All Forum Posts by: Shaun Ortiz

What made you decide to get into real estate? Was it a specific moment or just a long-term goal? I’m curious to know what clicked for you to make that leap into the investment world.

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Quote from @Greg Kasmer:

@Shaun Ortiz - I did BRRRRs single family homes, but transitioned to multifamily... not necessarily to get away from BRRRR investing, but to do it on a larger scale. In a way, I think the BRRRR process is really the process of "adding value" to a property and then pulling out that forced equity as much as you can. To me, that can be done in many asset classes, but I think most people associate it (nowadays) with single family residential investing. In fact, right now I'm looking to BRRRR a 10-30 unit building/property if I can find one! Good Luck!

That's a solid way to put it—BRRRR is really just value-add investing at its core. I'm just starting out as a bird dog, so I'm always keeping an eye out for distressed properties that could work for BRRRR, whether SFH or multifamily. Curious, what's been the biggest challenge for you in trying to BRRRR a 10-30 unit property? Is it deal flow, financing, or something else?

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Quote from @Tyler Reed:

Great question Shaun! From a lender's perspective, investors don't necessarily "shift" away from BRRRR into other asset classes—they add them to their portfolios. BRRRR is such a powerful tool that it makes sense to apply it to single-family homes (SFH) early on, then leverage those skills and capital to take on the other asset classes you mentioned. It's not about leaving BRRRR behind, it's about expanding investment strategies while still utilizing what works.

As for investors passing on distressed properties, it’s not that they don’t want to deal with permits, contractors, and tenants—it’s that they’ve realized they can apply the same effort to larger asset classes with a bigger return. The process of buying, rehabbing, and stabilizing a property remains the same whether it's a duplex or a 50-unit building, but the upside is greater at scale. Investors aren’t avoiding the work, they’re just focusing on higher returns and leveraging their experience.

That said, even the high-level investors we work with still BRRRR single-family homes, they've just added larger deals into the mix. BRRRR continues to work for SFHs, and still provides steady cash flow, easy financing, and strong demand. There's a reason that big hedge funds still buy and hold houses.

Would love to hear from others—if you've scaled up, do you still BRRRR SFHs, and what part do they play in your overall strategy?

Tyler, that makes a ton of sense, especially about scaling up rather than shifting away. I'm just starting out as a bird dog, so I'm seeing firsthand how much demand there still is for SFH BRRRR deals—even from investors who've moved on to larger properties. Seems like it's more about adding tools to the toolbox rather than replacing them.

Since you work with a lot of lenders, what trends are you seeing right now with BRRRR financing? Are investors finding it easier or harder to refinance with current rates? Curious how that's playing into deal flow.

1 Vote

Quote from @Derek Dickinson:

Investment Info:

Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $990,000
Cash invested: $350,000

Purchased this home with my former partner back in 2018 and we put 200k down. It's a 2 family home in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens. We purchased it with the intention of living in the Ground floor + BSMT apartment and renting the 2nd floor apartment. Initially we did a light renovation on the rental unit and a larger renovation on the 1st floor. We completely gutted and finished the basement including adding a kitchenette and 3/4 bath, moved out and are now renting both apartments.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

As a contractor and cabinet maker it made much more sense financially to purchase a home with a rental unit and manage the property myself.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Found it through a broker on the market. Asking price was 1 million but was by far the best deal we had found in the same price range. Had to negotiate to 999,000 only to stay under the NYC luxury tax.

How did you finance this deal?

20% down, mortgaged the rest through a local bank

How did you add value to the deal?

Renovation work throughout both apartments, gutted and refinished the basement as well as extensive work in the private backyard. Replaced all the windows in the building, insulated the attic and redid the front stoop and cellar doors.

What was the outcome?

Currently renting both apartments for a average monthly cash flow of $1000

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Wish I had done more renovation work upfront before moving in. Wish we had done more market research before renting the 1st floor apartment to friends of ours. We priced it significantly below current market value and could probably be getting at least another 500-1000 a month more for the unit.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Unfortunately not.

Congrats on the journey, Derek! That’s an awesome investment, and it’s really insightful to see how you navigated everything—from financing to renovations. Sounds like you put in a ton of work to maximize the value, and that basement addition was a smart move.

I noticed you mentioned the NYC luxury tax and some of the rental pricing challenges—have you considered expanding your portfolio in markets where you don’t have to deal with those kinds of headaches? There are definitely areas where you could repeat a similar strategy but with even better cash flow.

If you’re ever looking at growing your portfolio elsewhere, I come across off-market deals that could align with what you’re looking for. Out of curiosity, if you were to invest in another market, what would be your top priorities?

