Generally speaking, if you borrow money at 7% interest and your investment is earning a 10% return, 10% - 7% = 3% and you are not growing faster than inflation.

To beat 5.25% mortgage rate....the corresponding, offsetting stock market return would be at least double that...To answer your question requires (1) knowing what risk adjusted return you will be able to earn in the future (2) knowing what interest rates will do in the future.  

Typically, if you have a mortgage, the mortgage company will collect taxes and insurance when you pay,  so there is not really any budgeting required for this.

The BEST method for real estate investing is very simple: increase earnings, reduce expenditures, save, and invest from your own funds.You should focus on increasing earnings and learning how to manage your budget.

Quote from @Melanie Baldridge: Why I like investing in real estate more than 401(k)s.Both offer tax deferrals, but here's the difference:If you're making pre-tax contributions to your 401(k), then withdrawals = ordinary income tax.With real estate gains, you're paying capital gains tax (which is typically lower).Plus, RE investors get:1.

Typically, if they can make it work as an STR they go that route because it almost always generates the most revenue.

.- Maximum build size: typically 800 square feet or 50% of the size of the primary residence, whichever is smaller.

If all things are the same a 3/2 will command a higher price than a 2/2, and typically as a property gets more expensive the average length of stay goes down.4.

Thanks  Section 8 is typically going to be on the higher end of market rents for any given area.

He is currently a travel PT that makes $37k pre-taxed but after including all his stipends, his annual earnings are  closer to $95k-$97k.