The Rental Roof Blog

After a relentless climb, mortgage rates have recently been falling rapidly. Will mortgage rates keep falling? Plus the latest REI news & insights, and a reflection the deep value of relationships.

A close look at my Memphis rental properties in November 2023.

A discussion of the successful lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors and other brokerages that could change how real estate is bought and sold. Plus a latest REI news & insights, and an essay about the ethics of rental properties.

A close look at my Memphis rental properties in October 2023.

A guest post examines early retirement five years in, and the various ways it has turned out differently than I thought.

A look at the age-old question: is it better to buy or rent? Plus the latest REI news and insights, and an essay about the power of habits.

A close look at my Memphis rental properties in September 2023.

Homes have been growing in size for decades -- but is that trend reversing? Plus the latest REI news and insights, and an essay about our obsession with staying busy.

A close look at my Memphis rental properties in August 2023.

If you’re perplexed by all the plexes (duplex, triplex, quadplex), worry not! Learn about all the pros and cons of single family vs multi family, so you can decide which strategy works best for you.

How higher mortgage rates are locking sellers in place, which is supporting home prices despite falling demand. Plus the latest REI news and insights, and an essay about work vs. life.

All the numbers for my Memphis rental properties in July 2023.

Lead Story: The Commercial Crash

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Luck

A close look at my rental portfolio’s financial performance in June 2023.

A deep dive into my rental portfolio’s financial performance in May 2023.

Lead Story: The Recession That Never Comes

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Epidemic

A close look at my rental portfolio’s financial performance in April 2023.

Lead Story: Are Home Prices Headed Up Again?

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Consequences

A close look at my rental portfolio’s financial performance in March 2023.

Daniel had done some multi-family investing with a group of friends, but he was ready to break out on his own into cash flow rental properties.

A close look at my rental portfolio’s financial performance in February 2023.

Lead Story: The Housing Shortage

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: War

Here is my 25th property in Memphis! It’s pretty much a carbon copy of Property #24, but we’ll give it a separate blog post anyway.

Check out my 24th property in Memphis! It’s completely unlike anything I’ve purchased before.

Here is my 23rd property in Memphis! Check out all the details and financials for this 3 bed, 1 bath turnkey house in one of my favorite rental neighborhoods in Memphis.

A close look at my rental portfolio’s financial performance in January 2023.

Lead Story: 2022 Year in Review

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Debt

The full report on my portfolio’s performance in 2022, including all the numbers and lessons learned.

Check out my 22nd property in Memphis! The numbers for this one aren’t great, so why did I buy it? Find out…

Here is my 21st property in Memphis! Check out all the details and financials for this 3 bed, 1.5 bath house I bought from a turnkey provider.

Lead Story: An Awful Year for Stocks

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Respite

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in November 2022.

Lead Story: The Great Rent Run-Up

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: The Next Big Thing! (!!!)

I recently closed on my 20th property in Memphis! Check out all the details and financials for this 3 bed, 1 bath home.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in October 2022.

High inflation and rising mortgage rates have changed the landscape for rental property investors. But you can still navigate the current climate and make money — here’s how.

Lead Story: Is Inflation Peaking?

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: Is Nothing Sacred?

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in September 2022.

Lead Story: A Shift in the Market

Portfolio Updates

In Other News…

Final Thoughts: How Much Is “Enough”?

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in August 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in July 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in June 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in May 2022.

Are you waiting to buy rental properties because of recent rapid increase in home prices, or higher interest rates? You shouldn’t be. In fact, you shouldn’t be thinking about market timing at all.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in April 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in March 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in February 2022.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in January 2022.

A look back at my portfolio in 2021, including all the numbers and lessons learned.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in December.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in November.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in October.

I took out a mortgage on Property #18 earlier this year, effectively completing my first BRRRR. Here’s how it turned out in the end, including all the numbers.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in September.

The tax code favors you in numerous ways when you own rental properties — so much so that I paid $0 in taxes on my rental income last year. Find out how I did it.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in August.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in July.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in June.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in May.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in April.

Home prices are rising, inventory is low, and many houses are receiving multiple offers above asking price within 24 hours of being listed. This must be another housing bubble, right? Not so fast.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in March.

A complete guide to Section 8 for landlords, covering all the risks & rewards.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in February.

I recently closed on Memphis Rental Property #19! Here’s a close look at my newest house, which has a lot in common with #17.

You can learn a lot by looking back at your rental properties’ performance at the end of the year. Here’s how to do it — along with my full results from 2020.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in January.

A few months ago, I closed on Memphis Rental Property #18! Here’s a look at my new property, which is my first duplex and my first foray into rehabbing.

Looking to buy rental properties? Here’s a look at 12 markets that offer the best opportunities for cash flow investors. Updated for 2024!

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in December.

My first guest post traces my escape from the office grind using out-of-state rental properties.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in November.

It turns out that rental properties are the better investment in the long run — and I can prove it with numbers.

All the pros and cons of investing in condos as rental properties – and why I’m selling my condos now.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in October.

A detailed comparison of the various ways to finance your rental portfolio, and how to avoid the risks of over-leveraging.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in September.

Many aspiring investors think that out of state rental properties won’t work. But their fears don’t match the reality — and limiting yourself to your local market can come at a high cost.

Buying a rental property with a tenant already in place means immediate cash flow. Vacant properties give you the peace of mind of screening and placing your own tenant. There are risks to consider either way.

It’s been a year since my last acquisition, but I just closed on Memphis Rental Property #17! Here’s a look at my new house, and why I’m still investing in rental properties in the middle of a pandemic.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in August.

Many investors are convinced they need to hold their rental properties in LLCs. But their arguments don’t hold up to scrutiny, and the downsides are significant.

The FIRE movement has been getting a lot of attention lately. But one of its central tenets is misleading and due for a careful re-examination.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in July.

Selecting a property manager is one of the most consequential decisions a rental property investor makes. Here’s how to get it right using the RIA PM Vetting Checklist.

Turnkey rental properties promise to take the uncertainty and hassle out of real estate investing. Do they live up to the hype?

What expenses will your rental property incur? Will it generate cash flow? The second part of my step-by-step guide to financially evaluate any property using the RIA Rental Property Analyzer.

What will your target property rent for? Will it generate cash flow? Use this step-by-step guide to financially evaluate any property using the RIA Rental Property Analyzer.

A close look at my portfolio’s financial performance in June.

A detailed guide for new investors covering everything a Property Manager manages – and why you need one.

Confused about which markets are best for rental properties? You’re not alone. Here’s what truly matters in selecting a market, and how to choose one that works for you.

The second monthly article pulling back the curtain on the financial performance of my rental property portfolio.

Understanding A, B, C, and D neighborhood designations, and finding your sweet spot as an investor.

Each month, I’ll pull back the curtain on my books so you can see exactly how my rental properties are performing.

You wouldn’t think it, but leveraging mortgage debt can actually INCREASE your cash returns. And that’s not all…

A deep dive into the projected and actual performance of my first remote rental property.

The three reasons rental properties are the best passive investment vehicle on the planet.

How mid-career burnout as a retail executive forced me to seek a very different path.