As an agent, you can also represent yourself and put your commission toward the down payment, further lowering your out of pocket costs.

Not nearly as far as it did when I got started... ugh I hate that I am now old enough to say such a thing.

When they do, you can refinance to a lower rate.Dealing with current high interest rates (about 7% on 01/27/2025) you have the following choices:A larger down paymentAccept a negative cash flowBuy down the interest rateCombine and balance all three to get an acceptable cash flow today.

starting with a flip" is really tough because flipping takes capital. 

Due to item 1, adding an ADU can require years to start achieving any return (once the accumulated cash flow recovers the initial negative position).4) Adding an ADU is a slow process.

I can do that through charging points, but since I'm getting it at a lower rate than you could as a consumer, I prefer to mark up the rate while still being lower than most others in the market.

Have you considered other starting strategies like house hacking or live-in flips?

@Melissa Sejour Its a great question we all had starting out.

Recommend you start researching what investors did prior to the Great Crash of 2008.

Borrowers overleveraging, deals falling apart, and platforms absorbing starting to selll off these losers.