The state that I live in is also not landlord friendly.  

Quote from @Dennis Knapp: I Have one double that I live in i bought as an investment just to help pay my mortgage.

To offset costs, I’m planning to buy a duplex and pursue a house-hacking strategy:1.Rent out one unit as a long-term rental.2.Live in the other unit and rent out the bedrooms as short-term rentals (STRs) through a furnished rental approach.Before diving in, I have a couple of questions:1.Can I use a property for both short-term and long-term rentals?

I have owned 3 homes in the past that I lived in. I

I’ve spent time assessing areas locally and identified Richmond, Pearland, Conroe, Montgomery and Katy as prospective areas to invest in. I

Quote from @Nelson Dibble: I have found several vacant lots in my local area that I am interested in.  I

I had been under the impression that there are products out there where you can put 10-15% down to get in. I

What neighborhood are you purchasing in?  I

What part of (or zip code within) LA County are you looking in? I

I appreciate you chiming in, I may be overstepping my comfort zone with Sheboygan for now!