If you are prepared for the costs involved and the modifications needed to the property to make the basement unit conform, the pay off of creating an extra rent producing unit is huge. 

I noticed that the previous owner let them pay half the security deposit and the other half later, which is a red flag.

We should hopefully start to see rent growth in 2nd half of 2025 and that should last for a few years.

One reason was the condo management company wasn't doing a great job and there were always extra levies. 

(I work with some challenging populations and the extra effort has paid off in these situations.) 

Extra set of eyes, second opinion and diversity of your own investments

So even though our right better get half back then none and or be in the hole like your experiencing.

You can always take extra courses or certifications later to level up your skills.

Many of them treat the home as their own and stay long term.Multi's are nice because they generally produce more cash flow, but do require some extra attention.

If you want to buy your first property ASAP, house hacking (duplex, triplex, or renting extra rooms) is one of the best ways to start with a low down payment while learning property management.