It’s a lower risk strategy since you’ll be living in one of the units, and you’ll qualify for low down payment loans.

Can you provide guidance on how to get started and some effective strategies?

Hey @Ian Russell, I'd recommend speaking with @Whitney Nash, she's a fantastic QI and can help you out.

Hi Malcolm, With your strategy of holding multi-family properties or flipping, the key is running the numbers carefully to match your goals.

I was speaking with a man who has a long history in lending and working for a bank, and he was poking some holes in an investment strategy I was formulating.

That experience made me realize I want to dive deeper into this space.Right now, I’m in the research phase—figuring out locations, property types, and strategies while working on funding and budgeting.

Prioritize stable cash flow, good location, and manageable property condition, while considering strategies like gradual rent increases, expense reduction, and value-add improvements to enhance returns.

How good of a deal would be needed to make this strategy work? 

They must satisfy "material participation" test for their STRs to utilize the strategy.

When we moved, we turned it into a rental, hoping this would be the start of our real estate journey—something we’d like to continue once my husband retires.Some key details:My husband is active duty and will retire in 3 years.We have one final move coming up this summer to Raleigh, NC.Our current debts are crippling us—the high interest makes it tough to stay afloat every month.The plan me and my husband are thinking bout:Sell the rental property.Use the proceeds to pay off all our debts, set aside emergency funds and a down payment for our next home.Free up $1,500/month from debt payments, and that also can stash in a high-yield savings account.Regain full VA loan entitlement, allowing us to purchase a multifamily home and use the house hacking strategy for up coming move.Avoid capital gains tax, since April marks five years of ownership, and the tenant’s lease ends in May.This wasn’t our original plan, and we hate the idea of using our equity to pay off debt.