As a former house hacker myself, I'd suggest you try not to get too close (in terms of friendship) with your tenants - the tenant/landlord relationship can make it tricky to become friends.Do you have a price range or down payment amount that you're targeting?

However, inventory levels have decreased, with 1,191 homes for sale in December 2024, a 4.3% decline from the previous month, suggesting a tightening market.

I would suggest having a conversation to understand why they made the decisions they made.

I would suggest taking the route of option 2 or 3, so not only are you saving over 10k in rent per year but the residents help in paying down the debt.

Honestly if you are doing STR I would suggest doing Austin itself rather than all the way out there in Kyle - maybe a couple of years ago when the prices were through the roof in Austin city itself this would be a good alternative but there is a blip right now where you can get a god entry point in Austin (downtown/east ideally) for STR

I’d really appreciate any insights or suggestions!

She asked my opinion and I suggested removing a few items from the front - which she appreciated.

Question: What other areas of puerto rico do people suggest?

Alternatively, yes you could sell, pay taxes on the gain, and use the proceeds to help your mom directly.Would suggest for you to talk to a CPA and a 1031 specialist to confirm your best move!

I am very new and am open to any and all suggestions/help.