You make $10k from STR, you have to come up with $22k out of your pocket, not to mention the upfront $100k down payment and possibly another $20k to furnish the house unless you bought it as an existing STR.So in summary, in today's market, it's impossible to buy a STR and be a passive owner and still make enough profit to cover your mortgage payment. 

It means a $100k purchase, like a home, in 1980 is exactly equal to a $368,615.38 purchase today.     

That means positive leverage and that isn't where sellers are today. 

I hear from a lot of would be house hackers who do not understand that the paying for the whole mortgage and generating cash flow with today's pricing, rates with a low down payment is just not possible and keep renting. but, that is missing the forest for the trees.

We’re talking 12-192 unit properties, built from scratch, fully managed by our team—steady cash flow with zero day-to-day hassle.

Make sure your first rental cash flows well by running the numbers as if you were buying it today.

.🔹 Ideal in Any Market – Whether home prices are rising or falling, lease options allow you to lock in today’s price while benefiting from future appreciation.Other creative strategies—like seller financing, subject-to deals, and the BRRRR method—can also open doors, but lease options remain one of the most powerful, low-risk, minimal cash out-of-pocket ways to build a portfolio.

That said, with today's rates, every increment of extra mortgage is way costlier than it was four years ago during the sub-3%-rate Covid days. 

Quote from @Jay Hinrichs: Loudoun County Virginia80 acre parcel Entitlement for 30 1 to 1.5 acre estate lots and 40 acre remainder parcel with large million dollar home.Purchase price  3.5 milEM deposits non refundable  50k up front 50k during Entitlement cost ( survey, geo , water , artifacts, Soils Engineer , city fees)  350k Capital partner  ME  provide all the cash up front.  450k to my client who found and prosecuted the platMultiple offers from all the biggest builders in that market  IE Toll  Lennar DR and a few regionals.Closed today with 1.1 million cash profit  PLUS the 40 acres and home value about at least 2 mil free and clear.My fee is double my money so we made 450k today.My client made about 650k in cash and the property  free and clear.. 

Today, Texas is the top state for semiconductor manufacturing, having led the nation for 13 years in the export of semiconductors and other electronic components.