Sometimes I wonder if people just feel better about themselves to spend all those nights and weekends on real estate when, realistically speaking, they would have earned just as good a return (or pretty close to it) by investing in a stock market index fund and had way more free time in life  I realize my premise here is antithetical to the whole notion of BiggerPockets so of course bigger pockets hates me writing this, as do all real estate agents and property managers, but it’s the truth and everyone needs to think about it

If you can stretch the budget to $250-275k, you can get a significantly nicer property / in a better area and still achieve the 1% rule

They also benefit from strong schools, which can be a huge draw for long-term tenants.While you may not achieve high cash flow immediately in these areas, the property values and rents tend to appreciate steadily over time, aligning well with your goals.

Dan, Investment HELOCS are extremely hard to achieve considering they are not DSCR underwrites. they are more traditional conventional qualifications.

The forum may suggest things you hadn't thought about yourself that could make things more affordable/achievable for you.

I love talking with investors, sharing values, discussing their wants and needs, helping them fully understand what they’re investing in and helping them achieve their passive income goals is very rewarding.

You will not only achieve a status upgrade in the market of RE investing, you are given the opportunity to have the knowledge to back it up.

Meanwhile, gross rents of $1,800+ for 3-bedroom single-families is an achievable figure, so it’s possible to generate cash flow if you lever modestly.There’s a bunch of other stuff that’s worth highlighting—the economy, demographics, neighborhoods, new construction, and more.

Congrats on achieving a comfortable financial situation.Condos are actually riskier than single family rentals. 

Hope you are able to achieve your goal!