In a slow market homes sit and rot, they are on the MLS forever and the longer it sits, the lower the price goes to find the sweet spot for just the perfect buyer.

I would use the income to slowly improve the house and once you get it to a good spot, HELOC out some money for a down payment on another place rinse and repeat. 

Alexandria, VA is a great spot for house hacking!

Although you are a new investor, you actually have more and better options than seasoned investors.Id they need a second parking spot , rent that to them also.

Kyle, south of Austin, ranked No. 2 with a 9% increase to 62,548 people, up from its third-spot ranking last year, while Leander, northwest of Austin, saw a 7.6% boost in population to 80,067 people, according to the data.In the new data set, Austin's population is pegged at 979,882 in 2023 — up 0.5% from the year prior — dropping it from the 10th to the 11th most populous city in the country behind Jacksonville, Florida, which has an estimated population of 985,843.Still, the Austin metro isn't stagnating.

Consider places like Riverview, Brandon, or even Lakeland—these spots have great growth potential without the premium Tampa prices.

Your operations are always spot on.

But they had to jump through a dozen HOA hoops..eventually, the building got stricter on short-term stays.For single-family homes, if you can snag something with a scenic deck or quick access to popular spots, you’d be surprised how many travelers pay a premium for that “living like a local” vibe.

Invest in some awesome parking facilities, like garages or covered spots.

The minimum hold we tell our clients is 2 years with the sweet spot being 5-7 years depending on the property.