Category: real estate CE classes texas

Solar panels are the 2020s version of the 1990s water softener lien. I teach that in my CE classes and I mean every word of it. The agent who freezes when they see “solar lease” in the TREC disclosure is the same agent who walks away from a commission that was already sitting in front of them.

Have you ever watched one of these deals fall apart over a solar disclosure? I have. More than once. The panels are on the roof, the paperwork hits the buyer’s inbox, and suddenly everyone acts like the deal is unsolvable. It isn’t. It’s a lien. Liens have payoffs. Payoffs are negotiable. You either know the numbers or you don’t.

Here are the five steps I run on every solar lien deal I touch, with the actual figures that make each one work.

Step 1: Identify the Contract Type (20 Minutes)

Three solar situations exist in Texas right now: leased systems, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and financed or owned systems. My experience in suburban Texas markets puts 60-70% of solar deals in the lease or PPA category. The TREC-required solar disclosure tells you which one you’re dealing with, but you have to actually read it.

My rule: I ask for the solar contract on day one. Not after option period. Day one. Reading it takes 15-20 minutes and tells me everything I need before I write a single number on an offer. The mistake I watch constantly is agents waiting until the repair amendment is already in play, then scrambling to figure out the payoff. That’s backwards.

Financed or owned systems are the easiest case I deal with. The lien is on title, I clear it at closing like any other lien, and it’s done.

Step 2: Pull the UCC-1 Filing Before the Offer Gets Written

For leased and PPA systems, the solar company almost always files a UCC-1 financing statement. I estimate 85-90% of Texas solar leases have one on file. I pull it from the Texas Secretary of State’s UCC search before I write a dollar amount on an offer. Takes 10 minutes.

Why do I care about that step? Because I’ve watched deals stall 2-4 weeks over one problem: the entity on the UCC-1 doesn’t match the name on the seller’s disclosure paperwork. These companies get acquired and rebranded. You need the right legal name to send assumption paperwork to, or the solar company’s assumption department won’t process your request. Wrong name equals lost time you don’t have.

Step 3: Run the Assumption vs. Payoff Math on Both Sides

I’ve watched more money get left on the table on this step than any other. Agents treat solar as binary (seller pays it off or buyer assumes it) without running the actual numbers on both sides first.

The math I run looks like this. A typical Texas solar lease is 20-25 years. Take a system installed in 2019, 20-year lease, $150 per month. A buyer who assumes that lease takes on roughly 13 more years of payments, around $23,400 total. A buyout from the solar company might run $15,000-$22,000 depending on contract terms and how hard I push.

That spread matters. I’ve seen sellers absorb a full $20,000 buyout when the buyer would have gladly assumed the lease because $150 per month was less than their current electric bill. Run BOTH sides before you open your mouth in a negotiation. Always.

Step 4: Know What the Lease Does to Your Buyer’s Loan

FHA and VA have different rules here, and I’d bet fewer than half of Texas agents know either one. What happens if your buyer is FHA and you find out at closing?

FHA includes solar lease payments in the buyer’s debt-to-income calculation. A $150 per month lease can knock a buyer at the edge of qualification off the loan entirely. If my buyer is FHA, I run DTI scenarios with and without the lease payment before we write the offer.

VA is trickier. The VA requires a consent-to-assume letter from the solar company, and some companies quote 30-45 days to issue one. If I have a VA buyer and a 30-day close date, I’m calling the solar company’s assumption department the same day we go under contract. Not the week before closing. Same day.

Conventional is the most forgiving situation I deal with. Fannie and Freddie treat leased solar as disclosed personal property with lease obligations documented in the purchase contract. My buyer’s lender still needs the full contract, the payment schedule, and the assumption terms before they’ll close.

Step 5: Build Solar Paperwork Into Your Timeline

Title needs the solar contract, plus either a UCC termination (if my seller pays off) or an executed assumption agreement (if my buyer takes over the lease). I build 10 business days into my timeline for assumption paperwork as a baseline. That’s what the solar companies quote when I call them directly.

Tight close? Most solar companies offer an expedite process that costs the seller $150-$300 and cuts the timeline to about 5 business days. I ask about this on day one, when I still have time to use the answer.

