I feel like having such a low payment and rate make it stupid to choose selling the house, but since I haven't been in this position before, I thought I'd ask here.

Focus on cashflow and growth, earning money for more down payments on more properties.

Terms such as interest rates and payment schedules are typically negotiable.Combining creative financing with seller financing can include strategies like:Subject-to and Seller Financing: Taking over the seller's mortgage and financing the equity portion through the seller.Lease Option: Renting with an option to buy while negotiating seller financing for part of the purchase.Wraparound Mortgage: Keeping the seller's existing loan while they finance a new loan that includes the balance.To proceed, consider connecting with experienced investors, understanding local legal implications, and attending networking events to gather insights.

Quote from @Kevin Sobilo:Monthly Rent + Monthly Debt Payments <= Gross MONTHLY Rent * 45% Obviously I made a typo.

2) Your credit score3) Purchase price and down payment amountI would recommend shopping rates with a few local mortgage brokers.

Apologies if I missed prior posts asking the same thingI want to take advantage of the low down payment requirement however need to find a lender supporting this loan type.Can you please provide any recommended lenders for Homestyle loans (or even 203k) that serve DFW? 

Are some banks better for mortgages than others (in terms of down payment, interest rate, length of mortgage etc.)?

The tenants, who were always good, fell on hard times and could no longer keep up with rent payments. 

@Luis Cerwin as others have stated, Nov - Jan is the worst time of year to have a vacancy.Majority of tenants live paycheck-to-paycheck, so all their income goes to Holiday spending starting with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then xmas, then NYE.January is also historically the worst month for rent payments due to Holiday Hangover Spending.

I am planning to get into the TN real estate market as my first investment and am looking for some information.In particular: Areas to steer clear of, property management fees, typical cosmetic rehab costs, etc.My strategy is to put large down payments on 2 properties (relative to housing prices) to help pay for my living in NY while still gaining appreciation in a growing real estate market.