@Julie Doke: Industry specific software speaks to you and you can easily relate it to your day to day process.

I’m a new investor who purchased my first rental property this past year, and I’m eager to learn and grow my portfolio.

Congrats on your first duplex purchase!

Obviously if I intend to have a top performing STR in this market, my buy box will allow for a much higher max purchase price, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with shooting for the max if there aren't clear ways to beat these competing properties.

Purchase price: $500,000 Cash invested: $100,000 AirBNB in West Sacramento

I have assisted many investors with their Little Rock purchases. 

Yes, they are getting higher than market rent for that specific Neighborhood, but they also have a hard time finding a S8 tenant that wants to move into and stay in that Neighborhood.

Hi Tiffani, often new appliances that are "off brands" that you purchase come with a warranty and perform well plus they look new.  

You have used home equity lines of credit to purchase investment rentals and want to know the best way to pay down the HELOCs.Between the two properties you bought, after expenses, you have $250 a month positive cashflow to use.What I like to do is pay down some principal every month with my positive cashflow.I use my extra active income from real estate commissions helping other investors to pay down the principal even more which just frees up that credit for me to use again.I know I can refinance the HELOC debt before it changes to principal and interest as it is just interest only payments as yours are.One difference is the cashflow, I have greater positive cashflow and could make the principal and interest payment in the future with the extra cashflow I already enjoy.I always get HELOCs on my income properties as well after purchasing them to pull out as much of my downpayment as possible.

The environment now with higher interest rates and higher purchase price does make it more difficult but definitely doable.