Insights
Market reads and straight answers.
Quarterly market updates, research and answers to the questions investors ask us most, written by Danté M. Shackelford.
Market updates and research
Where the market is, and how to invest in it.
How to build a real estate investment plan
The four benefits, four styles and the one-page Buy Box. Includes the free Plan Before You Buy guide.
Read the guide ResearchThe MarketTrack Cycle Backtest
48 years, six recessions. How our cycle read performed month by month since 1978, including where it missed.
See the results Q4 2026Where real estate is headed and how to invest in it
Late expansion, a De-risk posture, and what that means for buyers in Detroit and Hampton Roads right now.
Read the updateMarkets we lend in
What deals look like in each market right now.
Detroit
Cheapest entry of our markets, strong investor activity, thin rental cash flow after a full tax bill.
See the numbersHampton Roads
Biggest flip spreads and the best rental cash flow in the $150,000 to $200,000 band. Supply is tight.
See the numbersGrand Rapids
Strong resale demand and high rents. Flips work with the right buy; rentals need more cash in at today's prices.
See the numbersInvestor questions
The questions we answer every week.
What do you need to qualify for a DSCR loan?
Credit, down payment, reserves and the short document list. No tax returns.
ReadHow do fix and flip loans work?
Purchase advance, rehab holdback, draws, interest-only payments and what happens at month 12.
ReadHow does the BRRR refinance work?
Moving from a bridge loan to a 30-year rental loan, and how to underwrite it so the refinance holds up.
ReadCan a first-time investor get a fix and flip loan?
Yes, with a lighter project, strong numbers or an experienced contractor. Here is how experience is counted.
ReadWhat is a Core Plus rental?
The rental strategy we favor late in the cycle: rented, under market, light work, quick lift.
ReadHow much does a rental property really net per door?
Typical monthly cash flow after every cost, financed and free and clear, and why it's only one of the ways a rental pays you.
ReadShould you put more than 20% down on a rental?
Why 75% or 70% leverage can be the safer call when values are flat or falling.
ReadHave a question we haven't answered?
Book a free strategy session or send the deal. You'll get a straight answer either way.