Whatever the payoff is, the payoff is. Whatever the house is worth, it’s worth. My job, and yours, is to know those numbers before anyone else in the room does.

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I Teach This Live at Black Sheep Convention

I cover solar lien deals at the Black Sheep Convention, September 25-26, 2026, at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. We have 10 classes, 12 operators, and 10 hours of Texas CE credit.

We bring real deals, real contracts, and real numbers from people who are in the trenches closing right now. No guru from the stage selling you a $50,000 mentorship package. No back-of-the-room close.

All-access in-person is $399. Live online is $99.

If a solar lien has ever killed one of your deals, or if you’ve been guessing your way through these disclosures, come to San Antonio. I’ll be there.

Texas hands-on real estate events have a reputation problem, and honestly, it’s earned. Every investor I know has sat through a “training” that turned out to be a 45-minute pitch for a $25,000 coaching program. You know the format. Motivational opener, a few slides, then someone strolls to the whiteboard and tells you the only thing holding you back is the right mentor.

I built Black Sheep Convention because I was done with that room.

We run September 25-26, 2026 at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. Twelve operators. Ten classes. Ten hours of Texas CE. Five class periods run two sessions at once, so you pick what your business actually needs. $399 puts you in the room. $99 gets you the live online feed.

Here are the four things I hear most from people on the fence, and why each one is wrong.

Myth 1: Every Texas Hands-On Real Estate Event Is Just a Pitch-Fest

This one survives because it’s usually true. Most convention business models are built around stage access: speakers pay to present or take a cut of back-of-the-room sales. The “training” is lead generation. The real product is whatever closes you during the break.

At Black Sheep, our twelve operators walk into that Hilton to teach. That’s it. There’s no program they’re pitching from the stage. Your ticket is the only thing we sell. You walk out with 10 hours of CE and deal structures you can put to work Monday.

If that sounds too simple, you’ve spent too much time in those other rooms.

Myth 2: Agents and Investors Need Separate Events

I hear this from both sides. Agents assume investor events don’t count toward their business. Investors assume CE-heavy programs are theory and no action.

My own experience breaks both. I run a Texas brokerage and I actively invest. My license doesn’t limit my deals. It gives me an exit when the cash numbers don’t work. A motivated seller calls, the ARV doesn’t justify my offer, and most investors walk. I list the property instead. That’s a transaction most unlicensed investors can’t touch.

Do I close every one? No. But I stop walking away from deals my competitors pass on entirely.

At Black Sheep, we put agents and investors in the same rooms on purpose. Agents pick up acquisition strategies their investor clients use every day. Investors see exactly how listing access changes the math on deals that don’t fit a cash buy box. Our ten hours count toward Texas CE, so agents leave with required credit they actually needed.

Myth 3: CE-Approved Classes Can’t Cover Creative Financing

This one makes me laugh. The assumption is that TREC approval means content has to be watered down to “consult your attorney before proceeding.” Most CE classes are exactly that, so the assumption makes sense.

TREC approves delivery format and instructor credentials. It doesn’t limit what you can teach. I cover subject-to transactions, seller financing structures, and short sale negotiations in TREC-approved settings. The material isn’t blocked. Most CE providers just don’t know it.

Our due-on-sale training is a good example. Agents and investors both treat due-on-sale like a trip wire. There’s no due-on-sale police and no due-on-sale jail. The actual mechanism, the actual lender behavior, the real risk profile on a subject-to deal: all of it belongs in a classroom. We put it there every year. The CE stamp doesn’t water it down.

Myth 4: “Hands-On” Just Means Worksheets

What do I mean by hands-on? My short sale training doesn’t explain what a short sale is. We walk through the specific deal types our team actually works: missing owners, solar panel liens, IRS holds, estate complications. I call these the “total train wreck” deals. Most Texas agents send them straight to the shredder. Done right, our team is delivering six-figure debt forgiveness to real sellers with no other exit. That’s not a worksheet exercise.

The person sitting next to you in that San Antonio conference room might have closed the same deal type in a different Texas market last month. That conversation has a different quality than anything you’d find on YouTube.

Twelve operators teaching ten classes means our room carries real transaction experience across multiple deal structures and multiple Texas markets. You’re not getting a framework. You’re getting real deals with real numbers.

