Mostly due to the fact my spouse and I agreed on her to have zero involvment in any sort of RE investing (and its our home) I think once you have a good 6-12 months of reserve cash (operating expenses for your own life saved as a back up incase things go bad) save enough liquidity to get the ball rolling on your first invesment.

This way, if vacation rental management becomes too demanding or isn’t feasible, you have an alternative strategy in place.Make sure to confirm that the HOA or association allows rentals at all.

Mortgage recasting is a great option for homeowners who:Have received a windfall, such as a bonus, inheritance, or proceeds from selling another property.Want to lower their monthly payments without extending their loan term or going through the hassle of refinancing.Are satisfied with their current interest rate and loan terms.How to Get StartedIf you’re considering mortgage recasting, here are the steps to take:Contact Your Lender: Ask if they offer mortgage recasting and confirm your loan’s eligibility.Determine the Lump Sum Amount: Decide how much you can afford to put toward your principal.Calculate Potential Savings: Use an online mortgage calculator or consult with your lender to estimate your new monthly payment and total savings.Submit the Request: Once you’ve made the lump sum payment, your lender will process the recasting and provide a new payment schedule.Final ThoughtsMortgage recasting can be a powerful tool for homeowners looking to reduce their monthly payments and save on interest without the cost and complexity of refinancing.

Proc. 2002-69, 2002-2 C.B. 831, for special rules applicable to husband and wife state law entities in community property states.I'm happy to answer or confirm any tax/accounting questions if you'd like

You have confirmed the research I’ve already done.

Have you called the housing authority that covers this property to confirm the max rent based on the # of beds?

If you need a new job once you move, you will need an offer letter prior to closing on your new home (and you will need 6 months reserves in order to be able to use the offer letter as income). 

especially since he's closing today on a fed reserve holiday...but hey, "the other guy's offering a better rate.."

You should have ample reserves and make sure the house is not a money pit from the maintenance perspective. 

But, if a cost-seg study is done on the old property, you can manage Sec. 1245 recapture tax by doing a study on the new property to confirm it has as much or more Sec. 1245 property.You cannot swap a fully depreciated gas station for a raw piece of land and avoid recapture - you must replace all the 1245 and 1250 property.3) OZ - Sure you can defer your capital gains for a few years into an OZ fund, but the magic of OZ investments is the ability to achieve tax-exempt growth after a 10-year holding period.