Once the work was complete, I refinanced to pay off the hard money loan and held the property as a long-term asset.This duplex also marked the start of my short-term rental journey—we ran our first Airbnb from one of the apartments before scaling to bigger projects.

Their a/c starting leaking and has missing ductwork, and is blowing air in random places.

If the unit is empty, change the locks, clean it, and get it rented.

I will look more into starting the HELOC process. 

The best way to start in rentals is by buying in your own area.

If you do have enough other income then you dont even need to lease out this property to start your refinance.However if you dont have enough income to qualify with no rental income offset then yes you will need to obtain your lease(s) and security deposit + 1st months rents deposited before you can utilize 75% of this gross income - your monthly PITIA payment (in terms of qualification on this property refinance.So all in all Id make sure what your current debt to income position is first of all (DTI) and then strategize to see if you even need the leases at all.

Start with great theming, keeping in mind the current trends taking place at the parks.

    I don't post a ton on here, but wanted to start posting more in an effort to share, network and learn. 

Start by networking through local meetups, REIA groups, and online communities like BiggerPockets to connect with experienced investors.

Clean-up costs- make sure you have sufficient coverage.D.