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Black Sheep Convention is September 25-26, 2026 at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. Ten hours of Texas CE. Twelve operators. $399 for full in-person access, $99 to attend live online.

Registration is open at blacksheepconvention.com.

Most agents treat CE like a parking ticket. Pay it, forget it, move on. I used to think the same way.

Then I watched a guy in our office lose a $350,000 buyer because he couldn’t explain what a subject-to deal was. An investor was willing to structure it that way. Our agent nodded, smiled, and had no idea what was happening. The deal went to someone else.

That’s a training problem. Most continuing education for real estate agents in Texas was designed to prevent lawsuits, not to help you close the deals your clients are actually bringing you right now.

The CE Industry Is Keeping You Small

TREC mandates 18 hours every two years. Most providers fill those hours with legal updates, ethics refreshers, and contract checklists. Useful stuff for staying out of trouble. But if that’s ALL you’re doing, you’re training to be a better paper-pusher, not a better deal-closer.

Investor clients do not suffer fools. If you can’t speak their language, if you freeze up when someone asks about a wraparound mortgage or a land contract, they find an agent who can. Then they stay with that agent for years, through multiple transactions every year.

I’ve watched agents leave $50,000+ in annual commission on the table because their CE didn’t teach them anything about how investors actually operate. Not because those agents lacked hustle. Because their classes didn’t cover the material.

There’s a buyer-side version of this problem too. Zillow shows principal and interest only. Add Texas property taxes (around 2.7% statewide average) and insurance, and a buyer who thinks they can afford a $450,000 home might only qualify around $280,000 once you run real PITI numbers. Can you pull up a mortgage calculator with today’s rates and actual county tax data in front of a client right now? If you’re hesitating, that’s the gap worth closing.

And don’t get me started on evictions. Agents who work with landlord clients get asked about them. An uncontested eviction in Texas runs 4-6 weeks minimum. Contested ones run longer and always cost more than people budget. An agent who can’t speak to that timeline loses credibility with a serious investor before the first showing.

Compliance Training Isn’t Enough Anymore

I’m not going to pretend legal updates don’t matter. They do. But conventional financing is harder to qualify for, creative structures are more common, and investor activity in Texas markets is significant. Your clients are navigating subject-to, seller financing, and wraparound mortgages whether you understand them or not. Are you useful in those conversations, or just along for the ride?

The agents I see building real business with investor clients made one consistent choice: they stopped treating CE as a tax and started treating it as training.

What Continuing Education for Real Estate Agents in Texas Should Actually Look Like

It should feel like a room full of operators who have closed the kinds of deals your clients are asking about. Real structures from real transactions, not PowerPoint recaps of textbook chapters.

That’s what I built the Black Sheep Convention around.

September 25-26, 2026 at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. Twelve operators. Ten classes. Ten hours of Texas CE, all in two days.

Five class periods run back-to-back, with two classes running simultaneously each period. You pick the tracks that match where your business is right now. Every presenter is a working operator teaching from real deals.

We are NOT a guru pitch-fest. I’ve sat through those events. I’ve watched the back-of-the-room close. I’ve heard the “for only $29,997 you can join our mastermind” speech more times than I care to count. Black Sheep is built on the opposite premise. You’ll leave with structures you can use Monday morning, not a sales pitch you’ll resent by lunch.

In-person all-access is $399. Live online is $99.

If you’re going to take CE hours anyway (and you are, because TREC requires it), make those hours count. Spend them learning what your clients are already doing, so you can actually help them do it better.

We’ll see you in San Antonio.

The real estate world is riddled with clichés, and one of the biggest myths? That you need to have it all figured out before you start wholesaling. I’m here to tell you that’s total nonsense. Not only can this mindset cost you money, but it can also rob you of opportunities that are ripe for the taking, right now!

Let’s break it down: conventional wisdom promotes the idea that you must have a pristine buyers list, polished marketing materials, and a fully fleshed-out strategy before you even think about wholesaling. But guess what? The truth is that the market rewards ACTION—not analysis paralysis.

Why Waiting Can Cost You

You might think that waiting to perfect your strategy will lead to better results, but in reality, it often leads to missed opportunities. In Texas, the market moves fast. By the time you’ve got your perfect plan in place, the best deals have already been snatched up by someone willing to act.

