•Likely, the new property wouldn’t be cashflow positive due to the market conditions.2.Upgrade to a Bigger Property and Sell•Sell our current home and move into a larger house to better meet our family’s needs.• Use some equity from the sale to make this transition smoother.I’m torn between maintaining our current home as an asset and buying  a new smaller house to use as a rental after we move back in versus simplifying and focusing on a single upgraded property Considering factors like market trends, potential equity growth, and quality of life, which path do you think would be most beneficial?

The issue with section 179 expense is that you normally have to operate at positive income.Under most circumstances, bonus depreciation is better since you can take bonus depreciation even if you operate at negative income. 

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

I see a disservice being provided in the given example by the real estate agent by not bringing creative strategies on both the sellers and buyers position on this particular deal.

Pretty much any regular bank / lender is going to require themselves to be in first position on all the properties... so I don't think a HELOC type solution is going to work across multiple properties with multiple lenders.  

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By the way - for the same reason the 1st position lien holder will be uneasy with 100% CLTV, as a buyer I would be uneasy with it as well.

There was positive population growth, medium home price growth, low unemployment, good rent to home ratios, and low crime, all of which are factors when I start looking into an area to invest in.  

The rental market is already showing signs of recovery:Spring Is Coming: Historically, the rental market picks up momentum in the spring as tenants prepare to move during warmer months or ahead of the school year.Early 2025 Trends Are Positive: In just the first week of January, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in rental applications, suggesting pent-up demand from renters who delayed their searches in November and December.What Landlords Can Do NowTo make the most of this recovery, consider:Refreshing Your Listings: Update your photos, descriptions, and pricing to ensure your properties stand out.Offering Incentives: Temporary discounts or move-in bonuses can help fill vacancies quickly.Being Patient: The market is already bouncing back, so don’t panic if your property takes a bit longer to lease than usual.What’s been your experience?

There are a few programs that can do second position financing but typically underwritten based on your personal income.