Hi Mike-Congratulations on being a first time investor and you are wondering when to start using a property manager.The property manager is probably the most important person on you team.

I suggest using a service like Mayistay.

If your local market is very active and homes are selling fast, you may be able to get by with doing less.Your Home’s Condition: If your home is vacant or has a unique layout, using a professional stager who can bring in the right furniture and accessories may help buyers truly visualize its full potential.Your Budget: Talk to your agent to get an idea of staging costs in your area, as it can be the difference between your house selling and sitting.

Do you mind sharing the benefits of using a hard money loan as opposed to private money?

Chicago’s market might not always meet this, but it’s a good benchmark for evaluation.What are your thoughts on starting with a house hack or using a HELOC to fund your first deal?

We recently bought a property using a HELOC and rehabed it's then refinanced and got most of our money back out.

Specifically, I am looking at partnering with an individual who owns securities (stock and mutual funds) having them take out a line of credit against their portfolio (SBLOC) at a low interest rate, and using that to purchase properties rather than using a mortgage.

Using a househack for an STR could be particularly advantageous in municipalities where STRs have been cracked down on more but still allow you to do it if you are living in the property.

@Matthew Paul , using a 2nd t-stat is a clever idea but i like George's idea of using the old style t-stat that do not go below 55.

I'm using a software that runs on A.I. helps me capture organic leads, automation, my socials, A.i. follow up and has it's own crm.