I have lived in Hawaii for many years but now that I’m a traveling healthcare provider, I am off island more often than not.When I’m not on contract I would love to have a place to return to and when I’m away I would love to rent it out for some additional income.

If I believe I can generate enough profit this year and navigate any potential inspections next year, I’d be comfortable moving forward—using the income earned to cover any necessary upgrades.An alternative exit strategy is to document the financial performance and sell the property as-is, highlighting its strong short-term rental income.Think through your next five moves, from best to worst-case scenarios, and make a decision that aligns with your goals. 

For context when we do this our biweekly payments have been around $485 per paycheck so around $1,000 per month of lost income per person when we both do it. 

Hey Bigger Pockets Community,As real estate investors, we focus on building wealth, creating passive income, and securing financial freedom.

@Ming HuangRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

You will need to save that initial income to buy your first properties, get your mortgages, etc.You don't need a college degree to swing a hammer, but that psychology class could come in handy negotiating with a difficult tenant.

You spend a lot of time and money having people do this work, and at the end of the day you don't net any more income compared to a long term rental.

Quote from @David Cherkowsky: Quote from @Sasha Mohammed: Hi David,There are lenders that will allow you to purchase via a DSCR loan using STR income to qualify.

Here's the deal:Purchase Price (PP): $95kRenovation Budget (via HML): $60kTotal All-In Cost: $155kARV (After Repair Value): Around $200kRefinance (via DSCR Loan): 7% interest, 30-year fixedRefinance Details: After the refi, I will pay back the Hard Money Loan (HML) at 11.95% with 3 points:HML: $60,000Interest/fees: $3,585Other costs: $1,800Total to pay back HML: $65,385After the refi, I will have $84,615 left in cash.Cash Flow & Expenses:Expected Rent Income: $1,700/monthProperty Management (PM): $126/monthInsurance: $100/monthTaxes: $126/monthMortgage: $1,043.75/monthTotal Expenses: $1,395.75/monthSo my monthly cash flow is about:$1,700 - $1,395.75 = $304.25/month in cash flow.Return on Investment:Cash Invested After Refi: About $18,385 (after paying off HML and closing costs).Annual Cash Flow: $304.25 * 12 = $3,651Cash-on-Cash Return (CoC): $3,651 / $18,385 = 19.8%I didn’t account for maintenance costs since it’s a full gut rehab, and everything is brand new.

Higher taxes rates can impact both your buying power and your passive income as an investor.