The Homefront Blog

Memphis rental market insights

Investing strategy, landlord know-how, and neighborhood intel for the Mid-South. New posts every week.

Financing

The Ten-Property Wall: DSCR Loans and How Memphis Investors Keep Buying in 2026

Conventional financing caps you at ten mortgages and underwrites your paycheck. DSCR loans underwrite the rent instead — what it costs and when it's worth it.

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Buying

Ask for Concessions, Not a Discount: The Best Deal Term of 2026

A record share of sellers are giving concessions. Why a rate buydown or repair credit is worth more to a Memphis investor than the same money off the price.

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Operations

The Turnover Tax: What Every Move-Out Really Costs a Memphis Landlord

Turnover is the most underestimated line item in a rental pro forma. The real math on a Memphis move-out — and why one extra renewal beats a rent increase.

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Tax Strategy

Bonus Depreciation Is Back: What 100% Write-Offs Mean for Memphis Rental Investors

100% bonus depreciation is permanent again. How Memphis investors use cost segregation to turn it into real first-year deductions on affordable single-family homes.

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Investing

Deals Are the New Bottleneck: How Memphis Investors Keep Buying in a Tight Market

Finding good deals is now the #1 challenge rental investors report. How Memphis buyers keep finding cash flow in a tight 2026 market.

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Strategy

The Great Rotation: Why Investors Are Moving Back to Long-Term Rentals in 2026

More than half of investors now call long-term rentals the best strategy for 2026. What the rotation out of short-term rentals means for Memphis buyers.

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Market Watch

The Supply Wave Is Breaking: What Falling Deliveries Mean for Memphis Rent Growth

Apartment deliveries just fell below the decade norm and the Memphis pipeline is down to a trickle. What the end of the supply wave means for rental owners.

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Strategy

The Mid-Term Rental Play: 30–90 Day Furnished Stays in Memphis

Furnished 30–90 day rentals are the fastest-growing rental niche. What they really pay in Memphis, who rents them, and the honest risks.

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Investing

First-Time Memphis Landlord: A Step-by-Step 2026 Playbook

Buying right, pricing to today's market, screening, Tennessee law basics, and when to hire a manager — the full first-rental sequence.

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Ownership

The Quiet Threat to 2026 Cash Flow: Insurance, Taxes, and the Shelby County Reappraisal

The real risk to 2026 returns is on the expense side. Insurance, property taxes, and Shelby County's reappraisal — and how to protect your cash flow.

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Ownership

The Hidden Cost of Deferred Maintenance (and Why In-House Crews Matter)

Small repairs ignored become big failures. The math on deferred maintenance — and how in-house licensed crews protect your return.

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Strategy

The Value-Add Playbook: Buy, Upgrade, Rent, Refinance in the Mid-South

Flat prices and expensive money make 2026 the year of forced equity. The BURR method with real Memphis math — and the mistakes that break it.

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Ownership

What Property Management Costs in Memphis: A 2026 Fee Guide

Management percentages, leasing fees, maintenance markups, and the hidden charges to watch for — how to compare any Memphis quote.

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Market Watch

Small Investors Are Bullish Again — And They're Buying Markets Like Memphis

Survey data shows the most confident investor sentiment in years, with long-term rentals in affordable, job-rich metros leading the way.

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Investing & Finance

The 1% Rule Is Dead: How to Actually Underwrite a Rental in 2026

DSCR above 1.2, cash-on-cash of 8–10%, and stress-tested after-tax cash flow — the framework that replaced the old shortcut.

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Market Watch

The State of the Memphis Rental Market in 2026

Why the Mid-South remains one of America's most attractive cash-flow markets — and what owners should watch this year.

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Investing

Where to Buy: Memphis-Area Neighborhoods for Rental Investors

From Cordova to Bartlett to East Memphis — how to think about location, tenant demand, and long-term appreciation.

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Landlording

Tenant Screening Done Right: Our 3-Tier Method

The single biggest driver of rental ROI is who you put in the property. Here's how professional screening works.

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