Take it from someone who’s been in the trenches: I’ve seen agents and investors lose out on deals just because they were too busy perfecting their pitch. You want to know the real secret? Start building your buyers list FIRST—then back into acquisitions. This approach flips the conventional model on its head and puts you in the driver’s seat.

The Myth of “Perfecting Your Pitch”

Is it essential to have a solid pitch? Absolutely. But is it the end-all-be-all? Not even close. The real issue lies in spending too much time crafting the perfect presentation and not enough time getting your hands dirty.

You need to be out there, making connections, and finding out what real buyers want. Trust me, the feedback from real conversations is worth more than any theoretical strategy you can conjure up.

When Conventional Wisdom Works

Now, let’s be real for a second. There are times when the old adage of “measure twice, cut once” holds true, especially when it comes to legalities and paperwork in wholesaling. You can’t skimp on due diligence—know your numbers, understand your contracts, and make sure you’re compliant.

But don’t let those essential checks hold you back from moving forward. Those are merely boxes to tick off—not reasons to stall. The beauty of wholesaling is that you can learn as you go, adjusting your approach based on real-time data and buyer feedback.

The Real Game: Building Your Buyers List

The heart of wholesaling lies in knowing your buyers. Build that list and keep it updated. Focus on high-margin deals instead of chasing volume. This isn’t a numbers game; it’s about understanding your market and tailoring your efforts to meet the needs of your buyers.

Want to know a killer strategy? Use social media platforms to connect with potential buyers. Start conversations, ask questions, and build relationships. You’ll find that a genuine connection can lead to lucrative deals.

Get Out There and Take Action

So, what’s the takeaway? Don’t get bogged down by the myths of wholesaling. It’s all about taking action, building your buyers list first, and learning as you go. The Black Sheep Convention isn’t just a place to learn; it’s where real operators are sharing what’s working RIGHT NOW in the Texas market.

Join us on September 25-26, 2026, at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country for hands-on training that you can put into action immediately. With 12 operators, 10 classes, and 10 hours of Texas CE, you’ll leave with the tools you need to crush it in wholesaling.

All-access passes are just $399 in person or $99 to attend live online. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment—grab your ticket now and get ready to jump into the action!

The real estate industry is drowning in myths. One of the biggest? That wholesaling is a get-rich-quick scheme without hard work. Spoiler alert: that’s a lie! Wholesaling is about building relationships, understanding your market, and implementing solid systems. If you’re not focusing on these elements, you might as well throw your business card out the window!

Here’s the reality: 2026 is the year to step up your wholesaling game. With the Black Sheep Convention happening on September 25-26 in San Antonio, you’ve got a golden opportunity to learn from the best in the business. We’re not talking fluff or sales pitches. This is hands-on, real-world training from operators who’ve been in the trenches, making deals happen and cashing checks!

What You’ll Gain at the Black Sheep Convention

1. Real Operators, Real Insights
   Forget the gurus with empty promises. This is a gathering of real operators sharing what’s working NOW in Texas markets. You’ll hear from 12 seasoned pros who have cracked the code on wholesaling. Their secrets? They’re not keeping them to themselves!

2. Hands-On Training
   You’ll participate in 10 actionable classes that dive deep into the nitty-gritty of wholesaling. Think you know it all? Think again. We teach advanced strategies that focus on building your buyers list first, then targeting those high-margin deals. Why? Because it’s about quality over quantity, folks!

3. Networking Like Never Before
   Want to connect with other like-minded rebels? This is your chance! Network with fellow agents and investors who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in real estate. Share ideas, swap stories, and build partnerships that could catapult your business forward.

4. CE Hours That Matter
   You’ll earn 10 hours of Texas CE while gaining skills that you can implement starting Monday morning! No fluff—just actionable insights you can apply directly to your business.

5. Affordable Access
   For just $399 for all-access in person or $99 live online, you get access to a treasure trove of knowledge. And if you’re a StepStone agent, you can snag your ticket for just $249! Bring your guests along too—they can also register at that discounted rate with a special invite link!

Who Wins, Who Loses, and What You Should Do

Here’s the kicker: the market is evolving, and those who cling to outdated methods are going to get left behind. The winners will be those who embrace creative financing and wholesaling techniques, and who invest in their education and networking.

