@Jessica PerkinsTo make real estate a significant part of your retirement plan, leverage your experience in managing mid-term and short-term rentals, ensure your rental income is well-documented, research local market trends, and explore financing options.

Currently exploring Los Angeles

That said I know there is a lot I do not know, and I am wonder if I am leaving some value on the table not exploring other avenues for growth.

In alignment with Jason's suggestion, it is advisable to explore various financing options for your property acquisition, potentially enabling higher leverage.Regarding the advice from your Realtor advocating for more expensive multifamily properties due to reduced competition, it is crucial to critically assess whether this aligns with your investment objectives.

Hello Patricia, it sounds like you’re facing a challenging situation, and you’re exploring creative solutions to keep the property without incurring unsustainable expenses.

Still based in Cali - looking to explore out-of-state opps as well.

Househack some properties, JV on some commercial and build up that knowledge before exploring OPM. 

You are going to have a lot of trouble finding financing options with a 2nd lien and to 100% make up a purchase price (i.e. 100% debt financed with no equity or down payment "skin in the game") as part of your payment.I'd recommend looking in the "Creative Financing" subforum if you want to explore potential ways of doing this but frankly it is really difficult to find a genuine "shortcut" that wont end badly for not investing any of your money at all.BRRRR Method remains IMO the best for this but you still have to put some of your own capital to use during the process

If you jump into something before doing this - you're highly likely to get taken advantage of, or at best waste your time & money.Can't help with a coach:(Do recommend investing close to home if you can and then screen the heck out of PMCs with your expectations & goals to hire a good one.Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

Exploring a combination of these strategies, such as using a HELOC for a down payment and securing a DSCR loan for the remainder, could help you achieve your goal of purchasing additional properties this year.