One thing to remember is the flipper will have $30k- $40k in financing during flip and closing costs to buy the home then another $25k when they selll so that will play into the numbers that need to be considered. 

Maybe consider an HSA for next year.Hire your wife, kids and other relatives.

If you're looking at buying a rental or house hack in the Triangle, then you should consider short term rentals. 

That's because it's the group I help run and I was one of the speakers last month.The markets you mentioned are generally considered fourth-tier markets.

What would be considered the easiest program for small hard money lenders to use to track loans and history and sending out 1098 's?

Hi Chris, there are several options you could consider, but it would all be based on your risk tolerance. 

If your current lender can’t accommodate you, explore STR-focused lenders like Host Financial or Lima One Capital, or consider bridge loans to buy time while you build your rental history.

its most unfortunate that you had to go through this deception and theft from someone who is considered a professional in this business. we definitely appreciate you putting the warning out about this character. as hard as it is to find a reliable experienced contractor nowadays its even harder to find one that's not a crook and a liar and that's truly pathetic.   

However, there are also some downsides to consider, such as higher fees/interest rate.

If appreciation and scalability are your long-term goals, consider house hacking or saving for a bigger market later.