If you want to build equity quickly, some level of hands-on involvement is key.

The FHA rules/regs (in particular the FHA self-sufficiency test) are applied the same across all markets, and I know for a fact that in rural communities across the country, and big cities that are not particularly desirable places to live, it's not a deal-breaker, I am not commenting on those areas. 

For pros/cons of booking.com I would say the following...Pros:-if you use guesty you can sync your airbnb info into your booking.com listing info to ease the set up process-there are more options to check off in the amenities portion of the listing set up, so you can really display the uniqueness of your property-I would wager 90% of self-managing str hosts only list on up to VRBO/Airbnb, which means there are not nearly as many options for people to choose between, which means more exposure for your listing-rumor has it that booking.com just invested a large sum of money into building out their services to provide more vacation home listings rather than hotels.

I look forward to building prosperous relationships with this amazing community!

If this is your first property, you could consider starting with a smaller apartment building and going after the opportunity first, and the property as a secondary consideration.

Would need to know about locations of your buildings and current rents to see if there is anything that can be done now to get numbers a bit better.

Depends on the town’s rules, though, so check that first.Renovation Loophole: Some places let you raise rents or get out of rent control if you do big renovations.

Stairs are the only way to get in, no grab rails in the bathroom, ramps that are too steep, etc.From what I've read, all commercial businesses/buildings (including ones before the ADA was passed) have to comply with the rules, unless it would be outrageously tough to fix (like installing an elevator in an already built building).Are all these local business just not complying and taking the risk, or am I missing something? 

Or building out systems like CRMs.

A generic space might attract one-time guests, but a strategically designed rental tailored to your ideal guest type builds loyalty, commands higher rates, and keeps your calendar booked.But it’s not just about aesthetics—choosing the right amenities can significantly boost your ROI, but they’re not one-size-fits-all.