PM companies are like business partners, so choose wisely!

Be prepared for trial runs with several different candidates if you choose to hire a handyman to make sure they turn out to be qualified and dependable.

If you are limited to those areas for residency, and you choose to keep that job, you are going to have to either a) wait for a couple years and save up a heftier down-payment, b) change your strategy like you said and go for houses further away (do flips, STR or BRRR).Or, if you are sold on the house-hack concept, at some point you might have to look at a different job that allows you to move where house-hacking will work....

But I also realize many people choose the direction of Appreciation first.In my hometown market (not Pittsburgh, but central NJ area), few small to mid size multi family properties could come close to cash flowing positively.

When someone who is not an electrician wants to do electrical work and you choose that because it's cheaper, don't you already know the answer?

Then you could choose if you want to move into that next house and sell your current home with some tax benefits.

Choose properties needing minor upgrades to build equity.

There seems to be a bit of hostility here from the contractors, and this was really just a question so I could better understand and more easily work with contractors.This question was for a first-time encounter with a new contractor not recommended to me by anyone I know.I am happy to give weekly checks for progress, purchase all materials upfront including all the fittings, nails, caulk, and whatever else the contractor chooses.

You can proceed with a cash out or rate and term refi up to 65-75% LTV depending what product and terms you choose.

I choose Italy because I have a few advantages there.