It’s a longer-term game, though, with higher upfront costs.I’d say spend some time researching your target area and connecting with local investors or meetups—they’re goldmines for market insights and networking.

That's their whole game!

This decision often comes down to a simple numbers game.

Things like your car (if used for business) and home office expenses could be game-changers, especially in your first year. 

Spending too much time on analyzing one deal will put you out of the game on too many other ones...

That said, you deserve a management team that treats your properties with the same level of care and attention as they would for larger clientsI’ve heard from other investors that finding a great PM company can be a game-changer.

If appreciation is not there, however, it seems like a potentially long waiting game to see if your $60k investment today returns anything meaningful in the long run. 

Starting out, single-family was my go-to—easier to manage and a great intro to the game.

He doesn’t believe in the blame game.

In each category, note how much you are bothered or stressed on a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 = not bothered at all and 5 = stressed out: Pain Points Stress1 to 5 Pain Points Stress1 to 5 Unit turnover Exterior maintenance Advertising for available units Deferred capital expenditures Tenant screening rules Plumbing or electrical emergencies Tenant selection / discrimination rules Mortgage payments Documenting move-in conditions Bookkeeping and bill paying Documenting ongoing conditions Taxes and insurance premiums Dealing with tenant complaints Risk of late payments or non-payments Dealing with neighbor complaints Risk of property damage or vandalism Mold, termites and rodents Premises liability Interior maintenance Evicting tenants If your completed table has mostly 1s and 2s, then congratulations—you are a happy landlord!