio. I work with buyers looking for both single family and small multifamily deals—especially off-market opportunities. I also have a solid network of contractors, handymen, and property managers who can help with renovations and leasing once you close.

Happy to connect and learn more about what you’re looking for (budget, preferred areas, rental goals, etc.). Feel free to DM me or drop your contact and I’ll reach out.

Looking forward to helping you get started in San Antonio!

It’s great that you’re already house hacking and have a potential deal right on your street—definitely a unique advantage.

Given that the asking price is significantly above the most recent comp, I’d approach it from a place of understanding but with clear market-based reasoning. You could say something like:

This shows you're serious, informed, and respectful, while setting expectations around value. If they’re emotionally tied to the property or assuming it’s worth more because of sentiment, your tone helps shift the conversation back to objective valuation.

Also—if they haven’t gotten an appraisal yet, this might nudge them to get a reality check from a third party. You’re not dismissing them, just grounding the conversation in facts.

Welcome to BiggerPockets and the San Antonio market, Amir! It’s been great connecting with you—excited to get things moving and support your goals here in Texas.

Hey Ezekiel, 

I’m a local agent in San Antonio and work specifically with investors—would love to connect and be a resource as you explore the market.

For multi-family and long-term rentals, some solid areas to explore are:

• 78201 (Beacon Hill/Alta Vista) – great appreciation and strong rental demand

• 78207 and 78210 – more value-add opportunities and older housing stock

• Converse, Kirby, and parts of 78244/78233 – strong cashflow potential and good tenant base

For short-term rentals, neighborhoods closer to downtown like Denver Heights, Dignowity Hill, Tobin Hill, and even Southtown tend to perform well (plenty of other zip codes to consider for STRs and LTRs). 

I also work closely with property managers and can loop you in with trusted vendors and contractors.

Shoot me a message if you want to hop on a quick call or get set up with some active deals!

Best,

Hi Kfir,

Welcome to the San Antonio market—great choice for long-term investing!

With your budget of $200K–$300K and your focus on good schools, low crime, and strong neighborhoods, here are a few solid areas to consider:

1. Alamo Ranch / Northwest Side
One of the fastest-growing areas in San Antonio. Good schools (NISD), newer builds, strong retail presence, and high rental demand.

2. Helotes
Technically a suburb but still close to the city. Quiet, family-friendly, with solid appreciation and highly rated schools.

3. Northeast Side
Covers neighborhoods around the NEISD district—like Northern Converse, Live Oak, and parts of Universal City. Well-rated schools, stable communities, and proximity to military bases make this area great for both appreciation and rental income.

4. Stone Oak / North Central
More established and slightly higher priced, but great schools, strong appreciation, and low crime. Very desirable for families and long-term tenants.

Let me know if you’d like agent recommendations, recent comps, or investor-friendly property leads in any of these areas. I work with several out-of-state and first-time investors and would be happy to help.

Thanks for the link, but let’s not pretend property tax rate alone tells the full story.

Sure, Texas has a higher rate—but no state income tax, investor-friendly laws, and overall affordability are why so many out-of-state investors (including a ton of my clients from California) are actively buying here. They’ve done the math, and the returns make sense.

California’s lower rate doesn’t help much when sky-high prices, income tax, and regulation kill your cash flow. This isn’t about cherry-picking one stat—it’s about the bigger financial picture.

But hey, invest wherever makes sense for you. Just don’t act like Texas is off the table when the data and demand say otherwise.

Best of luck!