But it's difficult for me to just hand over money to someone I've never met, when I have so many friends (and have read so many stories here) who have been ripped off by contractors.How can I protect myself?

I began the renovation process by enlisting the help of a relative and some of his friends to gut the interior.

Hey BP,I know this question has been asked often, but I've been struggling trying to find an investor-friendly insurance company.

But there is no black and white guidance that I could find.And, in conclusion...1st conclusion: no FICA until the child's 18th birthday.2nd conclusion: tax law is muddy (I would add two capital letters, but it's a family-friendly forum)3rd conclusion: pay your CPA, we have to deal with it daily, and it takes skill

Recoup those expenses, my friend.

The best way to find an investor friendly broker is at a RE meetup, but you can also just ask around in your local network or google.

Mid-term is more likely to work in any market than STR, but I think you would be surprised at how well an STR could do if there are no other options like that in the area (think people's parents or friends coming in for the week(end)).I've seen a lot of people grimacing at the net-negative house hack (it's just a product of rates and low inventory in a lot of markets) and this is one option to try to recoup some of that loss.

If you haven't already connected with an investor-friendly lender yet I'd highly suggest that.

I have a rule , never do business with family or friends .

AI tip 2: a friend of mine wrote an app (beta) for landlords to market themselves on a regular basis by soliciting reviews from tenants.