I’m at the very beginning of my REI journey and I would love some guidance on how I can best optimize my planning, research and saving phase (which I’m dedicating 2025 to).

I had a similar strategy with my first few house hacks: buy in great A & B Chicago neighborhoods....get by with minimum cash flow, and wait...What's your plan for the next purchase Michael?

I am currently 36 years old and planning to start my real estate investing journey this year.

Renovations that truly add value-like modern kitchens, open floor plans, and energy-efficient upgrades are making the difference in selling faster and at top dollar.Financing & Interest Rates: The higher cost of borrowing has made tight budgeting more important than ever.

Mom’s estate plan should probably address this separately from you. 

Platforms like Procore, JobTread, Buildertrend, and FlipperForce have caught my eye, but I want to make sure I’m considering the best fit for my needs.Here’s what I’m looking for in a solution:Cost Estimation: A tool that accurately calculates material and labor costs.Project Oversight: Features to manage tasks, schedules, and budgets efficiently from start to finish.Vendor Integration: Real-time updates on pricing and inventory from suppliers like Home Depot or other suppliers.Material Suggestions: Automation or recommendations based on the rehab’s scope and specifications.Labor Planning: Tools to predict labor hours and staffing requirements for each phase of the project.For those of you who’ve used any of these platforms (or others), I’d love to hear your thoughts:Which software have you found most effective and why?

--> This is my plan.

With the exception of building a trailer on the property (these are hard to finance), this sounds like a good plan AND if you are using it for your business AND your business pays more than 50% of the rent (if you have more than 1 tenant), then this is a more financeable property in the eyes of banks and credit unions as it would be consider a commercial "owner-occupied" property. 

Given that the seller is financing the deal for the 2 years and then the plan is to re-finance it with a bank, I am having difficulty producing such financial analysis.

That means creating a clear budget, forecasting cash flow, and maintaining a detailed financial model that tracks both the current and future performance of your portfolio.Tax Optimization & Risk ManagementBeyond financial clarity, strategic tax planning and risk management are essential to safeguard and grow your real estate investments.