So, what’s your move? Get your ticket to the Black Sheep Convention NOW. While the rest of the industry dithers, you’ll be on the cutting edge of wholesaling, armed with the knowledge and connections to dominate your local market.

Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. The Black Sheep Convention isn’t just another event; it’s a launching pad for your real estate career! Grab your ticket today, and let’s make some moves!

Let’s get real. Networking in real estate isn’t just about schmoozing over drinks or collecting business cards. It’s about building genuine relationships that translate into deals, opportunities, and cold hard cash! I want to share a war story that highlights the power of solid networking in a Texas real estate deal.

Picture This Deal

Imagine you’re eyeing a distressed property in a vibrant neighborhood of Houston, one that’s been sitting on the market because it’s a hot mess. The owner is desperate to sell, and you’ve got a hunch this could be a goldmine. But here’s the kicker: you need to move fast, and you need a team behind you to make it happen.

So, you head out to a local networking event focused on real estate investing. You know it’s not just about mingling; it’s about finding the right players to help you get this deal closed. You strike up a conversation with a contractor who’s known for flipping houses—let’s call him “Rico.” You share your vision for the property and ask Rico if he’s interested in working together. Bingo! You’ve just locked in a contractor who can give you a realistic estimate and ideas on maximizing your budget.

The Numbers Game

Now, let’s talk numbers. The property is listed at $200,000, and you believe with the right renovations, you could sell it for $350,000. But you can’t just throw cash at this; you need a solid plan. You and Rico discuss a renovation budget of $70,000. You’re now looking at:

• Purchase Price: $200,000
• Renovation Costs: $70,000
• Projected Sale Price: $350,000
• Total Investment: $270,000
• Projected Profit: $80,000 (minus holding costs, of course)

What Went Sideways

Now let’s get to the juicy part—what went wrong. You thought you could DIY the marketing for the property, but your listing photos were a disaster. You had a friend snap some pics, but they didn’t showcase the property’s best features. After two weeks on the market with no bites, you realized your mistake.

The Fix

Instead of panicking, you called up another contact from that same networking event—a real estate photographer who specializes in listings. You quickly arranged for a professional shoot and revamped your online marketing campaign. In just one week, you had multiple showings lined up, and you closed the deal for $345,000.

The Takeaway

What’s the lesson here? Real estate networking in Texas is not just about who you know; it’s about who can help you execute your vision. You need to fill your toolbox with skilled people who can complement your strengths and cover your weaknesses.

1. Build Genuine Relationships: Networking is about building trust. Be authentic and show interest in others’ work.
2. Find Your Team: Whether it’s contractors, photographers, or fellow investors, surround yourself with people who have expertise you can leverage.
3. Adapt and Overcome: If something goes sideways, don’t panic. Leverage your network to find solutions quickly.

Join Us!

Want to sharpen your networking skills? Join us at the Black Sheep Convention, happening on September 25-26, 2026, at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country! With 12 operators, 10 classes, and 10 hours of Texas CE, this isn’t a sales-pitch fest. It’s hands-on training for both agents and investors who want to get real about making money in real estate.

Register now for $399 all access in person or just $99 to attend live online. Don’t miss out on the chance to learn from the best and build your network!

If you’re diving into the world of real estate investing, you’ve probably heard a lot of noise—some of it true, and a lot of it pure myth. At the Black Sheep Convention, we’re not just here to share insights; we’re here to dismantle those myths and give you the real deal on creative real estate strategies. Let’s roll up our sleeves and tackle the biggest misconceptions that are holding you back!

Myth 1: You Need a Real Estate License to Invest

This myth is as common as dirt. Many think that without a license, you can’t play in the big leagues of real estate. But let’s set the record straight: a license doesn’t just let you dabble; it expands your horizons! When your cash offer falls flat, having a license means you can list that property instead of walking away empty-handed. Remember, more tools in your toolbox mean more deals on the table!

Myth 2: Wholesaling is Just a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme

Wholesaling has a bad rap, often labeled as a scam or a way to make a quick buck without real effort. Here’s the truth: successful wholesalers are hard workers who know the ins and outs of their market. At the Black Sheep Convention, we teach you how to find the ‘total train wreck’ deals—those properties that others overlook. This isn’t about a quick flip; it’s about mastering the skill set that transforms dead transactions into closed deals with real profit.