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Quote from @Matt Powers:

Hi everyone,

I’m new to real estate investing and looking for guidance on where to start. I currently live in upstate New York but am considering relocating and would love advice on where to move based on strong real estate markets.

I’m particularly interested in:

-Investing in either short-term rentals (like Airbnbs) or long-term rental properties.
-Markets with promising ROI potential and steady demand.
-Locations that offer a good balance between affordability and growth opportunities, especially for someone new to real estate investing.

If you’ve relocated for real estate opportunities or know of hot markets to consider, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Great question, Matt! Since you're considering relocating, it makes sense to look for markets where you can get the best bang for your buck, especially as a new investor. From what I’ve seen, areas with strong job growth, landlord-friendly laws, and steady population increases tend to be great for both short-term and long-term rentals.

If affordability is key, the Midwest and the Southeast have some great options—think places like Ohio, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and even parts of Pennsylvania. Some of these areas have lower purchase prices but solid rental demand, making them ideal for strategies like BRRRR.

I spend my time scouting off-market distressed properties, and I’ve noticed that investors are having a lot of success in secondary cities just outside major metro areas. Have you considered investing remotely or do you prefer to be hands-on?

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One thing that keeps coming up is how some investors start with BRRRR but eventually shift to other asset classes—self-storage, mobile home parks, even commercial spaces. Makes me wonder... is it the rehabs that get exhausting? Or is it just about scaling to something bigger?

At the same time, I've been seeing a lot of distressed properties sitting because owners don't want to deal with the process—permits, contractors, tenants, refis, all that. It seems like there's an opportunity here for the right buyers who still believe in BRRRR.

Curious to hear from those who've been in the game longer—do you still do BRRRR, or did you pivot? And for those looking to exit, was it the headaches, or just a shift in goals?"

6 Votes

Hi Mike,

Thanks for sharing—it sounds like you’ve really put a lot of thought into building a solid foundation for your investments and family. Honestly, it seems like you’ve got more skin in the game than I do since I’m just getting started as a bird dog, but I really admire your approach.

I think your focus on tax-efficient strategies and building a reliable team is spot on. Property management can definitely make or break things, so it’s inspiring to see how you’re prioritizing that.

Looking forward to learning more from your journey and sharing ideas as we both navigate the real estate world!

Shaun

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Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hi Jason,

Thanks for sharing your journey—it sounds like you’ve gained some invaluable insights from your experiences, even with the squirrel tenants (that’s definitely a story!). It’s great to see you pushing forward toward multifamily properties, and I’d love to hear more about your goals in that space.

By the way, I noticed you’re listed as a Specialist. Was that a past career in sales, management, or something related to real estate? It’s always interesting to see how people’s backgrounds play into their investing strategies.

What kind of multifamily properties are you eyeing right now? And how are you currently finding deals?

Looking forward to learning from each other!

Shaun

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Hartford, Connecticut

@Dominic Mazzarella

Thanks for sharing your process, Dominic! I really like the idea of leveraging local contacts for walkthroughs and feedback. It’s a smart way to get eyes on the property without being there yourself.

When you’re working with sellers, what’s been the most effective way for you to establish trust remotely? I imagine it can be tricky without face-to-face interaction, but it sounds like you’ve got a solid approach.

1 Vote

Hey Mike, welcome to the community! 👋

It’s great to see someone so dedicated to both securing long-term housing and building a legacy for their family. Your approach to asset protection and tax codes is impressive—I’m sure it will give you a solid foundation as you move forward with your investments.

I completely agree with you on the U.S. market being a bit more affordable than in Canada, and the opportunities with Section 8 housing are definitely enticing for ensuring stable cash flow. I'm curious, how have you found navigating property management in the U.S. so far, especially when it comes to finding trustworthy managers for multifamily units?

I’m also in the early stages of exploring real estate investment, and it’s been helpful to see how others incorporate different tax strategies and asset protection methods. Would love to hear more about how you plan to scale up your portfolio and any lessons you’ve learned so far!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and connecting further!

Cheers,
Shaun

1 Vote

Winnipeg, Manitoba

All Forum Posts by: Shaun Ortiz

Shaun Ortiz has started 17 posts and replied 43 times.

Post: To anyone and everyone on this platform

Post: Thinking a lot about the BRRRR strategy lately... 🔄🏡

Post: Thinking a lot about the BRRRR strategy lately... 🔄🏡

Post: House Hack turned investment property

Post: Where to start investing in real estate?

Post: Thinking a lot about the BRRRR strategy lately... 🔄🏡

Post: I’m Mike Smoke, a new investor focused on multifamily and Section 8 housing.

Post: Hello new investor HERE!!!

Post: How Do You Evaluate Distressed Properties from a Distance?

Post: I’m Mike Smoke, a new investor focused on multifamily and Section 8 housing.