Case Study: The International Investor
From London to a 12 Door Section 8 Portfolio in Ohio.
David Sullivan is a 34 year old software engineer in London who wanted US real estate cash flow but did not want to move, fly out for every closing, or trust his money to someone he had never met. In 14 months he built a 12 door Section 8 portfolio across two Ohio zip codes, wiring funds from the UK and running the whole operation with a remote team he vetted through Tom's playbook.
This case study reflects David's real journey inside Tom Cruz's mentorship program.
The Challenge
David was based 4,000 miles away from every property he wanted to buy. UK banks would not lend on US rentals, and US lenders were nervous about a foreign national with no domestic credit history.
He had researched Section 8 for months and knew the cash flow math worked. What he did not know was which Ohio markets actually paid strong FMR rents, which neighborhoods attracted long term Section 8 tenants, and which property managers would treat an out of country investor with the same care as a local one.
The bigger fear was invisible risk. Buying a house he could not physically walk through meant trusting inspection reports, agent photos, and video walkthroughs completely.
He also had no template for structuring the entity. Should he form an LLC, use a land trust, work through a US based partner? Every YouTube video gave him a different answer and none of them were built for a Section 8 investor sitting in another country.
David needed a full system, not scattered advice. Deal sourcing, financing that worked for a foreign national, an entity structure, and a trusted remote team, all wired together.
The Tom Cruz Effect
Foreign National Financing Path
Tom's private lender network included DSCR lenders comfortable underwriting foreign national investors on Section 8 income. David closed his first two properties in cash, then refinanced into DSCR loans to recycle capital into the next deals.
Section 8 Pro AI From Anywhere
David logged into Section 8 Pro AI from his laptop in London every night, filtered Ohio zip codes by tenant quality and rent toprice ratio, and had qualified deals waiting for his agent to walk before the American morning.
Entity and Banking Playbook
Tom's team walked David through forming a Wyoming and Ohio LLC, opening a US business bank account remotely, and setting up wire and ACH rails that made monthly transfers from Ohio property management to London seamless.
Vetted Remote Team in Ohio
David never flew out for a single closing. His Ohio agent, inspector, closing attorney, and property manager all came from Tom's mentorship network and had worked with international investors before.
Timezone Proof Workflows
Everything ran through async updates. Loom videos from inspectors, weekly reports from property management, and a shared deal pipeline meant David could review new houses and approve offers before noon London time.
Section 8 Occupied Purchases
Every house David bought already had a Section 8 tenant in place, so rent hit his account the first month. No turnover risk, no lease up delay, no vacant month burning cash while he waited to fill a house from another continent.
The Results
12 Section 8 Doors in 14 Months
Two concentrated mini portfolios in Ohio, all tenant occupied at purchase, all cash flowing from month one.
Bought Entirely From the UK
Every closing signed remotely from London using notarised documents. David has still not seen most of his properties in person.
Foreign National DSCR Stack
Initial cash purchases refinanced into DSCR loans built specifically for foreign investors, recycling his down payment capital.
Fully Remote Ohio Team
Agent, inspector, attorney, and property manager pulled from Tom's mentorship network and running the portfolio day to day.
AI Sourced Deal Pipeline
Section 8 Pro AI surfaced Ohio deals every night in London so David could act before US buyers even opened their laptops.
Predictable Monthly Cash Flow
Rent lands in his US LLC account every month and sweeps to London on a schedule, funding future purchases and personal income.
"I sit in London and my Ohio portfolio runs on autopilot. Tom's system gave me the lenders, the team, and the AI pipeline. Distance stopped being a disadvantage the day I stopped trying to do it alone."
David Sullivan
Section 8 Pro AI Student — London, UK
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