It’s been a crazy few years for Houston. They’ve seen one the biggest energy crashes in recent memory, but also one of the most vibrant and downright frenzied real estate markets ever witnessed.

Even in the middle of an unprecedented economic slump in the energy sector, the real estate market seemed to go largely unscathed, with prices surging and demand at an all-time high.

Competition remained steep into 2016, inventory was well below normal levels, and construction could barely keep up. But well into the summer, where are we? Where does Houston stand? Has the energy market finally dragged real estate down with it?

And if it has, is it necessarily a bad thing?

We’re here to catch you up on what’s been going on with all things Houston real estate.

Debating purchasing a property. Weighing the pros and cons. Running the numbers. You wonder to yourself — is this property really right for my portfolio? Am I going to get the positive cash flow I want out of this? What if it’s a lemon?

Purchasing a new property can be thrilling. Exciting. It can also be a big source of anxiety! For new investors especially, the thought of a property not working out can be scary, but the idea is nerve-wracking even for seasoned experts.

When a property doesn’t pan out, sure, you can get rid of it, but there’s a lot of wasted time, money, and energy. It’s just a hassle and a headache.

If only there was a way to tell if a property was going to be a home run from the get go!

While there’s no magic trick to telling the future, there are some signs that can help you predict a positive outcome.

Real estate investors know how to get creative when it comes to money—that’s no secret! Now more than ever there are options available for real estate investors of all experience levels and financial means to get involved in investing. But sometimes, it’s hard to know what method is going to land you with the best returns.

It used to be difficult to compete in hot markets thanks to all-cash investors, but nowadays, it seems more investors are turning back to traditional financing and private money lending. So really, what’s the better option for buy-and-hold real estate investors?

Hopefully we’ll be able to shed some light on the subject.

All-Cash or Financing: Which Route for Acquiring Investment Properties?

Residents are the bread and butter of real estate investment. Because they are the source of our cash flow, it’s critical that we place value in tenant retention. In a market where tenants are abundant, it may be tempting to think that your tenants are dispensable and replaceable: but don’t be fooled.

Memphis Invest has built its' reputation among real estate investors with incredible customer service.  But that customer service reaches far beyond just the investor.  Over the years, we have learned and developed our own way of treating tenants and built an equally good reputation within the rental and property management communities.

Premier Property Management of Memphis and PPMG of Texas are each routinely out-performing local data with shorter vacancy periods, longer occupancy periods, higher rental rates and fewer delinquencies and eventual evictions.  Our tenants have become a cornerstone of our companies' success.  Treating them firmly yet fairly has become the mantra of our team.

But a good tenant is worth keeping, and turnover of any kind is costly!

Tenant turnover. For the real estate investor, that phrase alone can strike fear into your heart. Maybe not a lot, but at least some! No one enjoys going through the turnover phase. Unless the tenant was a real headache, having a vacancy isn’t ideal!

Before getting to the obvious points of the article about vacancies being bad and how to avoid them, I want to give a tremendous shout-out to our incredible property management teams in all three cities.

We learned in our leadership meetings this week that we are managing north of 3,500 properties and that we have fewer than 100 vacancies combined in all three cities!

That alone is an astounding statistic, but even more incredible is that there are only five properties...5 properties...that have been vacant for longer than 30 days.  Each was a move-out and all five have applications working on them.

Premier property management in Memphis and PPMG of Texas have incredible team members and fantastic leadership and they are absolutely destroying the myth that there is "good time" to rent houses.  If you pay attention to details during renovations and train your team to treat tenants firmly, yet with respect, then renting properties at the top of the rent range and for 2-year terms or longer, is not difficult!  

Here are some lessons we have learned!

We could all stand to be more efficient. Our day-to-day lives are hectic, full of things to get done and a million and one things to keep track of. It can get pretty overwhelming at times!

Organizing all the information, prioritizing what we need to do—especially as real estate investors—it’s a skill that takes time to develop, and something that not everyone gets good at.

That’s why we can be grateful for modern technology. With smartphones and computers, now more than ever we have access to tools that can help us be more efficient and connected! We can really dive in and get stuff done.

Instead of being overwhelmed by all the stuff in our heads that we need to do, we can turn to the helpful productivity apps that will do the job for us—or, at least, remind us of when we need to do it.

Check out these innovative apps the next time you feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it.

It might not get as hot in Memphis as it does in the Lone Star state, but make no mistake—it gets hot! We’ve always believed in Memphis, and it seems like real estate professionals nationwide are paying attention to our hometown, too.

This year, Memphis has been lauded as a market to watch, cited for it’s affordability and growing local economy. While more modest than more out-of-control markets, it’s always had something special that some other on fire markets just don’t have, and something investors really want: stability!

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. As we approach the halfway point of 2016 and get into the heat of the summer, it’s time for an update on what’s been going on with Memphis real estate:

4 Things to Know about Memphis Real Estate So Far in 2016

All of us are well-versed in what property management is designed to do for our residents and our investment properties. When we consider property maintenance, we usually think of those responsibilities: fixing or replacing broken appliances, changing locks and performing major repairs.

At the most basic, core level, owners and managers are required to provide a habitable space for residents. What this means can vary based on local law, but these standards always involve things like safety, health, and cleanliness. Some tasks, however, don’t necessarily always fall to property management. Your residents have responsibilities, too.

While they may not be vital to the habitability of the property, there are things residents have to do. Sometimes those lines can get blurry and cause contention: so let us clarify.

Remember that these guidelines are typical and may vary under different legal regulations.

What makes an investment property ideal? What makes it a dud? There’s certainly a science to it, no doubt — there are factors that will set your property up to be a passive income powerhouse, while other things may turn it into a money sink.

Seasoned investors no doubt know these factors like the back of their hands, but new investors may struggle to properly evaluate a property. Even those with experience may make the wrong call once in a blue moon, because you can’t always predict people.  The factors that make a particular property good can vary as well and they can change.

Networking for real estate investors can be a tough deal. While most of us enjoy new friendships and the excitement that comes from successful partnerships, the act of actually making connections and forming new professional relationships can be tricky and awkward.

Where to start? How do we make those relationships genuine?

It’s all nerve-wracking! But never fear: if you’ve ever been intimidated by networking as a real estate investor, we’ve got a handy list of dos and don’ts that will help you make the right connections you need to succeed.

10 Essential DOs and DON’Ts of Real Estate...