How I run it: 1) Pre‑plan with CPA/QI, set target price range and debt to replace. 2) List and sell dogs first, start offering on 5–10 replacements immediately. 3) Identify up to three within 45 days, lock financing aligned to your debt payoff. 4) Verify taxes, insurance, PM, and CapEx; don’t skip inspections. 5) Close within 180 days; if needed, use bridge debt to sync closings.

The term spec home usually refers to new builds that are built on speculation (i.e. built with the hope/plan of selling it to a buyer than has not been identified yet, after construction is finished) [Though maybe there are regional variations?

You can't know what the situation will be in a few years, so no plan is perfect, but if you want to convert your primary home to a rental when you're ready, you need to have a good idea of cashflow, equity, debt to income, down payment for the next home.I am an agent and work with investors primarily in Charlotte and Sarasota counties, so happy to connect and discuss more on different neighborhoods and options for you.The goals and expectations you are identifying - developing systems and relationships, not expecting to hit a home run - you have a great perspective right out of the gate. 

Since you’re analytical by nature, lean into that by focusing on learning how to underwrite deals and identify markets with solid fundamentals.

Ideally someone who understands the local STR market, zoning nuances, and can help identify high-performing properties.If you’ve worked with (or are) an agent who specializes in STR investment properties in the area, I’d really appreciate your recommendations or introductions.

For markets, secondary cities can offer strong opportunities if you can identify areas with population growth, solid rent demand, and limited new supply sometimes these outperform the bigger Sun Belt metros in ROI.  

Once you identify what triggered the decline, you can restructure and present it differently, maybe reduce leverage, add a partner, or split the collateral.

That’s why a lot of investors are leaning into one of two routes:Out-of-state investing in high-cash-flow or appreciation marketsTurnkey rentals—which let you deploy capital quickly into stable, rehabbed, and tenanted assetsWhy Turnkey Might Make Sense for You -Given your new career transition and interest in scaling without getting bogged down in renovations or property headaches, turnkey properties offer a few key advantages:You buy back your time while building cash flow and equityYou can invest in stronger rental markets, even if they’re out of stateIt helps you stay passive, but still profitable—a smart move as you juggle tech work and RE growthWith your background in problem-solving and systems from the automotive and tech industries, you’ll likely thrive in identifying scalable solutions—and turnkey could be one of them.If you're open to exploring markets or want to know what kind of returns to expect from a well-vetted turnkey deal, happy to share some examples or walk through the numbers.Either way, congrats again on your first win—and excited to see where you take it next!

If you’re looking to keep expanding, start by identifying which markets make the most sense based on your capital and long term goals.Once you’ve narrowed that down, reach out to a local investor friendly agent who can walk you through the process and connect you with lenders.

You’ll have to do what investors did before the Great Real Estate Crash:Evaluating 100 properties, to identify 10 to make offers on, in the hopes one seller accepts.- Yes, this takes a lot of work!