Build 2 Rent Network

10/18/2026

Flipping is a bet on a wall you can't see.

Nicholas Smith left flips and rentals for one reason: "I wanted to control everything." When you flip, he says, "you don't know what's behind the wall." New construction means you do.

Rehab or new build: which one would you put your own money in?

Watch the full episode on the Build 2 Rent Network YouTube channel: link in bio and comments.

10/18/2026

Tennessee has 23 build-to-rent communities in our Build 2 Rent Community directory. Not one is in Memphis.

21 sit in Middle Tennessee, and 16 are detached 3 to 5 bedroom rentals from one operator. The institutions piled into one corner of the state.

Would you rather compete where they are, or buy where they aren't?

Explore the Build 2 Rent Community directory: link in bio and comments. (Communities are listed for reference; Build 2 Rent is not their leasing agent.)

10/17/2026

"Memphis to me is one of the best markets in the world," says Nicholas Smith. "A lot of people don't even know about Memphis."

He builds homes there under $185,000 that rent for $1,450. If the secret's out, why isn't everyone buying?

Network Member Spotlight: Nicholas Smith.

10/16/2026

Tennessee at a glance:

+22.1% population growth in 20 years (U.S.: +15.5%)
+42,389 people moved in from other states in 2025 (4th most in the U.S.)
+31,400 jobs forecast for 2026 (+0.9%)
$69,595 median household income

Is your market keeping up?

10/16/2026

Now over $6.2 billion in inventory.

16,000+ new-construction rental listings across 30 states: Texas 3,395, Florida 2,323, South Carolina 1,537, North Carolina 1,467 and Alabama 871. And 715 of them are in Tennessee, starting at $181,000.

Which state would you buy in first?

10/14/2026

This Memphis builder puts up new single-family homes in 45 to 60 days, for under $185,000, and they rent for $1,450.

Nicholas Smith walked away from flips and rentals because "I wanted to control everything." When you flip, he says, "you don't know what's behind the wall."

Would you rather buy new construction or take on a rehab? Tell us below. Full interview in the comments.

10/13/2026

This week's featured investment: a single-family rental in Memphis, Tennessee.

3bd/2ba, 1,030 sqft, 1 home available at $181,000, with a 4.5% interest rate and 1 year of free property management. Projected 11.66% cash-on-cash return on $1,495/mo rent and $484/mo cash flow.

Want deals like this in your inbox every week? Join our free investor email list at build2rent.com/weekly. Full listing link in the comments.

10/13/2026

New episode of the Build 2 Rent Network Podcast is live! Alvin sits down with Nicholas Smith, a Memphis new-construction builder, to talk about how he builds single-family homes for under $185,000 that rent for $1,450, and why he says Memphis builds run just 45 to 60 days.

What would you want to ask a builder? Tell us below.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/mSmVIMLhiNo

More at build2rent.com

Nicholas Smith, a Memphis new-construction builder, walks through h...

10/09/2026

Chad Emerson has spent 27 years doing nothing but investor loans at CMG Mortgage. His take on deals: "If the numbers don't work, the investors aren't going to buy." That's the idea behind this week's cash-on-cash walkthrough.

Which number do you trust most when you size up a deal? Tell us below.

Hear Chad on the Build 2 Rent Network Podcast and meet more of the Network: link in the first comment.

10/08/2026

Cap rate tells you what the property earns. Cash-on-cash tells you what your money earns.

Here's the math on a real Memphis duplex: $7,596 of year-one cash flow ÷ $94,398 of cash invested = 8.05%. (Based on standard conventional-loan assumptions: 25% down, 5.5% rate, 4 points. Illustrative, not a guarantee.)

Which number do you run first when you look at a deal, cap rate or cash-on-cash? Tell us in the comments.



Step-by-step walkthrough: https://build2rent.com/ArticleDetails?slug=how-to-calculate-cash-on-cash-return