These are what we call "A-class" markets—areas with strong fundamentals, high demand, and typically excellent long-term appreciation.

I would venture to say very few landlords correctly hold their deposits based on local landlord/tenant law but as long as the money doesn't walk away and is not wrongly withheld from tenants its highly unlikely wrongfully storing the funds will become problematic.

If you have one high earner as a W-2 I would recommend the other switch to managing the Real Estate side of your wealth ASAP. 

Prices, generally, are too high.  

You mentioned price, are you too high?

In reality this strategy still works, but we are having to leave more of our own money in the deal because prices are high and/or rent won’t justify maxing the cash out refinance because interest rate is high.

Florida’s high turnover in STRs means cleaning services are always in demand, while Texas’s suburban sprawl could keep a landscaping business busy year-round.

The new design takes the home from a 3 bed, 2 bath to a 4 bed, 3 bath, 2,400 sq ft rambler on a large lot in highly desired area.

I went high on the expenses, which came to roughly over $20K. assuming 1 unit to be vacant per year (83.3% occupancy).

When going for a HELOC, aim high on your home’s value — let the appraiser bring it down to what it's actually worth rather than underestimating it yourself.Cash is king.