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Why U.S. real estate? For Yoav, a full-time real estate investor from Israel, the answer was “simplicity.” He first explored real estate in other countries and quickly ran into obstacles. In Portugal, the process moved too slowly to scale efficiently. High price points in Israel created a barrier to entry. “For most people, it’s next to impossible to build a sizable portfolio there” Yoav noted. While other markets proved difficult, the U.S. offered a different experience: stability, predictability, and financial freedom potential. Real estate in the U.S. favors investors with straightforward processes and financing options built for growth that make scaling achievable. Focusing on the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Yoav set out to build a portfolio that delivers consistent cash flow, equity growth, and financial security.
Yoav has always been creative. A passionate photographer and artist, he spent years running an art studio in Israel, turning his vision into a business. Over time, he realized he could apply the same entrepreneurial instincts that fueled his art career to real estate.
The perfect opportunity came when he inherited a house in Israel. He sold the property and used it as his nest egg to fund his real estate business. Armed with enough capital to get started and an online course on how to invest in real estate, he jumped in head first.
What truly captured his attention was the BRRRR strategy, which stands for Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. It allows investors to recycle their capital and grow a portfolio quickly. By buying properties, renovating them to increase value, renting them out for cash flow, and then refinancing to pull out equity,
Yoav could fund his next investment without having to save a new down payment each time. “I found out about it and was blown away,” he said, realizing this strategy could only be executed efficiently in the U.S. He discovered a market perfectly suited for the BRRRR strategy and has been building his portfolio in Dallas,Texas ever since.
Out of the vast options throughout the U.S., Yoav chose the Dallas, Texas market because the market is ideal for scaling. With a “diverse economy, a growing population, attractive price points for value-add properties, and a landlord and business-friendly environment, Dallas offered me the perfect conditions for investing,” he stated.
To establish a strong local presence, Yoav partnered with a family-run contracting business in Dallas that helps him source deals and manage renovations. “They’re local, I trust that they’re not liars, and I know they know what they’re doing,” he said. Yoav also relies on property managers to handle day-to-day operations, giving him the freedom to scale while keeping the process manageable from abroad.
Over the past two years, Yoav has built a portfolio of 12 single-family homes, focusing on B neighborhoods. “I had a bad experience with tenants in a C neighborhood early on, so I decided to stick to good or great neighborhoods,” he explained. Targeting areas with at least 20% equity growth and strong ROI, he acquires properties that can pay for themselves through rent while setting up for future refinances.
Fast forward to today, Yoav has completed two cash-out refinances with Waltz and is working on three more. The equity released from these refinances is fueling his next rounds of investment, allowing him to grow his portfolio methodically while maintaining the quality and stability of his properties.
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Yoav quickly realized that working with U.S. lenders was frustrating and slow. The process felt outdated, disorganized, and far from the 21st-century experience he expected. His experience highlighted just how difficult it can be to move quickly and scale a real estate portfolio when lenders are stuck in old ways of doing business. He quickly saw that several specific inefficiencies were holding him back:
Despite these hurdles, Yoav remained determined to keep growing his U.S. real estate portfolio. His experience underscored the importance of finding a lender that could provide both efficiency and a personal touch. With Waltz, he finally found a partner who could keep up with his pace and help him scale confidently.
Yoav needed a tech-savvy, modern lender who could keep up with his growing Dallas portfolio. Most lenders felt outdated and slow, making it difficult to move at his pace. The solution came through a referral from a friend who had successfully worked with Waltz.
From the moment he connected with the team, Yoav knew this was different. Waltz offered an intuitive platform and a personal, hands-on approach that made scaling his portfolio far more straightforward and easy. Here’s what stood out about working with Waltz:
With two cash-out refinances completed and three more in progress, Yoav now has the tools, guidance, and confidence to continue expanding his Dallas real estate holdings. “It was a great experience and I’m sure it will only get better as we grow together” were his parting words.
