The "I Swear I’m Not Just Looking for a Tax Write-Off" Guide to Real Estate Investing: NC Sandhills & Southern Wake Edition

by Allen Faircloth

So, you’ve watched three seasons of Fixer Upper, you’ve got a Lowes Pro or Home Depot account you don’t know how to use, and you’re convinced you’re the next real estate mogul of the 919 and 910.

Whether you’re eyeing a small farm in Harnett County, a tactical flip near Fort Bragg in Cumberland, a sprawling lot in Johnston, or trying to outbid tech bros in Southern Wake, getting started is a bit more complicated than just buying a sledgehammer and wearing a flannel.

Here is the 5-step blueprint to succeeding in our neck of the woods without losing your shirt (or your sanity).

1. Define Your Goals (Or, "How Much Do You Like Spending Weekends at Lowe’s?")

Before you drop a dime in Fuquay-Varina, Smithfield or Lillington, ask yourself: What’s the vibe?

The Quick Buck: You want to flip a "charmer" in Benson faster than a Chick-fil-A drive-thru line on a Saturday.
The Long Game: You want to be the landlord of a nice rental in Erwin or Dunn where the tenants pay on time and don’t call you at 3:00 AM because a frog got into the HVAC.

Knowing if you want a paycheck now or a pension later determines whether you’re looking for a "gut job" or a "turnkey."

2. Educate Yourself (Beyond TikTok Trends)

Real estate in Johnston County isn’t the same as in Cumberland.

In Fayetteville, you need to understand BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) and why military renters are the backbone of the economy.
In Southern Wake, you need to understand that if you blink, the price of a bungalow just went up $10k. Read the local zoning laws, understand North Carolina’s "Due Diligence" fee (which is basically a non-refundable "I like you" payment to the seller), and learn the difference between a load-bearing wall and a "suggestion."

3. Build a Network (Your 'I Know a Guy' Rolodex)

You cannot do this alone. You need a squad.

The Realtor: Someone who knows which parts of Harnett County are about to boom and which parts are just... woods.
The Contractor: A person who actually shows up when they say they will (rare, like a unicorn or a short line at the DMV).
The Lender: Someone who speaks "Investor" and won't faint when you tell them the house currently has no floor.

4. Analyze Deals (Math: The Only Thing More Painful than Drywall Sanding)

Don't buy a house because it has "good bones." Bones are cheap; plumbing is expensive. Run the numbers. If you’re looking at a flip in Benson, factor in the "JoCo" commute and what people are actually willing to pay. If the ROI (Return on Investment) looks like a typo, it probably is. Check the ARV (After Repair Value) and remember: a "motivated seller" is usually someone whose house is haunted or sinking into a swamp.

5. Secure Financing (The 'Show Me the Money' Phase)

Unless you have a literal chest of gold coins buried in your backyard in Angier, you’re going to need a lender. Cash buys are great but then you need to ask yourself "should I pay cash for this one property" or "should I put a good down payment on three properties and finance the rest". For the longest time, I paid cash on one property but later realized it would have been soooo much better (for me personally), if I put down payments on multiple properties and got loans for the remainder.

Fix-and-Flip Loans: Perfect for when you find a Cumberland County diamond-in-the-rough that needs a total glow-up. These are fast, asset-based, and don't care that your personal credit score took a hit when you went through that "unlimited credit card" phase in your 20s.
DSCR Loans: For the rental gurus. These loans care about the property’s income, not yours. If the rent in Apex covers the mortgage, you’re golden.

Final Thoughts

Investing in Johnston, Harnett, Cumberland, and Southern Wake is a wild ride. It’s a mix of rural charm, military hustle, and suburban gold rushes.

It takes patience, a bit of grit, and the ability to find humor in the fact that your "simple bathroom reno" just turned into a 4-week plumbing saga. But hey, when you're sitting on your front porch watching your equity grow, it’ll all be worth it.

Ready to start? Put down the sledgehammer and let’s talk numbers.