Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Amber Stout
Predicting STR Income
Forum Categories All New to Real Estate · Mebane, NC · Member since 2024 · 1 post · 0 votes Investor · Pacific Northwest · Member since 2026 · 390 posts · 220 votes 22m Lender · Tampa/Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2014 · 356 posts · 146 votes 13m Hi Norah, I work with a lot of STR buyers on the lending side and my client's who are doing well typically will have an STR property manager underwrite the deal prior to putting in an offer.
House hackers: are you planning your financing past deal #1?
I got started investing through house hacking and did multiple owner occupied purchases. Now that I'm on the mortgage side and work with a lot of house hackers, one thing I've realized is how little people think about financing deal #2 and #3 when they're buying deal #1. Everyone focuses on "how little can I put down?" which obviously matters. But I've seen the bigger issue come later. How will you qualify for the next property? Can you use rental income from the house you're leaving?
The landlord lesson I didn’t expect to learn from a hurricane…
Two years ago, hurricanes rolled through in Florida and we had damage at a couple of our properties. We had insurance, so obviously we filed a claim and figured that was what insurance was there for. Insurance paid out on one of the properties and unfortunately, two years later and insurance still hasn’t paid out on the one that had the most damage. No, the properties are not in a flood zone. Yes, we hired a public adjuster. And yes, it’s now in the legal process.
Who's your MVR (most valuable relationship) in RE investing?
If you could only keep one professional in your investing network, who would it be and why? If you've met someone through BiggerPockets who's been a game changer, tag them! I'd love to discover more great people in the community.
Why I still love the house hacking strategy
I was recently asked why I've continued house hacking instead of moving exclusively into traditional investment properties (which I do both at this point). The answer is simple for me: leverage! With a conventional investment property, you're typically putting down 15-25%. With an owner occupied 2-4 unit property, you may be able to get in with as little as 3.5%–5% down, depending on the loan program.
Anyone else seeing investors sell off rentals?
I've been noticing more of my investor friends selling rentals or at least talking about downsizing their portfolios. Some are tired of higher insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs. Some because of the headaches of managing. Others are cashing out after years of appreciation. A few are pivoting into different asset classes altogether. I'm curious...is anyone else seeing this in their market? If you're selling your rentals, what's driving that decision? If you're pivoting, what're you pivoting to?
Rents - Flat or Declining
I was listening to a podcast this morning discussing how rent growth has largely flattened in many markets with labor market softness and affordability playing a role. Additionally, it may continue to be flat in many markets for the unforeseeable future. For those actively buying rentals today, - Are you underwriting with flat rents for the next 12-24 months? - Has this changed your acquisition criteria at all?
Seller Concession Trend
Just listened to the latest On the Market podcast episode and there was a couple stats that stood out: 47% of deals are including seller concessions. Additionally, another 15% are seeing price reductions on top of the concessions. That's a good reminder to keep today's market in mind when you're writing offers. Often times, it can be psychologically better for the seller to receive a full price or slightly lower offer and ask for concessions for rate buy down or closing costs.
Florida STR investors - What are you seeing with insurance?
Florida STR investors, what has been your biggest challenge over the past 12 months? Insurance? Regulations? Property taxes? Occupancy? Finding reliable property management? It seems like every market has shifted a bit, and I'm curious what's had the biggest impact on your business.
Why seller credits matter more than price
Hi all, something I've been seeing repeatedly in today's market is many buyers who are financing are focused on the wrong number. They're negotiating aggressively on purchase price while completely ignoring the offer/ financing structure. For example, a seller willing to give $10,000 in concessions may create significantly more value than a $10,000 price reduction depending on the loan program and buyer's goals.
Upgrade to unlock to Pro Perks
PRO Members Get Full Access Get off the sidelines and take action in real estate investing with BiggerPockets Pro. Our comprehensive suite of tools and resources minimize mistakes, support informed decisions, and propel you to success.
Upgrade to unlock to Pro Perks
House hacking is still one of the most powerful ways to build wealth. You can buy a 2-4 unit property with as little as 3.5–5% down, live in one unit, and use the rental income from the others to offset your payment. After a year, you can move out and repeat and in many cases, that rental income can help you qualify for your next purchase. My first deal was 3.5% down. I brought $11k to closing (seller covered the rest), and instantly owned a property + had rental income coming in.
Best Opportunities in Tampa 2026
What do you think will be the best investor opportunity in the Tampa/St.Pete area over the next 12–24 months? MF, SFR, redevelopment, new builds, something else? Genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives given insurance costs, storm considerations, etc.
Flood Zone Market
I’ve been watching a quietly profitable strategy play out in the St Petersburg market that’s worth discussing. While most retail buyers are drawing a hard line at flood zones—thanks to insurance hikes, FEMA map updates, and nonstop doom headlines—some investors are doing the opposite. They're leaning into those areas, not because the risk disappeared, but because it's being overpriced by fear. The result?
Lehigh Acres - Renttoretirement (RTR) projections were a scam
I highly doubt they were a scam. One has to remember that rent rates nationwide have softened. And its very common these days if your putting minimum down which it sounds like you did to have negative cash flow the first few years.. Also it is up to you as the investor to research where your buying .
100% Bonus Depreciation Is Back
Hey BP fam — just popping in with a quick update that could save some of you a lot on taxes this year. The recently passed (7/5) Big Beautiful Bill has some major wins for real estate investors — including the return of 100% bonus depreciation, in addition to a couple other advantages. 1. Bonus depreciation = 100% Through 2025 You can now fully write off eligible property in year one — roofs, HVACs, appliances, etc. Perfect for anyone doing value add or running cost seg studies. 2.
Hey everyone! I’m Andrea—new to the community but not new to investing. I dabbled in the game several years ago doing LTRs, took a break to focus on a business venture, and then life started lifing. Now I’m jumping back in full-time, diving into MTRs to start, which is a whole new and exciting lane for me. I’ve also joined the WIIRE (#TheWIIRE) community and have been learning a lot from Jesse’s content.
First investment Palm Bay
Hi, I am planning to make my first investment in a single-family home. The location is Palm Bay, Florida, and the cost of the property is $340K.brand new construction, Some of the properties don't have an HOA, while those with an HOA are around $600 per year. My concern is that I've noticed rental properties in this area aren't very steady, and homes tend to stay on the market for a long time. This also doesn't seem to align with the 1% rule.
Does a Multi-Family (Duplex, Tri or Quad) in the Tampa/St. Pete armake sense in 2025?
Hi, I am about to wrap up 3 years of experience self-managing a beachfront STR condo in Myrtle Beach, and I am thinking about making a move into an LTR for a few personal reasons. I really like the Tampa/St. Pete area because of the milder, warmer winters, and I am trying to see if I can structure a deal on a Duplex, Tri or Quad that would give me an extra bedroom to use as an STR and/or place for me to escape to in the winter while the other 2 or 3 tenants help pay my mortgage.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Amber
Contact Amber, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack