@Taylor Hassel You can definitely make luxury STRs work here, but the numbers get tight fast in Hawaii so you’re smart to look at self-managing the marketing.

It’s not just about finding good properties —it’s about how you fund them.The structure of your capital stack determines how fast (and safely) you can grow.Here’s a simple breakdown 👇🔹 Senior Debt: Cheapest capital, but limits flexibility.🔹 Mezzanine Financing: Bridges the gap between debt & equity — adds leverage without giving up control.🔹 Preferred Equity: Fixed return for investors, keeps ownership in your hands.🔹 Common Equity: Where the upside lives — and the risk.The secret?

We renovate to get approved, move tenants in fast, and keep maintenance low.

Some say finding the deal is the battle… others say financing it fast enough is the challenge.A few trends I’m seeing:• More investors are buying lighter cosmetic flips• Private lending is replacing conventional financing• Rehab budgets are rising due to material cost increases• Speed is becoming the biggest competitive advantageFor the investors actively flipping — what’s the bottleneck for you right now?

@Aaron LorentzHey Aaron, totally get the concern — juggling multiple STR platforms can get messy fast if you don’t have a good sync system.

The reason I go with a wholesaler is that I want my first deal fast, and I can get some experience. 

If a lender takes 10 days to approve a draw or can’t fund on the timeline your contractor needs, you’re basically financing delays, interest, and change orders.My best results have come from working with lenders who:• approve draws in 24–48 hours• let you submit photos/videos instead of waiting for an inspector• understand ARV-based lending• and don’t nickel-and-dime every line itemA cheap lender who slows you down is more expensive than a slightly higher-rate lender who lets you move fast.

Local builders and national homebuilders sometimes joint-venture on land acquisitions too, especially if the path to 300–500 homes is realistic.If financing isn’t an option and the seller wants a fast close, you’ll need a partner with both capital and development capacity, not just private lenders.

The first two that come to mind are business loan (but we don't have the property in an LLC) or hard money (but I couldn't pay the lender back fast.

Evidently there's a reason: the lender has been hard to communicate with all along and hasn't been responding for a few days even with closing fast approaching.