Meet Julie Gates — 20-Year Savannah Investor and Team 912 Founder

A 2-minute strategic framework for investors evaluating Savannah as a serious capital deployment decision. Julie is a Forbes Business contributor, Easy Street Capital contributor, licensed RE/MAX broker, and operates a vertically integrated investor business across brokerage (Team 912), property management (Sid Was Here), and investor education (Cashflow Savannah).

What Team 912 Helps Investors Do

Savannah is one of the Southeast’s most durable investor markets — but it’s also one of the most jurisdictionally fragmented. Short-term rental rules shift the moment you cross a city boundary: Savannah’s Historic District operates under a 20% per-ward permit cap, unincorporated Chatham County allows STRs in most residential areas with a $350 county certificate, Pooler runs its own 2025 ordinance with a 500-foot spacing rule, Tybee banned new permits in 2022, and Richmond Hill has no STR regulations at all. Flood zones cut through neighborhoods at lot-line resolution. Georgia’s an attorney-closing state. Every one of these details is a five-figure underwriting variable, and none of them are visible from a Zillow listing.

Team 912 exists because professional investors need a broker who lives inside those details. Use the calculators on our Property Calculator page to underwrite deals before you write offers. Check the STVR Permit Guide and Flood Zone Insurance Primer before you commit to an address. Read the neighborhood guides to match strategy to submarket. When you’re ready to move, get on the deal list — we send qualified investor-grade listings and off-market opportunities to buyers who’ve told us what they’re looking for.

One broker. One vertically integrated team. Twenty years in Savannah.

Meet real estate experts in Savannah

Team 912 is composed of real estate agents in Savannah. You’ll get professional advice in purchasing your first ever investment.

Subscribe to our Podcast

Join us at the Cashflow Savannah Meetup

Cashflow savannah meetup

Learn About Investment Real Estate in Savannah From Local Real Estate Investors

Savannah Real Estate Investing — Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for investors who understand its jurisdictional complexity. Savannah has posted 8.3% metro growth since 2020, hosts the nation’s busiest single-terminal container port, generates $4.1B in annual tourism spend, and has no state income tax. It’s particularly strong for BRRRR and STR investors — but flood zones, STR permit caps, and Georgia’s attorney-closing process require local expertise to navigate profitably.
BRRRR (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat), short-term rentals (in permitted areas), and long-term residential rentals have all produced strong returns. Flips also work but require tight rehab cost control in a market where contractor availability fluctuates. The best strategy depends on your capital stack, risk tolerance, and how you plan to manage the property — Team 912 will help you match strategy to submarket.
It depends entirely on the address. Savannah’s Historic District operates under a 20% per-ward permit cap and strict owner-occupancy rules. Unincorporated Chatham County allows STRs in most residential zones with a $350 annual certificate. Pooler enacted new STR regulations in 2025 with a 500-foot spacing requirement. Tybee Island banned new STR permits in 2022. Richmond Hill currently has no STR ordinance. Always verify zoning and permit status before committing to a purchase.
Significantly. Much of coastal Georgia sits in FEMA Flood Zone AE or X, and the boundaries run at lot-line resolution — two houses on the same street can have completely different flood insurance requirements. Properties in high-risk zones require federally backed flood insurance, which can add $200–$800/month to your carrying costs and dramatically changes deal math. Always pull the flood zone certificate before writing an offer.
Rents vary widely by submarket and property type. Long-term residential rents in 2025–2026 range from roughly $1,100–$1,400/month for a 2BR in mid-tier neighborhoods to $1,800–$2,400/month for 3BR in Pooler or Southside. Historic District STRs with strong management can gross $4,000–$7,000/month depending on unit size and permit type. Use the Team 912 Property Calculator to run current rent assumptions for your specific address.
For out-of-market investors, yes. Georgia is an attorney-closing state, STR rules shift block by block, flood zones require a local pull to verify, and off-market deal flow is relationship-driven. A generalist agent can write offers — but an investor-focused brokerage like Team 912 brings underwriting experience, contractor relationships, and on-the-ground market knowledge that protects your capital at every step.
It depends on your strategy. The Historic District and Victorian District offer strong STR income potential where permits are available. Eastside and Midtown are popular for BRRRR due to lower acquisition costs. Pooler and Southside attract long-term rental investors targeting military and logistics-sector tenants. Thomas Square and Starland District attract a younger professional renter base. Each submarket has distinct permit rules, flood profiles, and rent ranges — check the neighborhood guides on this site for detail.
Start by using the Property Calculator to underwrite a deal with real numbers, then read the STVR Permit Guide and Flood Zone Primer to understand the key risk variables. When you’re ready to move, join the investor deal list — we send qualified listings and off-market opportunities directly to buyers who’ve told us what they’re looking for. Team 912 works exclusively with serious capital deployers, not first-time homebuyers.