I currently live in Greensboro and own one property I live in that Im planning to rent out once I find the next.

I plan to utilize some cash, margin loan, 401k loan, and a HELOC as a down payment.My first house hack (now an out of state investment) has a Zestimate of $530K, and I have $266K left on the loan.

Sorry to hear your self managing isn't going as planned...finding good tenants is tricky!

Ensure you collect a proper security deposit (typically one month's rent in Florida) to cover potential damages.Your plan to increase rent next year makes sense given rising costs (taxes, insurance, and maintenance).

It sounds like you’ve got a solid foundation with your rental property, and I love the ambition behind your plans to build a property management and maintenance company—it’s a great way to take control of your investments while creating additional opportunities.Best of luck to you! 

These are 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom properties that I had originally planned to keep in my rental portfolio, but my plans changed.

Originally from Africa, I’ve embraced new opportunities to build a better future, and real estate is at the core of my financial freedom plan. 

I want to have a game plan in action prior to reaching out to lenders. 

That means paying all cash isn’t an option unless you plan to bring another $600k to the table. . 

This would apply to your unit.Your biggest concern with setting the rent should be the near future. 1) Your insurance is guaranteed to go up, probably dramatically.  2) You may get an insurance assessment bill to cover the CA Fair Plan losses.