The Blog.
Stories, lessons, and behind-the-scenes notes from Coffee & Construction and The Construction Lounge in Houston.
April 27, 2026 · Candra Brown
Coffee & Construction Houston: A Four-Year History
The complete four-year history of Coffee & Construction Houston, the original workshop series created and curated by Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design. From the first event in February 2023 to The Construction Lounge.
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December 6, 2025 · Candra Brown
Investor-Friendly Agents in Houston: What They Actually Do
An investor-friendly agent is not just an agent who knows the word ARV. Here's what they actually deliver, what they cost, and how to vet whether someone really is one.
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September 13, 2025 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Budget a New Construction Project in Houston
A line-item budget framework for Houston new construction. Land, hard costs, soft costs, contingency, financing, and the spreadsheet structure a real Houston builder actually uses.
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June 14, 2025 · Candra Brown
Selling New Construction: A Houston Agent's Playbook
Most Houston agents lose new construction deals because they don't speak the builder's language. Here's the playbook for agents who want to win listings, represent buyers, and partner with developers.
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March 8, 2025 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Become an Electrician in Texas
Electricians are one of the highest-paid trades in Texas, with strong career paths and entrepreneurial options. Here's the full pathway from apprentice to licensed electrician in Texas.
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December 7, 2024 · Candra Brown
Surplus Funds Recovery: A Wealth Tool Most Houstonians Don't Know
When a property goes to foreclosure or tax sale and sells for more than was owed, the surplus often goes unclaimed. Here's how surplus funds recovery works in Texas and why it matters.
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September 14, 2024 · Candra Brown
How to Find Good Subcontractors in Houston
Bad subs sink projects. Good subs build careers. Here's how a working Houston developer actually finds, vets, and keeps the subcontractors who deliver.
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June 8, 2024 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
Capital Stacks for Small Houston Builders
How to layer different funding sources to actually close a small Houston build. Hard money, gap funding, transactional, JV equity, and the realistic stack a first-time builder needs.
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March 9, 2024 · Candra Brown
Choosing Your First Build: Spec Home vs. Build to Rent in Houston
Should your first Houston new construction project be a spec home for sale or a build-to-rent property? A Houston developer breaks down the math, the risk, and the strategy behind each.
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December 16, 2023 · Candra Brown
Common Mistakes First-Time Builders Make in Houston
After years of running BEDDIEO Construction & Design and watching first-time builders, here are the most common mistakes that wreck Houston new construction projects, and how to avoid them.
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November 4, 2023 · Candra Brown
OSHA-10 in Texas: What It Is and Why It Matters
OSHA-10 is the entry credential for almost every Houston job site. Here's what it covers, how to get it, and why every aspiring tradesperson and developer should hold one.
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September 23, 2023 · Candra Brown
A Day on a Houston New Construction Site
What actually happens on a working Houston new construction site, from the foreman's morning huddle to the end-of-day walkthrough. Written from inside an active BEDDIEO build.
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August 19, 2023 · Candra Brown
BRRRR Strategy in the Houston Market
Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat. Whether the BRRRR strategy still works in Houston in 2023, and what to watch out for in the current rate environment.
For InvestorsHouston Real EstateRead the post
June 17, 2023 · Candra Brown
Why Women Should Consider the Construction Trades
Women in construction earn more, have more career options, and face less competition than they think. A Houston developer makes the honest case for why more women should look at the trades.
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May 24, 2023 · Candra Brown
Learn How to Build New Construction Homes in Houston: Coffee & Construction S1:E3
Episode 3 of Coffee & Construction Houston. Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design brings together developers, builders, realtors, mortgage brokers, and investors building together in Houston. May 24, 2023.
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May 6, 2023 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Start a Construction Business in Houston
A practical guide to starting a Houston construction business in 2023. Licenses, insurance, contracts, first clients, and the structural decisions that will define the next five years of your business.
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March 23, 2023 · Candra Brown
BEDDIEO Residential New Construction in Houston: Coffee & Construction S1:E2
Episode 2 of Coffee & Construction Houston. Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design tours active residential construction sites with builder Eric Mbiu of STEM Developers. March 23, 2023.
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March 11, 2023 · Candra Brown
Hard Money Lending in Houston Explained
What hard money is, what it costs, and when it actually makes sense for Houston construction and real estate projects. Written by a Houston developer who has used it.
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February 28, 2023 · Candra Brown
Coffee & Construction LIVE with BEDDIEO: The First Event
The story of the first Coffee & Construction LIVE event in Houston, hosted by Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design in February 2023. New construction, seller financing, and building wealth through real estate.
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February 4, 2023 · Candra Brown
How to Become a Carpenter in Texas
Carpentry is one of the highest-demand trades in Texas. Here's how to actually become a carpenter, from apprenticeship pathways to career growth, written by a Houston developer who hires them.
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December 17, 2022 · Candra Brown
Houston Neighborhoods to Watch for New Construction in 2023
A Houston developer's take on which neighborhoods are positioned for new construction growth in 2023. Where the land is still affordable, where demand is rising, and where to be careful.
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November 12, 2022 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Fund Construction Without W-2 Income or High Credit
Most aspiring Houston builders are told no by traditional banks. Here's how working developers actually fund projects without W-2 income or 740 credit scores.
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September 24, 2022 · Candra Brown
How Real Estate Agents Can Win More Investor Clients in Houston
Why most Houston real estate agents lose investor clients within three meetings, and what the agents who win them are actually doing differently.
For AgentsFor InvestorsRead the post
August 13, 2022 · Candra Brown
The Real Cost of Building a Home in Houston
What it actually costs to build a new home in Houston in 2022. Land, hard costs, soft costs, contingency, and the budget mistakes that wreck first-time builders.
For BuildersHouston Real EstateRead the post
June 25, 2022 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Get Started in Construction in Houston
A Houston developer's roadmap for breaking into construction. Whether you want to build your own home, start a construction business, or learn the trade, here's where to begin in the Houston market.
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May 14, 2022 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Acquire Land in Houston Without Traditional Bank Financing
Banks rarely lend on raw land in Houston. Here are the strategies real Houston developers actually use to acquire lots and parcels: seller financing, land trusts, partnership structures, and creative deal flow.
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March 26, 2022 · Candra Brown
Owner Financing in Houston: How It Actually Works
What owner financing really means in Houston real estate. How to find seller-financed properties, how the contracts work, and what to watch for. Written by Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design.
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February 12, 2022 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
How to Buy Your First Home in Houston with Less-Than-Perfect Credit
A Houston developer and broker explains how first-time buyers can purchase a home in Houston without perfect credit. FHA, down payment assistance, and credit repair strategies that actually work.
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December 19, 2021 · Candra Brown · Cornerstone
Why I Am Hosting Coffee & Construction in Houston
Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design announces the launch of Coffee & Construction, the original Houston workshop series for first-time buyers, investors, and aspiring builders. December 2021.
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December 19, 2021 · Candra Brown
The Origin Story of Coffee & Construction in Houston
Coffee & Construction is the original Houston workshop series, created and curated by Candra Brown of BEDDIEO Construction & Design. Four years of building Houston's real estate and construction community.
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