buying some random property you've never seen, because someone who stands to make money off it tells you it's a deal, and then trusting it to people you've never met? 

Now the minimum standards your basement has to hit for it to be able to count as assessed sqft not estimated is a height of 7 ft, a point of egress (bilco doors) and a window usually in the rear, It's one of those things where if your going to go through the process of digging out a basement you might as well go for it and dig it deeper then 7 and closer to 8 ft so you actually stand out compared to the competition.Now the other side of this coin which I would suggest is if you're willing to spend 40-50k on a basement dig, consider adding a 3rd story addition if your a 2 story (think master suite, walk in closet, master bath) or an addition off the back and add a roof deck if your a 3 story (either master suite or just additional bedroom).

And it will give you a side by side comparison of your decision to either stand pat or go through with the transaction.

As things stand I would be surprised to see any rate cuts this year.

Therefore my renters are professionals who want to maintain their good standing in credit, etc.

Mix buying a home, saving money, putting money in different spots, and possibly getting a better loan deal to stand in a good spot after 5 years.Good luck!

In the meantime, many sellers who bought before the COVID-19 pandemic stand to earn a tidy profit, as the median list price of homes for sale has increased by 37.5% compared with May 2019.

How do you stand out in your communication plan?

I wouldn't say there is a best state overall but there are a few cities that stand out.

Perform the same task in each app to ensure a fair comparison.Load a property with pictures and details.Market that property.See what your marketing looks like from the public's perspective.Submit a fake application to see how easy the process is.Run a credit/screening report on yourself.Enter a maintenance request, assign a vendor, and attach a fake invoice.Enter charges to the tenant's ledger.Enter recurring charges and automatic late fees.Sign documents electronically.Run owner reports.After testing a few apps, one should clearly stand out.