I’ve been working with several lenders for DSCR loans, but I’ve found that the fees are quite high, with minimal benefit in terms of lowering my current interest rate.

Focus and consistency are going to be your best friends.Also, I wouldn't tackle buy-and-holds right now unless you currently have a high cash flow revenue stream in place.

They make their money off of real estate agents, but real estate agents are the worst people to make money off because they are highly unreliable and in and out of the business when the market changes.Their target should be the consumer with higher levels that they can subscribe too for data, since Zillow is linked to the MLS now which makes their data somewhere more reliable.

We were initially looking out of state for a potential move and or investment property just because the property taxes without being able to homestead, plus high cost of insurance, and harsh weather on homes made me feel like it might not be worth it.

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

Talk about aiming high, right?

Focus on undervalued properties, prioritize high-ROI renovations, and refinance to pull equity for future deals while maintaining 20-25% equity.

Although I haven’t received an acceptance yet, I’ve been actively sending out LOIs to property owners.I’m aiming high with my first acquisition because I’ve heard many investors wish they had gone larger at the start.

Great reason for not pulling deductions forward.I have been retired from a W2 job for some time and my income is at an all time high and will just keep going up with more RE investments. 

By highlighting properties in high-demand areas like San Ysidro that are ripe for SB-9 developments, you'll attract savvy buyers and investors who are eager for strong returns.