I, too, am in Tampa and I've been a lender/banker and a Real Estate investor in the market since 1996.

There was an overwhelming amount of poop and pee all over the place, and not a single clean surface in the entire house.

The Augusta market is heating up and it's a great time to start investing and continue to grow.

For myself hands down the fastest way to get to Fi is via house hacking. 

There is a single family home in front, and in back there is a guest house/loft above a garage.

@Kevin Duke Since Subject A’s $6M net worth is below the federal estate tax exemption ($13.61M in 2024) and Florida has no estate or inheritance tax, Subject B can inherit the property tax-free with a step-up in basis to the fair market value at the time of death, eliminating capital gains tax if sold immediately.To avoid probate, Subject A can use a Lady Bird Deed (Enhanced Life Estate Deed) or a Transfer on Death (TOD) Deed, which allows automatic transfer to Subject B while retaining full control during their lifetime.

It's best to have a house manager.

I live in SW Montana where there is a strong STR market and am considering buying a lot locally (2.5 acre overlooking the river/valley/mountains) where I could set up 2-4 Tipi's and rent portable bathroom/washing station for the lot.

The secret to dominating the world of off-market acquisitions isn’t about delivering a slick pitch or being pushy—it’s about becoming the trusted, go-to problem solver that sellers want to work with.

In short, I can afford the additional $1100/mo cost of a second house, even until I rent it out.I have around $35K in HYSA and emergency funds that I could use for a down payment, but that's less than 20% which would be required for a conventional loan, assuming full purchase price.