In your 'assumptions' and projections, Would you rather...1.

So it does appear to be possible to get an FHA 203k loan for a 5-unit & convert to a 4-unit.When possible, aim for the Limited (aka Streamline) 203k loan, as it's less complex, not required to get an FHA consultant, etc.Of course, this is based of the two following important assumptions:1)  zoning allows for this2)  and obviously I owner occupy for at least 12 months3)  the total purchase price + renovations are within the FHA loan limits specific to my areaWhat I'm confused about is the timeline or chronological order of the process? 

I was playing with the idea of selling my condo, taking 300k of the equity to put a down payment towards a house listed at 660k.I'm assuming the reno will run $300/sqft and going in with the assumption that phase 1 will run 750k (figure the expansion of the house will have to wait) for the gut reno.I assume/hope (but definitely not banking on) that I will be able to refi in 2-3 years at a lower interest rate; if not for a lower rate.This will likely be a family home for the next 5-10 years at LEAST so investment value isn't quite at top of mind ATM.Questions:Even if it's not for lower interest rate, do you feel it's advisable to refi to remove the 203 loan in the future?

In the next 5-10 years, I plan to leave my current industry and transition to real estate full-time, so I’m especially interested in how this could impact that goal.Current FinancialsRoth 401(k) Balance: $105KContributions: $79KEarnings: $23.5KSalary: $109KContributing 6% annually ($545/month), with a 100% match for the first 3%Investment Growth Assumption: 8% per yearCurrent Rental Cash Flow (Pure Profit After All Expenses): $7,500/month (9 units)Potential New Property Cash Flow (Pure Profit After All Expenses): $1,300/monthCurrent Real Estate Portfolio Value: $1.4MAfter New Property: $1.7MWithdrawal Breakdown ($60K)Tax-Free Contributions: $45KTaxed Earnings: $13.4KWhy Only $13.4K Is Taxed and PenalizedMy Roth 401(k) balance is made up of:Total Balance: $105KContributions: $79K (75.24% of total)Earnings: $23.5K (22.38% of total)When withdrawing, the money comes out proportionally from contributions and earnings.

You are correct in your assumption that it will impact how low they can go on the down payment, though, b/c commissions will need to be paid out of closing costs. 

We approached the existing lender for a loan assumption.

At it's basic level:Assumption: Asking the bank to turn the loan over to you and going through the normal underwriting process, credit, income, DTI ratio etc SubTo: Taking over the loan without telling the bank, no un...

This was the assumption we operated under until December 2023.

Of course this is just my assumption.

@Chase AlexanderRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?