Technology may make it easy to collect rent and handle maintenance requests from California, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re relying entirely on third-party vendors to do every physical task.

I am considering embarking on development of a new product to help self-managers, and I wanted to take a very informal survey on a few questions. 1. 

If the goal is truly to replace W2 income, a more realistic approach would involve development related investments that have the potential to generate more meaningful cash flow.

I would look at working in a new market where I don't have relationships as an OPPORTUNITY to develop those relationships for future work.

Suburban development (Frisco, Allen, Dallas central cores) offers immense opportunity, but flipping and STRs demand careful navigation of local regulation and competition.STR potential is vast given tourism, entertainment, tech influx, and well-defined submarkets.Flips require precision timing and strong local comps—especially where mega developments create localized demand spikes.McKinney offers high-growth dynamics with strong lifestyle appeal:Perfect for premium Airbnb experiences (surf park, resort, walkable mixed-use).Flips are higher cost but promising in newly densifying districts.New Braunfels is nuanced:Great for flips in scenic or tourism-focused pockets.STR opportunities limited by regulation—best approached through commercial or SUP-approved zones.

Is there a large major infrastructure development somewhere?

What kind of tasks feel most natural to you right now?

With the right plan and eventually the right manager in place, the role shifts from daily work to oversight and capital decisions.I’m currently working through a phased campground development from the ground up and learning a lot along the way.

The pre-app and early agency feedback you’re describing are often where the theoretical yield starts to get grounded in reality.What I’ve found is that the value of that early work isn’t just confirming unit count, it’s also helping developers/builders understand where the risk actually sits and how to price or structure around it.

Our architectural firm is not a developer nor do not have the ability to take on "risk" like investors.