Here’s how I built my network, the challenges I faced, and why I believe relationships are a cornerstone of real estate success.Finding My Support SystemWhen I first started in real estate, I was young, fresh out of college, and had just become a mom.

I would point out that you have a higher end home here.. its not a 70k rental in the mid west were you just squirt some paint on the walls and put die on the carpet etc..

On the advice of the fireplace guy who did our last cleaning/inspection, we sanded down the brick inside and painted it with the high heat black paint, and it states in the lease that they may use a fireplace-style candelabra if they'd like, but any other use will trigger all the rules in the Fireplace Addendum.   

For example for a few holes in the walls they have someone paint an entire unit and take their spread.

Property was sitting on market and needed light updates (roof, flooring, paint) but was in a great area that allows STRs giving me multiple options when deciding on rental strategy How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

You are better off finding a solid property that needs light cosmetic work (paint, floors, or maybe even a kitchen or bathroom remodel), buy it at a decent discount and put 25% down or more (this is when you get best rate terms). 

I'm at the beginning of my investment career, fresh out of college and pretty heavy in debt at 7% interest.

I've already renovated one of the bathrooms, and I’m planning to paint the interior, update the kitchen cabinets, possibly sand the wood floors, build a fence is a corner lot and increase the rent for the room since my tenant is currently renting the entire 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house for $800 a month.

Then an appraisal works to my benefit and the quality of the property would be very close (as I said the property I purchased had relatively cosmetic renovations such as painted cabinets).

Little paint and the contractor I found let me buy the material and only charged me labor.