Build your “A-team” earlyBefore you ever buy a lot, you should already have:• a GC or builder you trust• architect + engineer• lender who does construction loans• surveyor• real estate agent who knows new-build comps, not just resale• title company familiar with construction drawsYour team will save you from 90% of beginner mistakes.5.

You're just looking for a contractor, or an engineer first to provide you plans for grading? 

We use AffordableHousing.com selectively, and I’d frame it less as a replacement for Zillow/Redfin and more as a compliance and targeting tool.What it does well• It is one of the first places Section 8 and voucher holders are trained to check• Many PHAs directly reference or scrape from it• It reduces back-and-forth with housing authorities when listings are already visible thereIf you manage or market voucher-friendly inventory, it helps keep your pipeline full with applicants who are already program-aware.Where it falls short• Lead quality is very different than Zillow type traffic• Expect higher volume, lower readiness, and more incomplete applications• The manual entry and lack of clean PM software integrations is the biggest pain point• For conventional rentals, ROI is usually weakHow we’ve made it workable• Only post units that accept vouchers• Use templates and bulk workflows internally so staff isn’t recreating listings from scratch• Treat it as a filtering mechanism, not a conversion engine• Push serious applicants back into your PM software immediatelyBottom lineIf 60 percent of your leads are already coming from Zillow/Redfin and converting cleanly, I wouldn’t expect AffordableHousing.com to outperform that.But if you manage a meaningful amount of affordable or voucher inventory in a diverse market like Tucson, it can be worth it only if you systemize the data entry and set expectations internally around lead quality.Used intentionally, it fills a specific lane.

You need to hire a local Civil Engineer to vet the land.

Hello, my name is Michael Garrison, President and CEO of Prism Architecture, a licensed firm with decades of experience offering architectural design, engineering and pre-construction services for projects in many sectors including multifamily, retail, luxury homes and more.We have completed thousands of projects and provide a transparent approach working as the owner's partner, guiding them with the knowledge to make a efficient workflow for their Project

But one thing that often gets overlooked is that you can get deeper deal analysis at no cost by leveraging a mortgage broker or lending professional as part of your evaluation process.A good broker already has access to the paid software stack most investors do not want to spend money on, including credit risk systems, property data tools, pricing engines, portfolio-level underwriting, rental tolerance models, DSCR assessments, and more.

Two tips: pick one tight market and build a daily pipeline (pull leads, make quality calls, follow up next day), and line up 3 real buyers with exact criteria so you can reverse‑engineer every offer.What city are you working and when do you want to lock up your first contract by?

Quote from @Joseph Noori: Hello- I am an engineer and live in N.

From experience, it really helps to line up a good local lender, engineer, and GC early — it makes everything way smoother.

For instance, when I find a potential deal, I'd love to have experienced eyes review it (I know my rookie eyes might be blind to some key insights).A bit about me: I'm 24, working as an aerospace engineer at Boeing with no debt and solid savings/investments set aside.