One way to achieve more equity is to look at the neighboring markets and growthtriggers see if your area has similar economicsPass performance does not dictate the future Growth factors possibly hyper growth in your neighboring areas new construction amenities I have seen areas jump 10 X in relatively short periods due to multiple factors shopping, dining You owe to yourself to research the possibilities of future equity growth. you can always syndicate your ownership to long term investors to recoup some of your capital. ideal for people look for a write off and have the Ability to wait for appreciation.

You will need to decide if you want a shop that has a lot of training, or if you want a small boutique shop, or even a flat fee brokerage. 

Your situation (different country, Airbnb income, longer hold time) may not fit this model exactly.Negotiating Better Terms:With the bank: Shop around for better rates, consider a larger down payment for better terms.With real estate agents: Offer exclusivity for a lower rate, or consider handling the sale yourself if legal in Georgia.Holding Period: Given the strong Airbnb cash flow, holding longer could be beneficial, especially if the market is appreciating.

I had contacted at least 6 different insurance agents so it wasn't the same insurance carrier, and one of them was a broker shopping it around.

In terms of the loan(s), I currently have a steady and competitive W2 job and very low DTI, however I’ll ensure to verify the rules and regulations for rental income when shopping lenders, so I don’t hit a roadblock when buying the next rental. 

Excellent location in Mesa.I shopped around and I found a mortgage broker who was able to get me a 6.99% rate who took the loan to UWM (united wholesale mortgage).I negotiated a $15k seller concession I used for a 1-0 buy down so my rate for 1 year will be 5.99% and then revert to 6.99% for 30yrs. and then we used the rest of the concessions for closing costs. in 6 months or 12 months I will revisit to see if mortgage interest rates dropped significantly to justify a refinance to lock in a lower interest rate.part of the approval process for the Fannie Mae 5% mortgage is to make sure that i could afford this property and that i have good credit, my income is consistent and stable and it reflects that on my tax returns, I have sufficient capital reserves for the subject property and my other 10 Multifamily properties (6 months of PITI for the subject and then it's percentage based off of the loan amounts and how many properties you have)I agree, the more that government "helps" they therefore are increasing pricing.

AshleyNormal, however you have wide latitude in the actual agreement you agree to sign, how long, how much commission, that’s not to see individual agents have to agree to your terms, but if you feel uncomfortable with the terms you are free to negotiate or shop around, however an agent cannot legally show you a house without an signed agreement of some sort. 

@Aden BrustPer this NY Times article, the average American knows around 600 people.https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/science/the-average-american-knows-how-many-people.html#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20knows%20about,do%20you%20know%20named%20Kevin%3FPer the US Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 time in their life, which based upon an approximate lifespan of 84 years, works out to be about every 7 years.https://www.census.gov/topics/population/migration/guidance/calculating-migration-expectancy.html#:~:text=Using%202007%20ACS%20data%2C%20it,one%20move%20per%20single%20yearSo, if the average American knows 600 people and they each move about every 7 years, that means that the average American knows around 85 people that move in any given year.How many of those moves do you want to be involved in?

A house has come up for sale next door to one of their existing houses, and due to the convenience that would provide from an operational standpoint, they want to open up shop there.  

As for furnishing costs, you are welcome to PM for my Excel shopping list.