Negotiating for success meant securing terms that allowed us to thrive and achieve our investment goals.”Negotiation is like a fine wine, it gets better with time.

That visibility is good for business, but it also brings loitering, vandalism, and other issues that come with operating in a city of 200,000 people.You can’t predict every problem, but you can prepare for the most likely ones and adjust as you learn.Here are the top five safety measures I focused on as a first-time laundromat owner:LightingLights are not just an aesthetic investment, they serve to eliminate “dark spots”, where loitering thrives.

The people who thrive in it are the ones who either genuinely enjoy the hands‑on work and control, or who are honest about their limits and smart enough to outsource when the stress and time commitment start to outweigh the savings.

If anyone has experience with Section 8 in Indiana and are willing to share their insights and experiences I would really appreciate the opportunity to learn from you.Indianapolis is nice and all that, but my California investors prefer Arizona since it's easy to get to when there is a problem, doesn't get snowed under and is a thriving environment. 

We have a thriving community with many different industries driving the economy here including Quaker Oats, Data Centers and Collins Aerospace just to name a few. 

Plus, getting on their good side is crucial since they are the ones who make the property thrive.

High-quality, amenity-rich buildings are positioned to thrive, while older, lower-quality office space faces growing risk of obsolescence.

Beach markets thrive on tourism.

Buying right and with supportable financial expectations and always have several exit plans has worked for me to survive and thrive for a career in our real estate investment vocation. 

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!