In May we launched Investra across Texas. In August I got on a plane to meet the people we built it for: realtors, brokerages and the realtor associations in San Antonio and Austin.
Why Texas
We didn't pick Texas at random. For real estate investors, it's one of the friendliest states in the country:
- No state income tax. Texas doesn't tax personal income, so more of your rental profit stays with you.
- Landlord-friendly rules. State law bars cities from passing rent control, except in a declared disaster emergency with the governor's approval. You set rents based on the market, not a local ordinance.
- People keep coming. Texas added more residents than any other state from mid-2024 to mid-2025, about 391,000 people. New households need somewhere to live, and that keeps rental demand steady.
- Plenty of opportunity. From San Antonio's established neighborhoods to Austin's growing suburbs, Texas has a wide range of rental properties at every price point, and many great investment opportunities for investors who do their homework.
One honest caveat: Texas makes up for having no income tax with some of the highest property taxes in the country, and insurance costs have been rising. That's exactly why you run the numbers before you buy. Investra builds local property tax and insurance into every Texas analysis.
San Antonio: meeting SAMCAR
San Antonio was where Texas started for us. In July I presented Investra at a SAMCAR marketing meeting, and in August I came back in person to meet with the San Antonio Board of REALTORS and join the SAMCAR Member Appreciation BBQ. Meeting agents face to face is a different conversation from a video call. People tell you what's actually hard about their week.
Austin: the Austin Board of REALTORS and local brokerages
In Austin I met with the Austin Board of REALTORS and spent time with local brokerages. A special thank you to Philip Myers of Bramlett Partners for the Texas BBQ, and for his insights into the Austin market and what his clients are looking for right now.
What we're taking home
The most valuable part of the trip was hearing, agent by agent, what their clients ask for and where today's tools fall short. Those conversations go straight into what we build next.
Back home, and what's next
The trip capped a busy August. We kicked things off with events alongside Compass International Holdings in Los Gatos, California, and connected with realtor associations across California. Then came Texas.
Every conversation on this trip ended the same way: the opportunity in Texas is real, but only if the numbers work. That's what Investra is for. It's live across Texas on the web, on iPhone and, since August, on Android. To the realtors who made time for us in San Antonio and Austin: thank you. We'll be back.
