Hi @V.G Jason and Lilia,I came across this thread while digging into discussions about real estate strategies, and I couldn’t agree more with the focus on long-term thinking.

If you want out, you have to either sell low enough where the numbers make sense or one of these other creative strategies.

Quote from @Scott Tennell: For real estate investors who have worked with private money lenders, what strategies have you found most effective in structuring deals to ensure both parties are protected and the funding process runs smoothly? 

I am planning to self manage as well and since there aren't many managers in my area I will likely employ a similar strategy once I decide to outsource the management.

Is a cash-out refinance a good strategy right now despite the risk of a negative cash flow?

We are currently preparing my real estate strategy, of course using the Bigger Pockets Strategy book, as a previous business owner in another industry, there’s a lot of good and refreshing information here in this Strategy book. 

On paper, it looked brilliant..cheap money, quick turnaround, and a profit projection that made his eyes light up.It taught me that the real risk isn’t just the cost of capital, it’s the predictabilty of your exit strategy.

The goal here is to align with investors and educate them about the benefits of long-term strategies.

A primary residence will most often provide more favorable loan terms so if you are willing to wait one year while you living in your new property and are comfortable with renting out your primary residence to a tenant, then getting something such as an FHA loan is a good strategy to minimize your upfront costs and hopefully get better loan terms.

Sounds like you need an agent and/or contractor based on your strategy.