Here are a few to watch out for:Property Condition: Most distressed properties need extensive repairs or renovations, which add to your initial investment.Competitive Market: With Phoenix's popularity among investors, competition for the best deals can be intense.Complex Deals: Foreclosures, auctions, or short sales are much more complicated compared to regular real estate transactions and usually require specialized knowledge.Tips to Successfully Navigate the MarketDo Your Research: Understand the local market conditions, including neighborhood trends, property values, and potential rental income.Build a Strong Network: Work with professionals who specialize in distressed properties-such as brokers, contractors, and legal experts-to make the best decisions.Assess Costs Carefully: Factor in the cost of repairs, holding costs, and any potential financing issues when evaluating a property’s profitability.Be Patient: Finding the right distressed property takes time.

As someone else mentioned, insurance here is generally less costly than in Florida and other beach markets. 

I have been in Milwaukee WI for quite a while as investing in my backyard in NY is cost prohibitive. good luck on your journey!!!! 

The overhead to start a company is low, but the cost to scale is high. 

Am I more likely to be able to add $50k or $100k of value above cost in a high Cost RE market or a low cost RE market?  

You could convert them to a DSCR loan but then transfer them to a LLCWhat we have done is save for down payments and renovation costs, - buy properties that need work rehab them and then refinance them out making sure it meets our dti.

We have 2 San Antonio sub2 deals that are turn key homes and only require about $20-25k to close (assignment fee + closing costs).They're a great option!

If transferring the property to an LLC, be mindful of the due-on-sale clause, and note that an LLC itself does not offer tax savings unless electing S-Corp status, which is rare for rentals.To maximize tax benefits, consider cost segregation, bonus depreciation, and short-term rental (STR) strategies, which could allow you to offset W-2 income if structured properly.

Most of my experience lies in the longterm rental property world, but we just picked up a short-term rental in Vermont and are going through the process of getting it ready to go.The property cost about $415k, and my insurance quote for homeowners + liability was about $4k, which seemed high to me.Obviously insurance quotes vary greatly by policy, but wanted to get a sense as to what others were paying and what provider they used.I am used to long-term rental policies, which seem to be less expensive.Thanks in advance!

I would tell people today that if you buy a primary residence expect to stay in that home for atleast five years, especially with a FHA loan which has lower down payment as the current forecasts for home appreciation or very low which with closing costs on the buy and sell, it will take several years to have equity in the property and enough to be able to sell, so that is something also to consider.