Not fully rented, but in a highly desirable location? 

You left out Furnished Finder as the best way to find mid term renters.

In my opinion a fully passive RE investment is the most risky because you give total control to others. 

Maintenance and UpkeepRegular Inspections: Schedule periodic property inspections to address maintenance issues.Emergency Repairs: Have a plan in place for unexpected maintenance needs.Furnishing the Property: Budget for necessary furnishings and appliances.7.

This is obviously much better than $1,400 per month.On top of that, you will now get 2x the depreciation write-off so your taxes should go down.On top of that, you will now get 2x the appreciation when real estate price go up.On top of that, your tenants are helping you pay down the loan, initially at about $100/mo for both properties, which gradually gets better and better.On top of that, you now have more units so if one or two goes vacant, you have more renters covering the losses of the vacant units.If you want to keep these properties, I would do a cash-out refi and go buy more rental real estate.

All I know is that, as CEO of this company, it was really hard watching influencers and 20-somethings race past me, buying dozens or hundreds of units from 2019-2022.

I am seeing a roommate who does not have pets.Cozy furnished 1 bedroom with living room and kitchen privileges, your own private bath and a shared refrigerator.

I have one bizz partner I sold a 100 unit apartment to 18 years ago for 5 mil and he paid cash..

So as I understand it, repairs/maintenance is fully deductible the same year but major improvements have to be depreciated. 

Use a bridge lender that is okay with gift funds or Gap funding, then refinance at 3-6 months once it is fully ‘seasoned’