Additionally, we are texting as our primary deal source, so this reduces the need to have dozens of cold calling VAs on staff, which makes day-to-day management easier.Why This Model Works in 2025The biggest mistake many wholesalers make today is holding onto outdated models—bloated VA teams, reliance on cold calling that has a long conversion cycle, or chasing saturated markets. 

Alternative Asset Spotlight: Considerations for private equity–like exposures inside SDIRAs.1) Policy & Regulatory UpdatesRoth Catch-Up Catch-22 and Regulatory TimingWhat changed:Final IRS/ Treasury regulations confirm that, while the SECURE 2.0 mandatory Roth catch-up rules are legislated, the formal compliance deadline for plan sponsors generally applies after 2026 — with administrative transition relief and good-faith reliance permitted through implementation.

Quote from @Naqi Taylor: @Don Konipol Appreciate the thoughtful perspective — I’m very aligned with discount-to-stabilized value being the real margin of safety outside of true forced appreciation.Where I’ve been focusing recently is on mispriced but already-cash-flowing assets, often using master lease purchase structures to lock in control at a discount while keeping DSCR extremely strong from day one.The underwriting stands on in-place NOI alone — no reliance on appreciation, cap compression, or market tailwinds.

It didn't make sense for our market.The New "Asset Protection" Model:Now, we are focused purely on NOI Defense for owners.Instead of monitoring everything, we are just monitoring the "Portfolio Killers":Water Heaters (Burst protection)Washing Machines (Flood protection)The math I'm running is simple: Spend a one-time CapEx (~$340/unit) to install commercial-grade leak detection (LoRaWAN, no Wi-Fi reliance).

Out-of-state investing has its own risks: travel time, reliance on contractors/managers, and the need for cash reserves if something goes wrong.It’s natural to feel like you need to “start now” or you’ll miss out, but it’s worth weighing the pros and cons of buying a $125K property in an unfamiliar market versus leveraging your capital in an area you know and trust.You’ll see plenty of posts about Ohio or other markets being “the best” due to jobs, affordability, and population trends—and there is money to be made in many markets.

Many services look good on paper but still require owner involvement once something goes sideways.What’s worked best for us (and similar-sized portfolios)A hub-and-spoke model:One centralized intake system (Buildium, AppFolio, TenantCloud)Clear triage rules (emergency vs non-emergency)Pre-vetted local vendors per market, not national call centersSpend limits so most issues are handled without calling youThis removes you from calls, not from visibility.Multi-market reality checkThere’s no truly “set it and forget it” national maintenance solution that works well across TX and NC at small scale.The winning move is:Standardize the processLocalize the executionOnce you hit higher unit counts in a single market, third-party coordination becomes more viable.If your priority is fast response and fewer tenant escalations:Avoid over-reliance on home warrantiesInvest time upfront in vendor relationshipsUse software to enforce rules and limits, not to replace judgmentYou don’t need to manage maintenance.You need to manage the system that manages maintenance.

.- Private money: I’m actively learning how private lending works and what terms typically make sense for a first-time investor.My long-term goal is to supplement and eventually reduce reliance on my W-2 income, transitioning to part-time physical therapy while building a sustainable rental portfolio.I’d appreciate insight on:- Funding structures that make sense for a first-time investor- Whether portfolio loans are realistic for out-of-state rentals- What private lenders typically look for when working with a rookie borrower- How to structure a low-risk, lender-friendly first dealI’m conservative, numbers-focused, and interested in long-term lending relationships rather than one-off deals.

I hope that we learn together and see our reliance on our jobs vanish as we create wealth through investing.  

Reliance on funding sources or differences in expenses  won't enter into it.New York City is full bore into rent control and has been since World War Two.

Seeing the same:-Lower leverage, longer holds- Bridge only with real control- Basis > rate — off-market or distressed winsDead deals: thin spreads, aggressive rent growth, reliance on rate cutsThe deals closing aren’t sexy.