For goodness sake, having to remove mechanicals in between tenants means you are buying the worst of the worst assets properties imaginable. 

On the other hand, keeping the house could allow us to maintain an appreciating asset in a desirable location.I’d love to hear from others who’ve faced similar decisions.

If you need financial help, ask under the "Finance, Tax, and Legal" forum.

You should visit Beers and Deals in Little Italy hosted by @Rich Somers as well as Ales & Assets hosted by @Mel Adams.

For example, not having on-site storage can cause a lot of logistical and financial issues.

Its like going shopping on black friday for something you do not need and saying "i saved $100", when its actually - you spent $400.Could that money be better invested and provide a return for you vs. putting it in a depreciating asset?

Learn a valuable skill set that will allow you to make more money, therefore have more financial flexibility.

****I am not a financial advisor or guru, I was just a dumb civil engineer who learned that you cannot push on a rope and dirt and water  = mud.

@Joy McQuearyRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

I found one who's strategies made sense, 10 years later my wife and I have been financial free for about 5 years now by leveraging the concept of house hacking.