Properties with garages or yards may rent faster and retain tenants longerAlways look at the local inventory—are you competing with lots of small apartments, or are rentals with space and amenities more unique?

I’d love to open up the discussion on what’s working for investors right now and how different lenders are adapting to help deals close smoother and faster.

Every investor knows — the faster you close and renovate, the higher your ROI. 

Rents are holding, but demand feels softer.Here are some of the things I’m doing now, the same strategies I used back in 2008–2010 when the market cooled:Putting For Rent signs up wherever HOA allows (old-school still works)Teaming up with my property manager to get more exposure and push listings fasterSharing rentals on local Facebook and community groupsOffering small move-in incentives or flexible depositsPricing slightly below market to fill units faster, then adjusting laterAre other landlords doing something similar, or seeing better results with different approaches?

For most smaller investors, paying for a solid bookkeeper would generate a higher (and faster) ROI than hiring a tax strategist.Both roles matter, but you can’t execute any meaningful or complex tax planning without clean books.

If you feel stuck waiting 5–10 years, selling at a small loss might actually free you up way faster than hanging onto something that’s draining you every month, because that money could be working much harder for you somewhere else.

Faster underwriting.They understand ARV, rehab budgets, and timelines.

Plus you can close faster, in all cash which offers you the better buys.  

That means more than just replacing your current income—you need an income stream that grows faster than inflation to sustain your lifestyle indefinitely.

But used correctly, they let you scale faster than relying on common equity alone.