Boston in particular is a strong market with great appreciation, a great tenant pool, and rents being as insane as they are it's nearly impossible not to pay less when you house hack vs. rent. 

@Josh LansberryIt’s exciting that you’re ready to take action in the Raleigh/Research Triangle market, an area with strong growth potential.

By year 5 we had around 55 people.We did hire a marketing person but frankly marketing wasn't our strong suit. 

I understand that at my age, focusing on properties with strong equity growth potential (even if cash flow isn't immediate) is a solid strategy.

Rather than concentrate on the initial cash flow, concentrate your effort on markets that have indicators of strong rent growth.  

If a person has to ask, at all, I STRONGLY advise to use a PM service for tenant placement. 

Quote from @Keegan Felix: This is all very new to me, but I started listening to the BP podcast about a month ago and realized I have a strong interest in real estate investing.

We've got strong job growth (tech, healthcare, education), stable population growth, strong rental demand, and plenty of value-add opportunities in multifamily.

With your $1,100 rent and the potential for an improved loan structure, it's worth reaching out to DSCR lenders who are flexible on reserves and leverage.Key Points:Highlight your strong FICO score and existing equity.If your DSCR ratio falls short, some lenders allow exceptions for high-FICO borrowers.

It might be helpful to narrow down your options by focusing and researching for markets with strong rental demand, growing job markets, and property prices that fit within your budget.