Detroit is very much a block-by-block city, so having local knowledge is absolutely critical.

If you want to chat sometime I am local. 

I am very involved in our local real estate investor association and agree that in this central Florida market there are an over saturation of STRs as well.

In Pittsburgh, where I live and operate, this would be a two to three-month process in front of almost all out local district magistrates.

Personally, I’ve been looking for ways to align creativity with the numbers, whether that’s finding undervalued properties, building relationships with local agents, or pivoting to new strategies.

It’s hard to manage remotely, so you’ll need someone local.

Look for a local credit union that can offer a cash-out refinance once the work is done, ideally with minimal seasoning.

Staying local and house hacking—especially now, before kids—gives you so much flexibility to set yourselves up for long-term success.Your financial foundation is super strong, and house hacking a quad sounds like an amazing first step for you two.

Just focus on learning the local market, financing, and property management.

In my opinion, the best "first step" is to find a local REIA to attend.