Real estate investing insights, market trends, and lending strategies from the Dominion Financial team. Written by investors, for investors. New posts weekly.
Every real estate investor is picturing an AI assistant that reviews invoices, tracks deals, and flags problems early but that only works once your processes are written down. This piece walks through how to document workflows so AI in your real estate business actually performs, not guesses.
A self-directed IRA allows real estate investors to use retirement funds to invest in properties, private loans, and other assets while maintaining tax advantages, with Roth IRAs offering the potential for completely tax-free growth. By using structures like a Checkbook IRA LLC and non-recourse financing, investors can scale within their retirement accounts, but must carefully follow IRS rules and understand taxes like UDFI to avoid penalties and maximize long-term returns.
Institutional investors pulled back hard in early 2026, with purchases falling 6% year over year to their lowest level since 2020. At the same time, the new ROAD Act capped how many existing homes large institutions can buy. Fewer big buyers competing for the same inventory is opening room for individual investors, and the resale gains they are capturing actually improved. Here's what the pullback means for rental, fix and flip, and construction investors, and why it's a more selective market rather than an all clear.
Foreclosure filings jumped 21% in the first half of 2026, and the process is moving faster than it has in over a decade. See which states are heating up fastest, where distressed inventory is already deepest, and which markets deliver the most deal volume, so you know exactly where to point your capital next.
AI is commoditizing the mechanical parts of real estate investing, including document checks, comps, and compliance, but it can't replicate judgment built from years of hands-on market experience. The investors and lenders who will win going forward are those who combine AI's speed with deep local knowledge: knowing submarkets block by block, vetting contractors through relationships, reading market cycles with nuance, and knowing which deals to walk away from. The same applies to choosing a lending partner. Look for one with real market history, not just fast algorithmic approvals. Dominion Financial positions itself as combining both: AI driven efficiency plus genuine market expertise.
The proposed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would place strict limits on how large investors can acquire additional properties, especially existing homes purchased from non-institutional sellers. Exceptions may apply for build-to-rent projects and significant renovations, making the bill more about regulating acquisition activity than forcing portfolio reductions.
Real estate investors are using AI to solve operational problems faster than ever before. Modern AI and no-code tools allow property owners, managers, and investors to automate leasing, maintenance coordination, resident communication, reporting, and other repetitive tasks without needing a development team. The biggest advantage belongs to operators who combine deep real estate knowledge with a willingness to experiment and improve workflows.
Successful fix and flip investing starts with thorough due diligence before you buy. The most profitable investors verify ARV comps, review property history, accurately scope renovations, research ownership structures, and plan their exit strategy in advance. These five habits can help reduce risk, avoid costly surprises, and improve the likelihood of a successful flip.
The FHA's long-standing 90-day flipping rule could soon be eliminated. This guide explains what the FHA seasoning rule is, why it was created, why it may no longer be necessary, and how its removal could reduce holding costs, improve fix-and-flip profits, and potentially influence future DSCR loan seasoning requirements. Here's what you need to know about the proposed FHA rule changes in 2026.
