I would like to buy a future retirement home to get away from the cold winters but in the meantime would love to rent it out as a vacation rental.What are the good areas to consider and where would I get the most vacation renters and cash flow?

Great tools that get updated regularly.I am on the lending side of things and would be happy to hop on a call with you anytime to discuss financial strategies and help answer any questions you may have about nearly any loan product available to help you on your journey, even if they are not products my capital partners offer.We are all here to help you learn and grow.

Work with a qualified intermediary and tax advisor to ensure compliance and optimize your strategy.

If you are already planning to buy out-of-state and use property management, you are leaving money on the table and may want to look into more passive strategies since you don't seem to want to do management and you will still need to manage the manager.2.

There are so many strategies you can deploy depending on your goals going forward. 

I think the real estate professional strategy works if it is your primary source of income.   

By the time they research and go down all the rabbit holes of different strategies, never sticking to one in order to gain traction, they get exhausted, throw their hands up and never take any real substantive action.Pick something and go with it, all the way to its conclusion.  

@Stephen FlemingFrom my experience working with over 400 investors, your strategy of leveraging a low mortgage rate, tapping into home equity, and diversifying with a short-term rental (STR) in Northern Michigan is well thought out.

This gives you a foundation for making a fair offer.Secure Financing: Be prepared to show you’re a serious buyer with funding lined up, whether through cash, traditional financing, or a creative option like seller financing.Have a Strategy for Repairs or Development: If the property is distressed, outline how you’ll handle improvements to bring it back to productive use.

That said, Detroit is very much a block-by-block market, so understanding the dynamics of specific areas is critical.For professional investors (and even newer ones), Detroit’s future is bright if you approach it with the right strategy, solid due diligence, and an understanding of the challenges.