How I Find Real Estate Deals in Houston, And Why I Don't Use Wholesalers or the MLS

People ask me how I find my deals more than almost any other question. The answer isn't what most people want to hear.

I don't work with wholesalers. Not typically. Most don't have a realistic idea of what the actual ARV is and even less idea of what repairs are actually needed to get a property to retail. It's become an entire industry now, companies built around promoting themselves as deal finders and experts while offering leads that aren't deals at all. I've seen properties pulled straight off the MLS for $5,000 less than asking, presented as wholesale deals with $10,000 in repairs noted, only for the actual scope to include foundation work, a full make ready, a new roof, and all new fixtures. That's not $10,000. That's $25,000 minimum. Point that out and they don't adjust the deal. They just move on to the next buyer who doesn't know enough to push back.

So I don't chase wholesalers. I don't hunt the MLS. And I've never relied on mass mailers, internet marketing, or bandit signs to find deals.

A lot of people in this business talk about doing multiple deals a month like volume is the goal. That's great for them. My goal has never been to be busy. My goal is to work as little as possible, pay my bills, and add to a portfolio of passive income that grows while I sleep. Those are different games entirely.

So how do I actually find deals?

Time. And real relationships.

Not the kind you build at a meetup or by cold calling a realtor and asking for good deals. Real relationships, the kind built over years of showing up, following through, and proving that your word means something. Realtors who call me before a listing hits the market because they know I'll close. Property owners who reach out directly because someone they trust told them to call me first. Contractors who mention properties they're working on that the owner might be ready to sell.

You can't manufacture that. You can't buy it. You build it slowly by learning what actually makes a deal a deal and then surrounding yourself with people who operate the same way.

It's not quick. Real relationships take time and evidence of honor. But once you have them the deals come to you, and they're actually deals.

If you want to talk about what building that kind of deal flow looks like in Houston: let's talk.

📅 Book a free 15-min strategy call: calendly.com/jeph-reit
🌐 reiguideservice.com