I do think house hacking and small multifamily are the best plays at the moment. 

In playing with the numbers a bit, I'm seeing a trend of atleast 2% rent to price and (ideally) < 7% mortgage rate needed to achieve a decent cash on cash rate.

The play is that rather than having to wait until the foreclosure process is completed, the investor can rent out the property (and earn a return - after rehabbing it, of course) during the process.

You don't want to start playing sides here and getting involved in these kinds of debates.

Sidenote: I am a note investor and play in this space as my full time job, so I am not some crackhead. 

Columbus is going to be more of an appreciation play and cash flow margins will be tighter in the beginning. 

This platform has played such a key role in my journey over the years.

Plus, having a fully paid-off property could be a nice safety net if the STR market takes a hit or occupancy slows down.On the flip side, if you’re eager to grow, saving for another property could be the better play.

So it can be good for cash flow and building in tighter spaces but it is less of a equity play in today's market if you're looking to sell right away

Keep track of those costs this year, they come into play in 2025 when it's in service.