Also, it is okay to go through some extra maintenance for the short term. 

We plan to take all extra income after that and pour it into real estate investing.

I'm contemplating this decision because I'm not sure if it would be desirable for tenants to have an extra room instead just a loft area.

It works great for wholesalers who sell the deals to a flipper, so a flipper can reap the rewards by going the extra mile and conducting their own marketing

With this set up, we were able to get a DSCR loan through Kiavi with only a few extra steps compared to an LLC.  

I am working on what to fill the extra time with at the moment.  

Consider remote monitoring tools (like security cameras), and budget an extra 10-15% for surprises.

That is basically an extra tax return, legal fees for setup, bookkeeping costs (if you aren't doing it yourself), possibly an umbrella policy.

Maybe take extra steps like walking the prospect to their car and glancing into it, while that is not a 100% indication that they will be a good resident, it definitely helps.

I’ve been interested in getting into real estate as a way to potentially have extra income and also have more of a safety net in retirement, either through cashing in on equity or continuing to own rentals.