...if you have hundreds of thousands or millions in reserve, it might not be an issue  ...but if you only have a few thousand, it will be a major problem.Now, having said all that, there definitely are scenarios where a structural issue is an easy, relatively cheap fix. ...and, there are some examples of settlement that can be ignored--for instance, minor settlement on a 100 year old house is fairly common, and might not affect the structural integrity of the house.But, again (assuming that you're not a structural engineer), you don't know what you don't know--it could be five hundred bucks and a weekend of work, or it could be a hundred thousand dollars, a year of your life, eight months of vacancy, and ultimately bankruptcy. 

Ultimately, I am looking to purchase/refinance with or without my siblin co-borrowing, then put an ADU on the home to rent out. 

Regarding if you should DIY manage or hire a PMC:Many new investors read a couple of posts and then think self-managing their rental property, and avoiding PMC charges, is an easy way to boost their ROI.The reality, is that many of these investors really haven’t taken the time to properly understand what it takes to properly manage a rental property and the corresponding tenants.Here’s a list of some of the requirements to properly manage a rental property:Knowledge of all local municipality, state and federal landlord requirementsIntimate knowledge of all Fair Housing statutesUnderstand all federal privacy laws, as they’ll be handling social security numbers and IDsProper business insurance in the event their computer is hacked and or they improperly dispose of tenant data.Where to advertise their rental, other than ZillowWriting ads compliant with Fair Housing statutesCreating a process to accept calls/texts and schedule prospects to show their rentalA rental application and application fees that meet all local and state requirementsKnowing how to screen applicants to avoid professional tenants and the growing amount of fraudulent dataA lease compliant with all local, state & federal lawsUnderstanding local and state requirements regarding security deposit collection and holdingRent acceptance options for tenants and accounting system to track, including late fees, etc.Plans to handle nonpayment of rent issuesKnowledge of their local eviction laws or access to an attorney familiar with evictionsHow to accept, track and respond to tenant maintenance issuesBuilding a list of handymen and contractors for maintenance and turns between tenantsExpertise at evaluating tenant damages to charge against security deposit when tenants move outResearching local utility requirements to avoid suspension of services that could lead to frozen pipes or flooded basements, etc.

Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

Ultimately, the best market for investing under $250k will depend on factors like your risk tolerance, investment goals, and personal preferences.

In the end it took 100k off my tax basis which is still a large increase but I can afford it without having to sell and it gives me a huge equity boost so my quarter million dollar house is now a half million dollar house but it being taxed at 400k which was bound to happen sooner or later.thanks everyone for the help! 

But in my world it is the only metric that can comprehensively evaluate a real estate investment opportunity.Of course, the thing that boosts your IRR to the moon is debt. 

My focus as an investor is buy & hold real estate with long term and short term rentals.In 2022, I am looking to network and surround myself with others in the industry to ultimately help each other expand our real estate businesses. 

Ultimately you have to figure out your budget and then decide what particular methods you can afford to pursue at the moment.  

Boostly is good but they have been struggling to get people's sites up and going.