This brings me to now, I've taken this approach and have used my own money in lending, but am also bringing in friends and family to take part in these transactions so they can earn way better returns than with CD's.

I grew up in North Florida so I have a lot of family, friends and business contacts in that area.  

Since you are an investor friendly agent that drives for dollars, I would invite you to try out the AI which looks at google images and satellite images to tell you if the property is distressed.

The whole thing is not beginner friendly….  

rent out all the bedrooms to your friends. 

A close friend of mine in Houston once had a client who owned two properties across different states.With your North Port place being so fresh (2021 build) and on a canal, you’ve got strong appeal for folks looking to enjoy that waterfront Florida vibe.

Check out FilePlace, where user-created forms are available for free.

I invest in Boise, ID and do quite a few BRRRRs, LTRs and STRs- varying degrees of success depending on how much equity we can force and the type of back end financing we can find, but the tax benefits are great and it's a rapidly growing market and Idaho is probably the most landlord friendly state in the nation. 

You’ll likely find a strategy that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.Since you’ve been enjoying the BiggerPockets Money podcast, I’d also recommend checking out the Real Estate Rookie podcast—it’s great for diving into beginner-friendly strategies and learning from others who’ve been in your shoes.Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more or bounce around ideas.

I've read BiggerPockets' Real Estate Investing book and am particularly interested in the house hacking strategy, as I'd like to move out of my current living situation.Our main dilemma is choosing between a single-family home (renting out one room to a close friend) or a multifamily property like a duplex or triplex.