But if you’re looking for a more stable, family-friendly environment with lower costs and a focus on LTRs, Texas could be a better fit.Since you have young kids, I’d dig deeper into school districts and neighborhoods in both states—family life can really shape where you’ll feel at home.

On houses below $200k, the 70% rule gives you too low of a profit - you need to lower it the lower you go (ie a $100k ARV would probably be a 60% rule).

Making matters worse, 99.9% of individuals on BiggerPockets who want to buy in distant markets do so because the entry cost of doing business is lower.

Just to disprove your theory...by your logic, my first page search impression should be much lower than 80%!  

It’s a great way to lower your living expenses while gaining experience as a landlord.

We did get much lower costs when we changed to minisplits but the initial cost is high.

Organizational Delays: Section 8 offices are often overworked and understaffed, leading to slow processing times for new tenants, delayed rent increase approvals, and poor responsiveness.Benefits of Section 8:1.Long-Term Tenants: When you get a good tenant, they usually stay for a long time because of the tedious process required to qualify for Section 8 housing.2.Consistent Income: If Section 8 covers most or all of the rent, you typically receive reliable monthly payments, reducing the risk of non-payment (as long as there isn’t a large tenant portion).3.Lower Barrier to Entry: Because properties in these areas are often more affordable, it’s a good way for new investors to break into real estate without needing a large amount of capital.Overall, I’ve seen the good and the bad of this strategy.

Many of the recipients are single mothers who actually want to find stable housing for themselves and their children so initially they are looking for the best house they can find and it is only when time is running out and their voucher is expiring (Yes that is a thing) that they begin lowering their standards and will settle for a cheaply put together home. 

Just a quick comment and recommendation about Roth conversion: Never convert cash into Roth; if you do - 100% of the cash converted is taxable.

If rates improve slightly, a cash-out refinance could lower your mortgage rate, but ensure the numbers work with your long-term goals.One thing to consider is your return on equity (ROE).