Wow, where are you shopping on Wayfair? I can't fathom doing it for that little. Couches for under $1k all have reviews that they sag in no time, have frames that break, etc.
We did a house in late 2021 that cost us about $25k in total (3bed/2bath), and are doing a house now that will be substantially more. Just to replace a worn out kitchen counter is running minimum $6k (for laminate!!) or $10k for lower quality quartz. We DIY all we can - paint the cabinets instead of replacing, even paint floor tile to spruce up bathrooms, etc. But labor right now for the things we can't do - yikes!
Our goal is to make up all start-up costs by 1 year. We'll hit it for that $25k price tag on house #1 (in 11 months, at current trajectory). That one was a happy accident, but now I use that on purpose - my start-up budget needs to be what I expect to pull in during year 1 (after utilities/taxes/upkeep/etc). That way, the quality of things match the estimated amount I think we'll charge for the site.
