Our mortgage and HELOC are both in my wife's name.

Because jumping from a mortgage to rent does not really solve the problem.

Especially if you can buy a duplex or fourplex and have the other tenants help pay your mortgage.

There are pros and cons depending on your goals.Why an LLC Might Be a Good Move• Helps protect your personal assets in case of a lawsuit• Makes it easier to bring in partners in the future• Keeps your real estate finances separate from personal accountsWhy It Might Not Be the Right Move Just Yet• Most traditional lenders will not give a mortgage to an LLC, so you may have to use commercial or DSCR loans, which usually have higher rates• Some people assume an LLC will save them money on taxes, but rental income is still taxed as pass-through income for most investors• There are extra costs like annual filing fees and bookkeepingA lot of new investors get stuck on this decision, but the reality is, you can always start out in your personal name and transfer properties into an LLC later.One more thing I wish someone told me early on is that property management takes more time than you think.

I was studying the market and my rent will be just enough to cover the mortgage and HOA fee now I might to pay out of pocket for insurance but don't want to sell it yet because the area is growing and might have good appreciation in the years that follow.

.: One of the interesting things that occurred in the legal landscape was that in 1978, California's Supreme Court ruled that due on sale clauses in mortgage documents were void "restraints on alienation" and unenforceable unless a lender could show their security was at risk.

You can increase returns with leverage (that is a mortgage) or with value add (renovations, additions etc).I think cap rates (rents minus expenses divided by purchase price) on commercial and industrial is higher with less work involved, but its more expensive than I can afford--so I know next to nothing about that land.

Due-on-Sale Clause: Most mortgages have this clause, which could let the lender call the loan due if you transfer the property.

To analyze deals efficiently, focus on key metrics like cash flow, cap rate, and expense ratios—make sure rental income covers mortgage, taxes, insurance, and maintenance while hitting your 6% cap rate target.

Then, more advanced stuff that those without licenses will have a tough time with: active real estate agents working the area - so i can call them to preview my house - in case they run into potential buyers they know of in their office, Then, I have Listingbook software on my I-phone ( Works with MLS data- by subscription)- that actually knows the number of searches of homes in any given area - so I can blast a promotion of my house to all the agents that have clients looking in the area (not just my subdivision -unless that is what I want), and...for the investor in me: track all the mortgages recorded against the property, so I know how low of an offer I can make - based on the mortgages on the property.