Either way, you are in the right spot and best of luck on your investment journey!

The best way to see if someone is a reliably paying tenant is by their credit score. 

🎉🫡I wish you all the best as you start a new chapter!

I would say that is about right.And in the end, as @Arn Cenedella wrote, it is as much art as science...so even the best killer spreadsheet only takes you so far. 

So are you saying the Mortgage One deal would be the way to go? 

House hacking a duplex, even with negative cash flow upfront, is a great way to build equity while learning hands-on.

Have been talking about getting into real estate investing for the last 2-3 years and finally pulled the trigger on a 3 unit house hack in Soulard that will be closing later this month and will be self-managing the property.I'm trying to network a bit with other investors, build a solid team of contractors / handymen, and set my systems up in way to scale, but also so my tenants have a good experience.

However I am not sure its the best investment strategy for someone who is just getting started.

I have been using RentRedi as a way to do all the screening and applications.

Whether you choose short-term or long-term rentals, learning and analyzing deals will help you make the best decision.