The pros of not using an agent are you save a few grand the cons are who is going to be negotiating and creating the offer and purchase and sale agreement.

Both on one loan may save you a bit up front in costs, but it'll make it more complicated if you ever decide to keep one and sell one.

But the only strategic thing about them is that you need to keep good records and hire a tax professional who knows how to maximize the tax savings from things you already paid for. 

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23If a purchase, you also generally need reserves / savings to show you have 3-6 month payments of PITIA (principal / interest (mortgage payment), property taxes and insurance and HOA (if applicable).

Benefits include immediate tax savings via bonus depreciation (60% in 2024), but depreciation recapture tax applies upon sale.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

LLC's have their place, but they are overhyped and new investors tend to overestimate their importance and underestimate the administrative effort.I have been a landlord for 15 years and well connected, yet I don't know anyone who was very saved by an LLC, so I asked BP nation:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/926/topics/1151922-than...

As for hard money, it’s great for scaling quickly, but if you have the cash, using it can definitely save on interest and fees, boosting your profit.

Managing the operation myself could save money and provide better control compared to working with out-of-state properties.

Found properties I'm interested in, but ultimately it IS a FOREIGN matter to me.  

While state specific leases are simple and can work, spending the extra investment and having a real estate attorney help create one for you will likely create more value/protections and save you money in the long run