Otherwise, I've used a razor blade, with success, but it's treacherous territory as it is very easy, almost impossible not to, scratch the plastic.

It is the best business for you to make money in, but beware the sharks are always swimming nearby with their hands held out asking for them to "help" you.

A damn SHARK.

So a $1M home could actually be less risky than a $300k home depending on your margins, whether it’s a tourism-only market vs somewhere you could also rent long term if the tourism market takes a nose dive, how favorable the regulatory environment will be over the next decades, etc.I personally would be hesitant to buy a home in a tourism-only market where my acquisition price implies razor thin profit margins - what happens if we hit a recession, people pull back on discretionary spending (vacations), and I can’t afford to lower prices bc I need to pay my mortgage?

@James Wise20’s: formal education; gained experience through lots of hard work and continued to study and learn as much as possible from mentors; missed some opportunities, made a few mistakes and learned lessons from those experiences.30’s: lots of smarter work; shifted from the side hustle to focus on building systems; recognized and took advantage of more opportunities; built rental portfolio. 40’s (current): still working hard and smart; focused on using and improving systems based on experience; looking for additional opportunities but thinking bigger and more about long term plan; while I probably have less energy than in my early thirties (and more to juggle with career, investments, family, church and service commitments), I am much more efficient now in nearly everything I do.

"Occam's Razor" is a scientific precept that postulates a simple theory: given two explanations, the simplest one is probably the right one.

Most are great people to network with, and a few are sharks who you should stay away from.

This one requires prospective tenants to put down a small security deposit ( I think $25 or $50) and then they can make a 30 minute appointment to view the house at any available time slot.

I do not want to get lost in the shark infested waters of Orange County.  

The cap rates are razor thin and with demand far-far beyond supply and loaded with novice investors being represented by even more novice agents, well my team and I are seeing pricing getting pushed into "stupid" levels where preservation of performance is at significant risk.