This reminds me of a police officer  pulling somebody over without reasonable cause and asking to search their vehicle and if the person does not consent, they’re saying you must have something to hide.

I would personally use some of that equity and get started with your first property.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

Trust me, I have been there.I suggest you try to House hack in cities that you are already familiar with and have some connection with.Hire a great investor agent in that market and ask them all your questions and concerns.That I believe is the best way to get personalized advice tailored to your goals and lifestyle.You giving out Cleeveland and Toledo on your post will only attract biased opinions and advise.Only you know what you truly like, want, and can deal with.As Nicolas said, read this post and comments and hope that gives you a new perspective. https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1215726-break...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...Goodluck and keep us posted.

Use services that can validate the authenticity of documents and employment history.Require Detailed Applications: Ensure that the rental application captures comprehensive information, making it harder for fraudulent applicants to provide fake details.Conduct In-Person Interviews: Meeting applicants in person can provide additional insights into the authenticity of their application and allows you to ask follow-up questions based on the details they've provided.Utilize Professional Screening Services: Professional tenant screening services are invaluable for conducting background checks, credit checks, and criminal history checks.

Love getting the person that has zero debt to start the game.

Please share any helpful resources, your personal experiences, and what you have found to be valuable with every transaction.

I also use their virtual credit cards which enables me to assign a card to a specific person, like the cleaner for my STR for example, so when she runs a charge, it automatically drops into the right account in terms of categorizing my expenses.

this is only a good idea if you have reason to believe that the area will be appreciating quickly, which is called speculation and akin to gambling not investing. me personally, I would rather put my money on black than bank on market appreciation. negative cash flow rentals are a time suck and money suck.

If you would like to connect, please check out my profile for contact info, and let's setup a time to have a cup of coffee, either in person or virtually!