Nicholas makes a great point—having strong ties to a market definitely helps, and picking a random low-cost market without a network can be tough.

If there is a property manager, your success rate is going to be very low.   

As inflation drives rent growth, properties in stable markets like the Midwest can continue to deliver returns even in higher-rate environments.Market Conditions Favor Real Estate RecoveryThe commercial real estate (CRE) market has faced significant challenges in recent years, but signs point to a recovery:Bottom of the Market Cycle: CRE appears to have reached its low point in late 2024, with 2025 marking the start of a slow recovery phase.Limited New Supply: High interest rates have curtailed new construction, which should drive rent growth in the coming years.Policy Changes on the Horizon: There is growing discussion about potential policy shifts under the new administration, including a return of 100% bonus depreciation and lower interest rates.

Fees are really low too. 

THe lender is a credit union and it is a conventional low rate loan.

My mentor told me I was still charging too low for the value I was providing. 

Weigh the long-term benefits of the low mortgage rate you have versus selling and getting $500k from a sale exempt from capital gains tax.

Or we gradually perform high-quality updates for a live-in flip, then roll the equity into a new home.Regarding rental income, we aim to boost income, lower our effective tax rate by generating more low tax-drag income with rental income (since there’s not much we can do to lower out W2 tax bills) and have retirement cash flow.To compare the financial impact over 10-20 years, we want to analyze renting versus flipping.

Low or No House IdentityPeople want to take pride in where they live.

What was ABNORMAL were the interest rates for the previous 10-15 years which were unusually low. 2.