It hits home especially today as I am putting down a family dog that we have had 14.5 years. 

Airbnb.org, the nonprofit arm of airbnb.com, offers hosts options to assist with emergency housing in times of crisis, such as the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.

Instead of debates and personal opinion, look for proof https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-source/forms/plan-check-2017/single-family-dwelling-duplex-plan-review-list.pdf under G (Interior Env) which defines the minimum requirement of a habitable room (aka bedroom or bathroom).

Investment Info:Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

Norfolk is where the majority of multifamily inventory is located, Virginia beach is zoned much more single family. 

Hang on to the rest for emergencies.  

I plan to purchase a primary residence, multi-family home (2-5 units, 'house-hack'). 

.✅ Stronger Tenant Relationships – Being involved directly allows you to build rapport with your tenants, which can lead to better communication and longer leases.Cons of Self-Managing❌ Time-Consuming – Dealing with maintenance requests, late-night emergencies, and tenant disputes can quickly become a second job.❌ Legal Risks – Chicago has strict landlord-tenant laws.

R  Resevres:  Needed for downpayment and Emergency Reserve.  

When we moved, we turned it into a rental, hoping this would be the start of our real estate journey—something we’d like to continue once my husband retires.Some key details:My husband is active duty and will retire in 3 years.We have one final move coming up this summer to Raleigh, NC.Our current debts are crippling us—the high interest makes it tough to stay afloat every month.The plan me and my husband are thinking bout:Sell the rental property.Use the proceeds to pay off all our debts, set aside emergency funds and a down payment for our next home.Free up $1,500/month from debt payments, and that also can stash in a high-yield savings account.Regain full VA loan entitlement, allowing us to purchase a multifamily home and use the house hacking strategy for up coming move.Avoid capital gains tax, since April marks five years of ownership, and the tenant’s lease ends in May.This wasn’t our original plan, and we hate the idea of using our equity to pay off debt.