Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

This is proof of that in practice.

Values drop, sometimes drastically, rents go down as quality of tenant declines; cost of operstimg properties increase, and governmental interference, especially in the form of rent control, can slash values and profitability severely. 

There is no way that resident can afford a 500 jump, and I ended up losing thousands of dollars.Real estate is a business, collecting a future stream of revenue, and you need to be in control of the revenue and expensesGino

It would be a lien placed on the entirety of the property that is deeded in both your names (or in your entity, if you closed in the name of an LLC).If you plan to take full control of the property, you could refinance in your name/entity alone with a cash-out and pay your partner off with their equity share.

It's good practice to let the tenants know you will be working on the common areas so they don't think it's a complete stranger or someone spying on them.

I’m particularly interested in house hacking as my first strategy.I’d love to understand more about what to look for in strong investment markets, practical tips for house hacking, and the financing options available for first-time buyers.

@Chris Henry By property is best practice.

I cut costs,  maximized efficiencies, raised rents accordingly (that alone will increase my cash flow this year by about $1,000 per month); and streamlined landscaping/pest control/rehab work and on. 

They also shared templates that you can use to analyze deals, checklists for closing on a deal, and more practical templates.