Acquisitions
What I’m looking for
Andre “Dre” Ford works through WM Realty TX LLC, representing Open House in Houston single-family acquisitions for renovation and rental investment. Below is the acquisition reference I work from.
Reference
Houston — Fiscal Year of 2026
Houston acquisition criteria, last updated 2/4/2026. All properties are subject to review and buyer approval.
Model and property type
Traditional model. Residential Detached only. No High-End Models in Houston.
After-repair value (ARV)
$425,000 maximum ARV. Offers become much less competitive above $400,000 ARV.
ARV is the estimated value after renovation. The $425,000 ceiling applies to ARV; purchase price is evaluated separately.
Year built
Year-built requirements
The year-built bands below come from the 2026 Houston criteria.
| Years | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1986–2003 | No restriction on the year-built criterion | The source phrases this band as “within 40 years old”. Meeting it satisfies the year-built criterion only — it is not automatic property approval. |
| 2004–2015 | “Cobalt” — limited | The source marks this band as limited. The limit itself is not quantified. |
| 2016 and newer | Cannot acquire | Excluded by the source. |
| 1978–1985 | Limited — needs special approval | The source requires SPECIAL APPROVAL FROM THE GM OF ACQUISITIONS. |
| Before 1978 | Not eligible | Properties built before 1978 cannot be acquired. Owner clarification, 2026-09-11. |
The house itself
Size, rooms and exclusions
- Size: Approximately 1,150–3,500 sq ft
- Bedrooms: At least 3
- Bathrooms: At least 2
- Garage: At least a 2-car garage
- No overly boxy layouts; layout suitability requires review
- No pools, ponds or dams
- No main-road or power-line locations; confirm location details with Dre
- A property cannot span two separate counties
Improvement ratio
Improvement ratio — market value of improvements ÷ total market value × 100. Minimum 70% or higher.
Meeting the 70% threshold satisfies this one criterion; it is not property approval.
School ratings
Combined GreatSchools.org elementary + middle + high score: 14 or higher. A total of 13 is acceptable when cap rate is above 3.6%.
The score-13 exception requires a cap rate strictly greater than 3.6%; exactly 3.6% does not qualify. Other criteria and buyer review still apply.
Where
Listed cities and ZIP codes
Review the listed ZIP codes as well as the city. Each property is evaluated individually.
- Houston
- Spring
- Cypress
- Katy
- The Woodlands
- Tomball
- Conroe
- Humble
- Kingwood
- Porter
- Pearland
- Missouri City
- Richmond
- Sugar Land
The 50 listed ZIP codes
- 77040
- 77041
- 77064
- 77065
- 77066
- 77068
- 77069
- 77070
- 77077
- 77079
- 77084
- 77094
- 77095
- 77302
- 77304
- 77338
- 77339
- 77345
- 77346
- 77354
- 77365
- 77373
- 77375
- 77377
- 77379
- 77380
- 77381
- 77382
- 77384
- 77385
- 77386
- 77388
- 77389
- 77396
- 77429
- 77433
- 77449
- 77450
- 77493
- 77494
- 77581
- 77584
- 77406
- 77407
- 77459
- 77469
- 77478
- 77479
- 77489
- 77498
Next step
Discuss the property with Dre
Purchase price, renovation budget, rental targets, occupancy, flood history, HOA restrictions and assignment terms require individual review.
Make the review easy
What helps me review faster
None of this is required to start a conversation, but the more of it you have, the quicker I can give you a straight answer.
- Full street address, city and ZIP code
- Asking price, or a note that the price is still open
- A public listing or MLS link if the property is listed
- Beds, baths, square feet and year built when known
- Honest condition notes — what needs work and what doesn’t
- Occupancy: vacant, owner occupied, tenant occupied or unknown
- Anything already known about flood history, foundation, roof or HVAC