Myth 3: Creative Financing is Too Complicated

Let’s be real—creative financing sounds complex, but it’s just a set of strategies that can make the impossible possible! Many are scared off by stories of complicated maneuvers, but the reality is that creative financing is about finding solutions when conventional methods fail. At our convention, we simplify these strategies into actionable steps. You’ll walk away with real techniques you can apply as soon as you get back to your desk!

Myth 4: You Need a Ton of Cash to Get Started

Ever heard this one? “You need a big bank account to invest in real estate.” This myth is a killer. You don’t need to be a millionaire to make a mark in real estate. With creative financing techniques, you can leverage other people’s money, negotiate deals, and structure transactions that don’t require a hefty down payment. At the Black Sheep Convention, we’ll teach you how to think outside the box and turn low-cost opportunities into profitable ventures!

Myth 5: Networking is Just About Collecting Business Cards

Do you think networking is a numbers game? Think again! Real networking is about building genuine relationships that lead to real opportunities. At the Black Sheep Convention, you’re not just trading business cards; you’re connecting with fellow rebels who are ready to share knowledge, resources, and maybe even partnerships. It’s about creating a community that supports each other in making real estate dreams a reality!

Join Us at the Black Sheep Convention!

Ready to break free from the myths and dive into the real world of creative real estate? Join us on September 25-26, 2026, at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country for hands-on training that’ll reshape your approach to real estate investing. Whether you’re an agent or an investor, this isn’t just another seminar—it’s where real operators come together to share what works, without the fluff or sales pitches.

Pricing: All-access in-person tickets are just $399, and you can attend live online for $99.

Don’t miss out on this chance to transform your real estate game. Grab your spot now and get ready to hustle hard!

Picture a $280,000 house sitting in suburban San Antonio. Owner is three payments behind, foreclosure is closing in, and he is willing to take far less than market value to make it go away. That kind of motivated seller call normally pulls six interested buyers within 48 hours.

Two agents looked at it and walked. An investor I know passed on it too. All in the same week.

I stayed.

The complications were real. A PACE solar lien on the property (the kind that transfers with the deed, not the seller). A deceased co-owner still on title with no probate filed and no affidavit of heirship anywhere in the public record. And a $43,000 IRS federal tax lien that didn’t surface until we ran the full title search.

Three problems. Any one of them is enough to make most Texas real estate professionals call it a dead file and move on.

I’ve spent years building the specific skill set that looks at that combination and sees a transaction.

The Numbers on the Table

The seller owed $198,000. Fair market value ran about $275,000 on a good day. For a conventional cash exit to make sense for us, we needed to come in under $205,000. With $43,000 in IRS debt riding on top, the seller’s net at that price would have been negative. He couldn’t pay off the lien. He couldn’t afford a steep discount. That’s exactly why the investor I mentioned walked away.

The solar PACE lien had $18,000 remaining at 6.9% over 11 years, roughly $187 a month.

The title issue was the messiest piece. The deceased co-owner had two adult children we couldn’t locate right away. Until they signed or went through probate, the title was unmarketable.

On paper, this is a disaster. Three separate legal and financial landmines on one house.

Why Creative Financing Changed the Math

I called a real estate attorney I work with regularly. The heirship situation had a path. Texas allows muniment of title in simple estate cases, and with no debt owed by the deceased, this qualified. We’re talking eight to twelve weeks, not eight months. Expensive? Not compared to the spread we were looking at.

The IRS lien turned out to be the most workable piece of the three. IRS subordinations exist precisely for situations like this one. When a deal is structured correctly and the IRS believes they’re recovering what they’d get through a forced sale, they will subordinate or accept a negotiated payoff. We went back and forth for three weeks and settled that $43,000 obligation for $31,200. It’s paperwork and patience and knowing the process.

The solar lien we left in place. PACE liens in Texas are assumable, and the monthly payment can be factored into a subject-to purchase or wrapped into seller financing. The buyer we found was a landlord investor who wanted the property producing rental income. We structured a subject-to deal, the existing mortgage stayed in place, the PACE lien rode along with the new owner, and we collected our spread above the existing balance.

