Maybe you could help the OP find a place there  Houston has updated its short-term rental (STR) regulations, effective August 1, 2025, requiring hosts to register their properties annually with a $275 fee and comply with safety standards like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Love seeing architects make the leap into development and investing — your background in design and construction already gives you a huge edge.

"Market rate" just won't cut it in this environment as it's inherently an illiquid mark. 

A few things to focus on: make sure the property is fully compliant with local licensing and safety codes, plan for sufficient staffing (especially backup coverage), and consider the layout and accessibility for seniors—ADA compliance and easy navigation are key.

And if you want safety and surety, you will very likely not be getting much more than high single digits/low double digit returns.

-Mexico citizen, born and raised in Colorado, and over the past few years I’ve been actively investing in Mexican real estate — mostly in presale condos and long-term or vacation rental markets like Guadalajara, Cancún, and Lake Chapala.I originally started by looking for affordable, well-located properties for personal use, but as I dug deeper, I realized there were real opportunities for long-term appreciation, rental income, and geographic diversification — often with as little as $20–30k down.The process isn’t as complicated as people think, but there are definitely key things to understand, including:How foreigners can legally own property in Mexico (especially in restricted zones like the coast),How presale contracts and developer relationships work,What kinds of rental strategies are viable in different markets (Airbnb, mid-term, or traditional long-term),Currency and exchange rate considerations, title safety, and banking between the U.S. and Mexico.One major advantage of presale in Mexico is that many developers offer in-house, interest-free financing during construction, allowing buyers to spread out payments over 24–36 months — without involving a bank or mortgage process.

Evaluate your rent vs payment standard, contact CMHA to find out exactly what their payment standard is for 2-bedrooms in your area.Make the listing more attractive, visible to voucher holders, highlight improvements, safety, and condition.

Some people do credit on occupancy for midterm rentals to push them over the edge to take your place over someone else's. 

For stand-alone houses with yards, I tend to either offer landscaping and grass cutting services as part of the rent, or I install solar powered cameras (connected to the resident's Wifi) that allows remote monitoring of the exterior - if they are handling their own lawncare.

Of course, normal profit margins are needed/expected, so the loan cost is usually capped at 70-75% of ARV and that right there is the margin of safety.