Buy and holds is the key to true wealth with all the benefits of depreciation, appreciation, loan pay down by your tenants, leveraging the equity, cash-flow etc etc, but it often times isn't the active income that pays the bills until you build up a portfolio and even then there's the tenant management or managing your property managers.That's why I'm involved in all 3.

@Sophanara Khoeun you mention that you have no time as you have a 9-5 job - so, do 99% of investors!

If some of you have tools that will make me gain some time or know some "friendly cities", I am all ears.ThanksMoshe

@Michael Baum how many Short-term rentals do you manage this way where you are on call all the time?

During this time I read a Brandon Turner book and became very interested in RE.  

The definition of poor initial cash flow has changed with time.  

However, there are times when actual costs are not available and a methodology must be selected in order to determine the estimate.

Spending a healthy % for a reliable company can make your life easier and lead to more growth as you free up your time.

It’s their full time livelihood to make transactions happen.  

For more affordable properties—those priced under $400,000—the timeline is even shorter, with many homes receiving offers within two weeks of being listed.This fast-moving market poses a particular challenge for first-time buyers who may not be as familiar with the urgency required in competitive bidding situations.