Industry sources say online platforms are a viable option for investors in single-family rentals, but “there are no free lunches.”
Industry sources say click-and-buy strategies are an indication of the future of real estate investing, especially when it comes to single-family rentals (SFRs). That’s because transactions completed through online platforms can reduce the cost, time and risk involved in the process.
“There is no doubt that more and more of residential housing transactions are moving online and that trend will continue, especially as it becomes easier to fully digitize the experience,” says Jake Fingert, general partner at Camber Creek, a venture capital firm focused on real estate tech.
In-person inspection of a property is not “necessarily so important” when purchasing a single-family house for rent, according to Douglas Bendt, president of Bendt Enterprises, a consulting firm based in Boulder, Colo. Instead, “it’s good to have some notion of helping to pick the neighborhood, or first picking the city or metropolitan area,” he says.
