Conversely, if one side of the house sits on unconsolidated fill or on silt, it would settle or shift over time - once again, causing cracking.

@Michael Nguyen I’ll share a different perspective.

Trust me, I have been there.I suggest you try to House hack in cities that you are already familiar with and have some connection with.Hire a great investor agent in that market and ask them all your questions and concerns.That I believe is the best way to get personalized advice tailored to your goals and lifestyle.You giving out Cleeveland and Toledo on your post will only attract biased opinions and advise.Only you know what you truly like, want, and can deal with.As Nicolas said, read this post and comments and hope that gives you a new perspective. https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1215726-break...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...Goodluck and keep us posted.

It seems like a great time to revisit the conversation, especially considering how rates and market conditions have shifted over the past nine months.

Let me address your questions and provide insight from a lender's perspective:1.

The fee structure is so brutal on the client side it makes a lot of sense from the client perspective and you can take advantage of some free marketing. 

But from an investment diversity perspective, Its never a bad idea to diversify."

We decided the cost was too high and it was not worth it from a financial or risk perspective.  

If you're curious - read it here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1221700-rant-...In closing: The dangers of shifting the timing (of your income, expenses, and business transactions.)A purely mathematical exercise may indicate some beneficial timing for this or that.

It's a great framework to get started from a tactical perspective.