The other is a smaller operation which does a lot of business in the specific neighborhood the house is in.

I am actively looking to connect with investors interested in [mention specific types of investment opportunities,  single-family homes, multi-unit properties, distressed to expand my portfolio and deliver strong returns.

As a savings of a few thousand dollars on furniture, could determine if your occupancy rate is 65% versus 70%...If the revenue is $50,000/yr that's $2,500 in one year (which could be the breakeven for that specific line-item expense).To determine you total breakeven point occupancy rate, and not just related to the furniture, take your operating expenses plus your debt service and divide it by your effective gross income.

Unfortunately looking like this specific deal likely won't pan out; seller is definitely not motivated to offload quickly/discounted based on their replies.I found a realtor through BP who I'm now working with to find a property, so progress in the right direction!

Good specifics - thanks.3 story "walk up" - like a unit on each floor?

We are specifically interested in multifamily properties (2-5 units). 

Talk to a few and get details on the specific strategies that could make sense in your situation. 

I feel like it's important to note that there's a section of tax law, Section 280A, that is specifically designed to prevent deducting expenses related to a personal dwelling.BTW, Section 280A is the chunk of tax law that creates the Augusta loophole, sets the rules for home offices, provides the formulas for deduction calculations for vacation properties.A generalization: If someone has a dwelling they use personally and also use for business, Section 280A basically limits the deductions to the actual true income received.P.S.

A rider allowing for using your owner-occupied property as a short-term rental for a specific/limited amount of time is very different than an investment property being used as a short or long term rental 100% of the time.Also, telling your home insurance company that you STR your home occasionally does not give you extra coverage for those types of risks, it simply means if your renter burns your home down the insurance company isn't going to immediately deny your claim. 

Another route could be private lending, where you provide capital to other investors in exchange for interest returns.Have you considered any of these options, or are you leaning toward a specific strategy?