There’s no due-on-sale police and no due-on-sale jail.

What the Deal Actually Paid

After the IRS settlement, the muniment of title legal costs, our time, and the subject-to closing, we cleared $34,400 on a deal three other people abandoned in the first 72 hours. The seller walked away with $9,800 in his pocket and $43,000 of federal tax debt forgiven. No foreclosure on his record. His neighbors didn’t know his business.

Was it complicated? Absolutely. Did I earn every dollar? Yes, and so did the knowledge I brought into that room on day one.

What You Can Actually Steal From This

The agents who walked away weren’t lazy. They weren’t incompetent. They simply didn’t have the tools. Most Texas real estate education doesn’t touch PACE lien transfers, IRS subordinations, or muniment of title. Those aren’t rare exotic strategies for some insider class of investors. They’re repeatable plays in creative real estate that just don’t show up in standard CE coursework.

Do you know how many deals in Texas die every month because nobody in the transaction knows these three things?

That’s the exact gap I built Black Sheep Convention to close.

If you want to work deals like the one above, you need to be in a room with operators who’ve actually closed them. A room where somebody walks through the real paperwork, the real negotiation timeline, and the real exit. That’s what we do at the best creative real estate event in Texas every year: real deals, real numbers, no pitch-fest, no back-of-the-room close.

Black Sheep Convention is September 25-26, 2026 at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. Ten classes. Ten hours of Texas CE credit. Twelve operators who’ve done the kind of deals most agents still walk away from. All-access in-person tickets are $399. Live online is $99.

The skill set that closed the deal above is teachable. You just need to be in the right room when someone who’s done it is doing the teaching.

Blanket avoidance of the Texas real estate event circuit is costing operators more than the worst pitch-fest ever did. I know why investors do it, I’ve done it myself, and I still think it’s the wrong call.

The conventional wisdom isn’t wrong about most events. Our industry runs a predictable format: warm up the crowd, hit them with a compelling story, close the room on a $10,000 coaching contract before lunch. If that’s your frame of reference, I understand the hard stop. But applying that same skepticism to every event on the calendar is a different decision, and I’ve watched it leave real skill gaps in operators who should know better.

What the Skeptics Get Right

The tell is simple. Look at whether speakers are there to teach or to sell. If every presenter walks off stage with a stack of order forms and a signature mentorship program to pitch, you’re in an infomercial. Our market has too many of those, and I’ve sat in enough of them to know what they feel like ten minutes in.

I won’t argue with anyone who has learned that lesson the hard way.

Where That Logic Breaks Down

There is a different kind of creative real estate event in Texas. We built one because I couldn’t find one I actually trusted.

The Black Sheep Convention runs September 25-26, 2026, at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country. Twelve operators. Ten classes. Ten hours of Texas CE credit. Five class periods with two classes running at the same time, so you pick your track.

Our presenters are doing deals right now. When one of them walks through a short sale with a missing owner, a solar lien, and an IRS hold still attached, that’s a transaction from the last few months. We teach the total train wrecks, the deals most Texas agents and investors walk away from, because that’s where I see the biggest skill gap in our market. The operators who can close those files are delivering six-figure debt forgiveness to real people in real trouble. I think that’s one of the most legitimate roles in this industry, and our industry doesn’t talk about it enough.

That’s what we mean when we call ourselves the black sheep of Texas real estate. We say what most people in this market won’t, and we back it with real deals, not theory.

What a Room Actually Gives You

I can find a video about subject-to transactions. You can too. Our market is not short on content about creative finance.

But is that video going to walk you through the specific moment a seller’s existing lender calls, from someone who fielded that exact call last month? Will it give you the operating confidence behind why “there’s no due-on-sale police and no due-on-sale jail” is the working reality behind hundreds of closed Texas deals every year?

The most valuable thing I’ve seen operators walk out with from a single class period is calibration. You sit next to someone who closed forty-plus subject-to transactions last year, and your entire model of what’s “risky” shifts fast. I’ve watched that happen in our rooms. It doesn’t happen on YouTube.

Who Should Actually Come

If you’re a licensed agent who thinks real estate investing is a separate career, our convention is going to reframe that. We’ve always held that the licensing issue is mostly myth. Your license doesn’t limit your investing business. When a cash offer falls through, you can list the property instead of walking away empty-handed. That’s an exit most unlicensed wholesalers don’t have, and it changes how you approach every conversation.

