Dumb question - but are these auctions online only, or in-person? 

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

Personally, I would hang on to the cash.  

Account holders can't take any write-offs personally for investments made in the 401k.

I would imagine Long Beach is complicated to get into the STR game but I don't personally invest there so not sure.

Personally, I've felt the investment has been poorly run in almost every possible way.

Are you interested in S8 because of a personal reason or you think it's the next "hot" investment idea?

You'll want to put together a personal financial statement (basically lists of all your assets and liabilities) and have your tax returns ready.

Due to the current interest rates, you probably can't live for free, but you can definitely learn how to house hack in that first year, reduced your personal housing costs, learn the rent by room/co-living strategy on-site, and then probably break-even after move out, but most importantly, it is possible to make that work in 2025 with today's rates.It just takes being open-minded and willing to be flexible for the 1st year.  

The drawback is you need to build trust and relationships upfront.Both have their place, but private money tends to offer more flexibility, while hard money is more structured and accessible if you lack personal connections.