I would designing, renovating and managing the property.

For bookkeeping purposes, I recommend designating a separate bank account exclusive to the house hack activities to keep some sanity.

A good designer and architect are key for a successful project like this and keep in mind these aren't cheap.There's a lot more details to consider, feel free to DM me for more details.

In my experience, and this will not be terribly popular here, but no you should not buy out of state if you cannot visit the area before you purchase if.

Having reasonable expectations, hiring a local professional (Realtor or PM), doing your research, and doing everything right (i.e. pro photos, professional design, good renovation, proper amenities and location, etc) are the keys to success in 2025.

What I can also tell you is that as an owner in NY, the landlord laws are very much designed to protect a tenant as opposed to here in Detroit where the laws are designed more fairly to protect both the tenant and the landlord.

We have our own design team, contractors, and real estate agency under one roof, which saves time, cuts costs, and improves communication across projects.

Curb appeal for higher-end properties will be much more important, especially when it comes to marketing - most ads and main listing photos feature the front of the property.In this case, I would consult with a professional - i.e. landscape designer or stager.

I've owned the house for few years and have spent a lot of time trying to design an addition to add value to the property, but the current floor plan is really not conducive to realizing a return on that investment (tiny living room, low ceiling basement, poorly placed basement stairs, etc.). 

We also team up with great interior designers who can boost revenue too.