Securing quotes for properties in flood zones can be challenging and time-consuming (especially if vacant), so it’s unlikely you could have done it quickly.

So you would spend around $25-$30k a month (this was 15 years ago) on police details and require union gate and non union gate if you had non union workforce as well.In DC area, the utility providers are a huge challenge, whether getting permanent power, or water/sewer service etc - good luck.

This speaks volumes about the challenges Buyers are facing when it comes to saving enough cash to purchase a home.It’s a reminder that understanding what Buyers need most is key to creating deals that work for everyone.

And, even then, hitting your rate target would still be extremely challenging unless you were paying points up front, in which case it would probably make more sense to just try to put in a bigger down payment (or pay down the balance if refi) instead and get better terms naturally offered at the lower LTV.

Challenges?

@Ana Escudero Property insurance renewals have been challenging the past few years, but there’s some stability with carriers heading into 2025.

Challenges?

My plan for this year is improve my credit, get my real estate license (to increase my income on top of my W-2), possibly career transition into the property management space (to learn more), and save as much as possible and learn as much as I can.I’d love to house hack close to home but my area is so expensive it seems like it’d be close to impossible. 

It sounds like you’ve navigated some serious challenges while staying committed to your long-term investment goals, which is a testament to your resilience.The current market definitely presents challenges, but it also holds opportunities—especially for investors who take a strategic, long-term approach.

Even better, I might be able to snag it well under market value since it's an estate sale that's been sitting on the market for nearly 200 days.Here’s the challenge: while I could afford to purchase the property under market value, I’d be stretching my budget thin to cover the mortgage during the period I’d be remodeling the basement to make it rentable.