– Considering Class A properties with established tenants• Less focus on appreciation – Prioritizing income stability over potential future gains Current Opportunity: I’m evaluating a retail property in downtown Portland with:• >80% occupancy, most tenants in place for 10+ years• Decent cap rate (6-7%), NNN lease• Well-maintained, high-quality building, with existing HOA which will take care of maintenance. 

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.

They help you grow your investment portfolio, by maintaining the asset, protecting the downside by placing good tenants, and help you analyze new properties. 

THEN, I plan to purchase the second home using a FHA or conventional loan (3%-5% down), for which I will likely pay the monthly cost out-of-pocket, maybe with some rental income support if it is a duplex.My concern is, I do not want to spend my savings or weigh down my debt-to-income ratio so much so that I cannot qualify for and pay the down payment and closing for the lending on the second home.Questions: - With the first home being multi-family, 75% of the rental income (or potential rental income initially) will relatively either maintain or boost my debt-to-income ratio from lenders' perspectives, right? 

Meeting the 100-hour material participation rule qualifies your STR income as active as long as no one else participates more than you, This will allow losses to offset W-2 or other active income.While there’s no official IRS form to track hours, maintaining a detailed log is essential in case of an audit.

Your concerns are valid, and it's clear you value both guest experience and neighborhood harmony.Given that a minor increase in guests might not significantly boost your rates, maintaining the current plan seems wise.

However, employer profit-sharing contributions (up to 25% of W-2 wages) are not subject to FICA taxes and do not appear on the W-2.To stay IRS-compliant, ensure your Form W-2 and Form 941 properly reflect deferrals, and maintain a reasonable salary to avoid red flags.

There are also additional costs of operating and maintaining an LLC, like separate bank accounts, annual report filings, tax filings, etc.2.

.• Clear Guidelines & Performance Metrics:Defining clear expectations, call scripts, and performance benchmarks helps maintain consistency.

New Britain is where you are going to get the best ROI like you mentioned and this is because as a whole there are more areas within the city where qualified tenants are looking to live and the purchase prices are lower while still maintaining competitive rents.