But the real secret to making money in real estate is finding the right properties at the right price—and that's where off-market deals come in.Off-market properties typically cost less than those listed on the MLS because sellers are often motivated by reasons other than price, like financial distress or personal circumstances.

I'd personally sell the townhouse (doesn't sound like it cashflows or would make a good rental property) - you may have no capital gains if you have lived in it the past 2 out of 5 years - I believe the first 250k for single filers is exempt from taxes and the first 500k for married couples.

Like @John Underwood said, your cleaner and handy person can be of great help getting things done.

The person in the response above who got crushed by a $5000 repair never did have $100-200/mo. cashflow.

I have never seen the homes in person, but got a good walk through from my realtor.

There's no clear-cut answer IMO, it's a personal decision.  

I'm also in a 5 person group within gobundance called a 'gopod' and we meet weekly.

@Jason Lopez You don’t need an LLC to rent out a house in San Antonio, TX, but it can provide liability protection by separating your personal assets from your rental property.

I personally again in my opinion only.. but these guys could be fake lenders.. for sure HML  do not have a requirement that they can only lend to a corp..

AND prices have come down a bit in the last few years.Get a good grip on your personal spending and CUT BACK on everything for a couple of years.