If you’re an active investor grinding through CE requirements like a chore, ten hours of credit taught by operators who are actively closing deals is not what you’ve been dreading.

If you want a mixer with name tags and cocktail shrimp, our event isn’t that. But if you want mechanics you can run on a real deal the following Monday, we designed every class period around exactly that.

The Offer

$399 gets you all-access in person. $99 gets you in live online. Both include the same ten classes and ten CE hours.

September 25-26, 2026. Hilton San Antonio Hill Country, San Antonio, Texas.

Most Texas investors will assume this is like the others and sit it out. I’ve been in this market long enough to know what’s been missing from our training circuit. This room is what I wish had existed when I was figuring out my first few deals. Don’t sit this one out.

Every week I talk to agents and investors who are waiting for rates to come down. Waiting for conditions to “normalize.” Waiting for the market to make sense again.

I talk to a different group too. These people are closing deals right now. Same market. Same rates.

The second group learned creative financing while the first group was reading articles about the Fed.

That gap is widening. I think the next 18 months in Texas are going to make clear, permanently, which side of it you’re on.

The Market You’re Avoiding Is the One That Pays

Here’s what I’ve seen in my own deals: when conventional financing tightens up, motivated sellers get MORE motivated. The buyer pool shrinks. Their holding costs don’t.

A seller who needs to move right now has limited options. They can sit and wait, or they can get creative on terms. That’s where you come in, if you’ve done the work to learn these structures.

Subject-to is working right now because those 2020 and 2021 loans are worth something. I’ve picked up properties at 3.5% interest I’d never be able to finance at current rates. There’s no due-on-sale police and no due-on-sale jail. The loan transfers with the deed.

Seller finance is working right now because a motivated seller who carries the note is a motivated seller who actually closes. The terms come from the negotiation, not a bank’s rate sheet.

Short sales are working right now because there are properties drowning in liens that most agents refuse to touch. I’m talking about the total train wreck deals: missing owners, IRS holds, solar liens, estate chaos. Done right, you close a transaction that delivers six-figure debt forgiveness to someone in genuine crisis. That’s what our operators are actually doing.

Are you leaving those deals on the table? Because I see Texas agents walking away from them every week.

What Most Real Estate Events Miss

I’ve been to a lot of conferences. I know what a pitch-fest looks like.

A great speaker hits the stage, tells you about deals from five years ago, and somewhere around hour three the “special offer” appears. Fifteen thousand dollars for the real training.

We built Black Sheep Convention specifically as the alternative. No guru pitch-fest. No back-of-the-room close. No five-figure mentorship upsell from the stage.

What we do instead: 12 operators who are active in the Texas market right now, running real sessions on real deal structures. The stuff you can copy the following Monday.

That’s what a creative real estate event in Texas should actually deliver. Working sessions on deal structures that close in the market we’re living in, not the market someone nostalgized about from a stage.

September 25-26, Hilton San Antonio Hill Country

Our next event runs two full days at the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country.

10 classes. 12 operators. 10 hours of Texas CE credit. Five class periods with two sessions running simultaneously, so you’re picking the content that fits where you actually are.

All-access in person: $399. Live online: $99.

I’ll tell you exactly who belongs here. If you’re an agent tired of watching investors close deals you couldn’t figure out how to structure, you’ll find your people. If you’re an investor who’s been sitting on the sidelines because conventional deals stopped penciling, same story. We’re building a Texas market where agents and investors work together instead of treating each other like competition. We really want to bring creative real estate into the mainstream, to show that investors are legitimate and important parts of this market. That’s the whole premise.

The Specific Move While Everyone Else Waits

The operators who spent the last two years learning creative financing are building portfolios. The ones who waited are still waiting. That’s not speculation. I’ve watched it happen.

Stop reading about what the Fed might do. Go sit in a room with people who’ve figured out how to close in this market and ask them exactly how they structured the last deal.

The next creative real estate event in Texas where you’re actually going to learn that is September 25-26 in San Antonio. The people who aren’t waiting will be there.

Tickets are at blacksheepconvention.com.

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