It is solid to look at deals that are off-market and know that the ability to buy it at a price and either hold it or sell it will be coming with less competition on the purchase and more upside.  

If it’s not a partnership or other entity then the balance is not that important, but if you’re already reconciling books and have A solid set of books it’s best to provide the balance sheet.

If a solid rental opportunity arises, buy it. 

To scale, I’d focus on defining financial goals, targeting specific property types, diversifying, and building a solid network.

It sounds like you're looking to balance immediate cash flow with long-term equity growth, which is a solid strategy.A few ideas to consider:Local Networking: Connect with other investors in your area or in Milwaukee who might have deals they can't take on themselves.

Normally an annual STR revenue at 20% of purchase price would provide solid COC.  

Sounds like you have a solid agent for checking on that

Pick a solid B-Class suburban area.

Is there solid equity coverage? 

Markets there are growing rapidly while still offering competitive entry points for solid passive income opportunities.Hope this helps, and best of luck with your investing journey!