Raleigh/Cary is what I know well, but the competition is steep.

wild. 8. if you dont want to close in an LLC, you can still close in your personal name. 9. there are lenders with competitive rates if long term rents are greater than 1.1 of debt on the property (PITIA). however, there are also lenders who will allow you to do 80% cash out refinances with DSCR if DSCR ratio is 1.0. there are lenders that allow you to buy real estate at 20% down EVEN IF DSCR ratio is only 0.8. which means the rents are less than the debt on the property.

Both strategies have potential here, so it depends on your goals:Strategy 1 (Duplex) can be a solid choice for building equity and generating cash flow, especially in Austin’s competitive short-term rental market.

Do you know what a competitive cost would be and how I can go about finding a good and fair GC for ADU build? 

While the RentRedi's loaded with various toggles/buttons and affordable given the all-you-can-eat pricing, the interface is still very elementary and lacking in usability/design, which is often overlooked as a key determinant of whether your team actually adopts and fully leverages powerful management solutions like these.

Land priced right, zoned correctly, market analysis great and potential competition low.  

Every investor has their own path, and hearing different perspectives will only enrich your journey.Challenges in Real Estate Investing:Finding deals: In competitive markets, it can be tough to find good deals that make sense financially.Capital and financing: Finding funding, especially as a new investor, can sometimes be challenging.Dealing with tenants: Managing rental properties and dealing with tenants can be tricky, especially with issues like late rent or property damage.Market risk: Real estate markets fluctuate, and external factors (like economic shifts or local development projects) can impact property values.I’d be happy to continue the conversation if you want to dive deeper into any of these topics!

Encore, you would need a membership, if you purchase in the new phase (Spectrum ) they automatically come with the amenities (membership) included to your guests, but the HOA and management have other restrictions and all units come furnished with the same packages, so you can't make changes to have it stand out, which is what is really needed hear in Orlando since there is so much competition. 

If you would like me to double-check check your current preparer is providing optimal services for a competitive price, let me know!

I don't have experience renting in California, but if your competition includes it, I'd probably want to consider it too.