Unfortunately, I see a growing trend of a lot of service members renting their homes at break even rates or at losses.

Quote from @Alan Asriants: There has been a growing trend recently of individuals looking to house hack single-family homes.

House HackAttend as many REI meetups as you can to grow your network of investors for referrals, help through challenges you may incur but don't have experience with, and learn from proven guest speakersNetworking app like blinq to compile all of your contacts for REI in one area with phone and emailbegin conversations with local credit unions exploring what type of loan products they offer

Additionally, the growing number of Airbnb listings in the area has increased competition.

lol not sure what I am getting into this year but always looking. really trying to grow the unit count. i probably won't do a flip.

You can grow your portfolio, maintain manageable risks, and still see some solid returns.

Central Florida is a solid market with strong rental demand, especially in growing areas like Orlando, Tampa, and Lakeland.Focus on building relationships with local agents, lenders, and property managers—they’ll help you identify good deals.

My parents had a 3 family growing up and I used to hate going there on weekends but I learned a lot and it obviously stuck with me.

Also, grow your contractor lists, maybe make posts about their work.  

And while short-term rentals are the big draw here, there’s also growing demand for mid-term rentals from snowbirds and traveling professionals, as well as long-term housing for the increasing number of permanent residents.Yes, higher interest rates are a factor, but the strong rental demand in the Panhandle often helps offset those costs.