I'm a newer real estate investor looking to get started and would appreciate feedback from those with experience in Katy or BryanCollege Station.

I've recently set up an LLC and plan to begin with one rental propertyeither a singlefamily home or a duplexwith the intent to scale only if the first deal performs well. I'm taking a longterm, fundamentalsdriven approach rather than trying to force rapid growth.

At the moment, my biggest gap is visibility into success and failure factors specific to the BCS market, especially compared to Katy. I'm hoping to learn from investors or rental owners who've already been through the ups and downs in these areas.
Some specific areas where I'd value insight:

• What tenant profiles have you had the most success with in BCS (students, young professionals, families, etc.)?
• How does turnover compare between SFHs and duplexes in BCS?
• Any lessons learned regarding Texas A&Mdriven demand (seasonality, tenant quality, vacancy risk)?
• Common mistakes or surprises firsttime investors run into in BCS
• For those familiar with both markets: what ultimately pushed you toward BCS vs. Katy, or vice versa?

I'm not looking for a "get rich quick" strategyjust trying to make a smart first move, learn the business, and build from there if it makes sense.
Thanks in advance for any guidance, experiences, or cautionary tales you're willing to share.

My preference for a tenant is a family.

Kitchen sink of a post OP. Best to find someone in your immediate community/network that has rental holdings - take them to a few lunches and talk shop with them for anecdotal experiences you can glean from.

Are you going to self manage? Are you going to hire out property mgmt? If self manage, then you need to stick closer to your backyard & stomping grounds IMO. Information is leverage so you if you have more market knowledge about Katy/where you live then I would pursue that market first, before jumping into an unknown market.

Also, your price point is going to dictate the type of property you acquire which also can dictate the type of tenants you might be renting that specific property. Tenant screening and selection is of the utmost importance: set your parameters and stick to them, no exceptions, that's when you get screwed. Tenants are not your friends and you cannot entertain their sob stories, this is a business, your livelihood is on the line, and they have a great deal of responsibility as it relates to your livelihood - keep that in mind.

The other advice is, if you are going to do it, do it and jump in. You will learn a lot more along the way through your own experience. But, there is a ton of resources out there these days, google single family rental dos & donts, ask ChatGPT, YouTube, and Bigger Pockets is a great resource.

Lastly, do your own research with Zillow and Realtor.com on rental listings as it relates to the for sale listings you are looking at.

Gig Em

Buy within 15-20 minutes of where you live.

Make your money on the buy and not the sell.

Build inventory as fast as your cash can buy. Get to minimum 5 units preferably 7-8.