My rates are higher than what both VRBO and AirBNB and Airdna has ever suggested but I keep my eye on competitors and am happy pricing higher and turning away some of the guests that might book for lower.  

If you can arrange a visit to see how the tenant is taking care of their current place, that will open your eyes as well.

In other words, in the eyes of the IRS, the LLC would be non-existent. 

I tried a big out of state flip due to living in a HCOL area and it failed miserably because I couldn't keep eyes on it and didn't have a good/honest team in place.

Now is not the time to refi for you, keep an eye on the MBS market, when you see a 1-2% drop thats when you should refi.What state are you in?

Everything the banks do is for the reason of avoiding liability in case the borrower catches on.

Therefore this post but those numbers (thank you) eye opening.

The catch is she is retired and won't have income except SS, thus I would be paying for everything...the HOA, repairs, utilities, insurance, etc.

Aside from downpayment, you want to have a solid emergency fund in place, something that can cover unexpected repairs, vacancies, or any other random costs that pop up.I’d also recommend saving more than you think you'll need and keeping a close eye on your expenses.

I agree that austin from up close looks like a declining market but from a birds eye view, it makes for great opportunities!