If a tenant is not placed before November, I fear you will have additional challenges renting the unit which likely will not improve until March.  

A minimum 20% down payment allows for more cash flow but higher monthly payments. 25% down offers better interest rates and lower monthly payments, while 30% down can improve cash flow but reduce liquidity.

Since our goal is to scale in real estate and we do have the funds, we would prefer to minimize the deposits and invest into reno where necessary and keep the capital for now for improvements, if they arise.

Some house hackers are okay with breaking even in the short term but the plan is to make some improvements to the property to get some cash flow in the long run.

Operators that are open and able to offer combined usages for slower seasons, such as mid term discounted extended stay rates in the winter, can improve lower estimated production in the off-seasons. 

When it comes to the strategy you're looking to learn, I would dig into Anderson Business Advisors and Toby Mathis (Tax Toby) channels on YouTube.

Hi All - Would love any critiques or feedback on improving my listing. 

Also, would making improvements to the property (e.g., converting SRO units to apartments) help with future refinancing?

This can reduce labor costs, but be mindful of the time commitment.Leverage Economies of Scale: If you're working on multiple flips or rehabs, bundling similar tasks or projects together can help reduce costs by hiring one contractor or vendor for multiple jobs.Prioritize High-Impact Repairs: Focus on renovations that add the most value, such as kitchen or bathroom upgrades, while avoiding over-improving areas that won't significantly increase the property's resale value.By combining these strategies, you can manage rising costs while maximizing your potential returns on fix-and-flip projects.Kind regards,

If your your tenants are like you stated at first then maybe  your asset class needs to be improved. so you get better tenants..