One of the most exciting things for us to watch as real estate professionals is the revitalization of a market. For investors, the revitalization of a neighborhood, downtown, or market as a whole spells one thing: opportunity. With the resurgence of industry, business, arts, and innovation comes an influx of job opportunities, an improved quality of life, a growing population, and a return to the promising hustle and bustle of a market on the move.

Total dedication can be an intimidating prospect. Most of us like to keep at least a small part of ourselves held back. It’s a self-preservation tactic. When it comes to investing in anything, there’s inherent risk, and because of that risk, we don’t always treat our investments as we should.

Success in real estate investment is often hard-won. It comes with a lot of time, dedication, and commitment. There’s so much planning and strategizing that goes into it. There can be setbacks, heartbreak, and frustrations along the way. Lessons are learned. We grow not just personally, but professionally.

If you’re not from the area, Oklahoma City is not likely on your radar. But let us tell you, there are some exciting developments going on in this city. As real estate investors, we believe that there is something valuable and thrilling about really and truly getting to know the cities and markets in which you invest. We’re talking about going beyond dry statistics and charts.

We’ve been talking a lot about markets lately. At Memphis Invest, the process that goes into selecting an investment market before we bring new investment opportunities to you, our investors, is a long one. So many complex factors go into our market analysis.

When they say everything’s bigger in Texas, they really aren’t kidding. Just to give you a real glimpse into the size of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, let us give you some quick comparisons. The metroplex itself encompasses 9,286 square miles, making it larger than both Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. It includes 13 Texas counties and boasts a population of roughly 7.4 million as of the 2017 census estimate.

As turnkey real estate investors, there’s often a temptation to be “hands off” when it comes to the markets you invest in. There is, however, something not only beneficial but special about actually getting to know the places where you invest.

Do you wonder why you aren’t accomplishing your financial goals faster? Frustrated that you haven’t achieved that million-dollar real estate portfolio yet? Investing in real estate is an incredibly rewarding experience full of opportunities and the potential for financial freedom beyond that of any other investing avenue. That said, there will always be some troubleshooting involved if you want to make the most of your investing experience.

Passive real estate investors can fall into this temptation to keep their investments at arm’s length. After all, they’re not really responsible for the outcome, right? They’re just putting the money in. Someone else is really handling it. If things go south, it’s not your fault. You keep a loose grip on things just in case you have to pull your ripcord and stop your freefall because the ground feels like it’s just getting a little too close.

Embarking on a new venture is always fraught with some level of struggle. Whether it’s late nights up worrying about the right next steps, whether or not your choices were the right ones, or wrestling with your own limitations and inexperience, it’s just a tough time.

This is certainly true as it relates to new real estate investors.