Since the payment was deposited into your account on 1/6/2025, it would typically be considered income for 2025, even though the tenant paid it on 12/31/2024.However, if you use cash-basis accounting (which most landlords do), the key factor is when you physically receive the money, not when it was sent or owed.

I do not have a traditional W2 job so I can't pursue the typical conventional loan or a FHA since I don't have income (hence the DSCR route).However, I've seen that most DSCR lenders do not lend if the loan amount is less than $100K.

These properties typically do not have rent growth that keeps up with inflation.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend 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?

In that case, you’d typically need to file a legal challenge, which could involve going to court and showing that the restriction is unnecessary or unreasonable.The best advice I can give would be to consult a real estate attorney to understand your specific situation and options.

I have warned countless people that the "new", "Cheapest", and "shaking up the insurance market" carriers typically come into the market under priced, have a wave of claims, then they either jack up premiums to survive or fire their staff to keep heads above water.

Those horror stories are typically from amateur landlords that don't know how to screen tenants.

Even with the balloon, this is more typical for owner finance. 

For most DSCR loans, down payments are typically around 20-25%, depending on the lender and the property type.

Off street parking is typically more important for high end/expensive rentals.