Real Estate Investing Prompts for Smart Deals

Analyze this deal. Property: [address, type, price]. Expected rent: $[X]. Expenses: [property tax, insurance, HOA, maintenance estimate 5-10%]. Include: gross yield, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, 1% rule check, break-even analysis, risk factors, verdict (pass/watch/buy).

Project 5-year cash flow. Property: [describe]. Rent: $[X]. Expenses: [breakdown]. Mortgage: [amount, rate, term]. Include: Year 1 cash flow, annual 3% rent growth, expense inflation, vacancy (8% typical), maintenance reserve, tax implications.

Analyze BRRRR deal (Buy-Rehab-Rent-Refinance-Repeat). Purchase: $[X]. Rehab budget: $[Y]. ARV (after repair value): $[Z]. Expected rent: $[A]. Include: all-in cost, 75% LTV refinance amount, capital recovered, cash flow post-refinance, repeat capacity.

Analyze flip deal. Purchase: $[X]. Rehab: $[Y]. ARV: $[Z]. Holding costs: [interest, taxes, utilities]. Selling costs: 6%. Include: profit calculation, ROI, timeline (4-6 months), worst-case scenario, exit strategy if market shifts.

Analyze [city/market] for REI. Include: population growth trends, job market + major employers, rent-to-price ratios, inventory levels, landlord-friendly laws, property tax rates, appreciation history, diversification (1-industry towns risky).

Deep dive [neighborhood]. Include: demographics, crime trends, schools (investor impact), rental demand, tenant quality expectations, property value trends, gentrification signals, infrastructure improvements planned, exit potential.

Rent comps for property. Address: [X]. Comps found: [list with rent/sqft/beds]. Include: price adjustments for differences, sustainable rent estimate, rent growth trajectory, vacancy risk, property class (A/B/C/D) positioning.

How do current macro trends affect REI? Current: [interest rates, inflation, recession probability]. Include: impact on deal math, financing strategy adjustments, timing considerations, asset type preferences, cash vs leveraged strategy.

Financing strategy for investment purchase. Property: $[X]. My funds: $[Y]. Credit score: [Z]. Include: conventional (20-25% down, rate), portfolio loan, hard money (short-term), private money, seller financing, DSCR loan, house hack (3.5% FHA owner-occupied).

Portfolio leverage strategy. Current properties: [list]. Equity available: $[X]. Include: HELOC vs cash-out refinance, private loan options, 1031 exchange upgrade, staying under 10 mortgages (Fannie limit), debt service coverage health.

STR vs LTR for [property]. Location: [describe]. Include: STR income potential (AirDNA projections), LTR expected rent, STR operational load (vs LTR passive), local regulations, seasonality, cash flow comparison, hybrid strategy options.

1031 exchange plan. Sale property: [describe, estimated gain]. Timeline: 45 days identify, 180 days close. Include: replacement property criteria, like-kind requirements (broad), deferred gains tax, continuation vs exit timing, reverse 1031 option.

Self-manage vs property manager. Properties: [count]. My time: [describe]. Include: PM cost (8-12% rent), break-even property count (3-5 usually), tenant quality difference, hours per property per month, scaling implications, geographic distance factor.

Tenant screening criteria. Property type: [describe]. Rent level: $[X]. Include: credit score minimums, income requirements (3x rent), employment verification, previous landlord references, criminal background, eviction history, application fee, equitable discrimination avoidance.

Portfolio growth plan. Current: [X properties, Y cash flow]. Goal: [Z properties or $A cash flow]. Timeline: [years]. Include: acquisition pace, financing strategy evolution, capital accumulation between purchases, market cycle considerations, risk management as scale.