Maurice Johnson

Maurice Johnson writes about what real estate actually costs to own. He also writes cookbooks, and picture books for children.

The real estate work comes from the lending side of the business. Through Dominion Hard Money, he connects real estate investors with third-party lending partners who finance rental purchases, renovations, and bridge deals. The question borrowers bring him is rarely what a property costs to buy. It is what it costs to keep — and most people find out the hard way, one line at a time.

The Landlord's Cost Map came out of those conversations. It maps property taxes, insurance, and landlord-tenant law across twelve states, built from state revenue departments, insurance regulators, and statute text rather than repeated from other people's summaries. A number that is off by a few hundred dollars a year is the difference between a rental that earns and one that quietly bleeds. A second book, covering the investor provisions of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that take effect in January 2027, is in progress.

The cookbooks came from cooking, which he has done for most of his life and still does most days. They span several kinds of food, and they are written the way he cooks — plainly, with the reasons included, so you understand what you are doing and not just what to do next.

Through Dominion Publishing he also writes and publishes picture books for young readers.

Different shelves, same habit. Whether it is a tax rate, a braise, or a bedtime story, the job is to get it right for someone who is trusting you with it.

Maurice lives and works in East Texas.