Since she was a first time homebuyer we were able to save her 1% off her interest rate!

I am excited to start building my portfolio and learning all I can.

Since I’m holding these properties for the long term (30-year loans), I’ll have fully paid-off assets around the same time I’d traditionally start withdrawing from my 401(k).

Hi Aidan, when you first started you can create your partnership agreement per deal depending on what your end goal is for the property. 

I have couple of lists but not sure which one to start with. 

Here are some financing options to consider:HELOC or Cash-Out Refi on Another Property – If you or your mom have equity elsewhere, this could be a more flexible and lower-interest option.Business Line of Credit – Since the property is in an LLC, you might qualify for a business LOC, which could cover construction costs.Private Money Lender – If you’re okay with 12-15% rates, a private lender could fund this as a short-term loan, especially if the guesthouse will generate strong income.Construction Loan – Some lenders offer short-term construction financing, which converts to a longer-term mortgage once completed.Seller/Partner Financing – Bringing in an investor or structuring a joint venture with someone willing to fund the build in exchange for a share of the income.Credit Card Stacking or Unsecured Business Loans – Riskier but could work if you need to bridge a gap until the unit starts cash flowing.Would love to hear more details—especially your timeline and expected rental income.

I too never thought about a houseboat community until I owned a houseboat myself and started thinking of ways to make the investment make sense.

Raising money is all about marketing and sales (not real estate specific) so either hire marketing agency and read sales books, or hop on some LinkedIn courses on marketing and sales.Not sure the legal structure to use: talk to accountants and attorneys.Need deal flow: talk to brokers and go to a lot of networking events.Lending terms: start calling banks and loan brokers.From there, it is all risk mitigation. 

Hey AudreyHere's a list of things you should look for in your investment properties...Start by assessing the property’s curb appeal and exterior condition, checking the roof for damage and foundation for cracks or moisture.

Focus on absentee owners and start with the ones who live the farthest away and only own one property in the area since they have the least use for the property.You can also drive for dollars, looking for anomalies of disrepair and then look them up in the tax records and use a site like Spokeo to do cheap skip tracing.