Hi @Brendan Jones I moved to Nashville in late 2021 to begin my homeownership and investing career, buying a primary residence, house-hacking it, and transitioning to a long-term rental once I bought my next property (also in Nashville) so would be happy to share my experiences.There is a lot of interest in STRs in the Nashville Metro area, but the zoning has become increasingly strict over the years.

I am working on increasing my knowledge and skills on the accounting side of investing.  

In this post, I will explain the criteria and the information sources.Income requirements for financial independence:Rents increase faster than inflation: Inflation erodes the value of money over time, causing prices for goods and services to rise.

(make sure you are budgeting for maintenance and management if you plan to use it) Rent will increase over time and your property will continue to appreciate in value. 

So, I would work to increase your knowledge and experience and really identify a strategy that suits you before moving forward with anything. 2.

They’re “meaner” than me so they charge late fees (I get 1/2), file pay or quits, and increase rents faster and further than I would.

Also, I am assuming since you house hacked that you only did 5% down, which then increases your mortgage payments compared to 25% down buyers.

But I'd like to see Lynnette's projects to support your claim "the portfolio was a 30% increase in cost to the consumers" since in TN, NC, VA, NC PPAs are priced at avoided costs. 

The increased cash flow would make such a substantial difference in your daily life that not paying it off would be foolish.Outside of that, I can't see many reasons I would take a 15% tax hit to save 4% on a mortgage, which is really only effectively about 3-3.5% depending on your tax bracket.

The allure of fat cash flow (at least on paper) and the low barrier of entry (down payment) never stop attracting new investors.