Quote from @Jack Deer:  I think @Tyler Hall's answer was pretty spot on.You can buy liens in Texas, but it is pretty difficult and you do so with the owners approval and cooperation. 

These properties are going to blow your mind on how you can reduce your w2 income TAX. 

Quote from @Heath D Wallace: Quote from @Nick Rutkowski: @Heath D Wallace Cats can damage your property if not maintained correctly, if your apartment has carpet then cat urine is can get soaked in it if the cat pees on your floor.

That said, I am looking for feedback on average rent prices I can get in that area.

The good thing about the houseGood monthly cash flowGood interest rateIf its a headache property, I would sellIf it doesn't have much maintenance and you have good tenants, I would keep it.If you do decide to sell, you have about $200,000 of equity which you can buy 2-4 houses with when the market is more favorable.

If rates drop, more buyers will come to the market and you can refinance to lower your monthly payment.

As you can never truly be protected other than making sure it's in the contract with your GC who is doing the project.  

If they do have reserves and meet full review requirements, you can put as little as 3-5% down. 

So if you can do just a few deals a year you can be making some extra money, learning, and establishing yourself so that eventually you can easily transition into being full time.

If you're new to real estate investing and looking to get the best value, I'd suggest considering **house hacking** using an **FHA loan**—it can be a great option for first-time buyers.