In Washington State, there’s often a distinction between short-term guests and tenants, but repeated and continuous occupancy can blur those lines.

If you care to learn about the distinctions, read these posts:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/517/topics/1215989-expl...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51-tax-legal-issues-con...2.

The current use of the property as a two-family dwelling significantly impacts its value and marketability, which is distinct from single-family homes.The initial appraisal comparing your property to single-family homes is likely an oversight, as multifamily properties are evaluated differently due to factors like rental income potential and investor interest.

It scares me thinking about trying the Airbnb route but this area has two distinct tourist seasons in the summer and winter so it might be worth it for at least some of the units.

It’s true that while the 10% down payment for a second home sounds appealing, the fact that rate adjustments are now similar makes the distinction less about cost and more about strategy.A few years ago, I helped a couple in San Diego navigate this exact decision.

If you can't make a distinction, then you haven't defined your criteria well enough yet.

The northland (as north of the river is often called) is also a burgeoning home to massive data centers including one built by Facebook’s parent Meta and also has charming and distinctive downtowns including North Kansas City and Parkville.

There are multiple ways to utilize equity without paying taxes, such as cash-out refinances, HELOCs, and 1031 exchanges, making appreciation a powerful wealth-building tool.Many people lump all of California into one bucket, but it’s a massive state with many distinct markets.

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback—it’s clear that I need to clarify the distinction between my approach and the traditional perception of “cheap rent.”

Local government is NOT "Big Government", there is a distinction between these 2.