Week of January 5, 2026 | Market Snapshot for Real Estate & Mortgage ProsAs we kick off the new year, fresh data confirms two important trends: the job market is quietly cooling, and new home construction is slowing more than expected.

Also learn basic Excel/Google Sheets—huge edge.How to network as a teen: Local REI meetups (go with curiosity, not asking for money), BiggerPockets forums (you’re already doing this right), and even helping investors for free—photos, cleanup, data entry, social media, driving for dollars.Getting involved early: Wholesaler support roles, contractor helpers, property management assistants, or interning with an agent once you’re eligible.

so far it's been a labor of love, but i finally got it to scrape the entire site. now just trying to figure out how to improve my flow and other sites I should add to my sourcing engine. feedback would be appreciated!

That realtor will never know the data at the level that STR Search does, but they are part of the process.

I'm Joel Miller from Erie, PA. I've been investing in rentals since 1978, flipped over 100 houses since 1991, and I've been a hard money lender to the other investors in our area since 2018. Over the years I have also...

Thank you.OWNERSHIP ENTITY- Obtain copy of deed to confirm legal owner- If domestic LLC, confirm annual registration is current & who can legally sign- If foreign LLC, confirm registered in Michigan (where we & property are) & who can legally sign- If Trust, get paperwork showing who can legally sign- Confirm city assesssor & water dept have correct owner & mailing addressPROPERTY- Confirm we are added to insurance policy- Confirm property taxes are current- Lookup public records for property data- Confirm rental license active- Confirm no outstanding permits, assessments, etc.- TakeOver Evaluation Video & Property Data Sheet, share video with owner for possible repairs- Per owner selections on our PMA, have tax docs, water bills, etc. mailed to us.TENANTS- Send tenant(s) Welcome Aboard Package with TakeOver Questionnaire (confirms occupants, pets, how long there, rent rate, security deposit, who owns appliances, etc.)- Review previous rent ledger for patterns to be aware of, note their lease in PMC software- Try to convert to our Lease, to make it easier on our staff (we don't tell tenants they don't have to do this)- Opportunity to renew/extend lease with increase?

Week of December 29, 2025 | Market SnapshotAs we close out the year, housing data delivered a surprisingly strong finish.

Week of January 12, 2026 | Market ReviewInflation data came in exactly as expected to close out 2025, while lower mortgage rates continued to bring buyers back into the market.

I’m a small property owner and learned this the hard way too.Zillow is great for getting eyes on a unit, but I stopped trusting it as a final screening step.

It works great for spreadsheets, not for neighborhoods or people.That’s why seeing policy finally push back matters.