Also is your rent covering just PITI or total expenses?

According to Realtor.com, EMD is typically between 1% and 2% of the total home price and is money you pay as a show of good faith when you make an offer on a house.But, it’s not an added expense.

IF you plan on going back someday, and this is the home you want to move back to, then renting it would be a good idea as long as you estimate that it will cover itself, or preferably, cash flow, which it appears that yours will at @ $2K or so per month (after expenses). 

You have to buy right, know where the market is headed, know ALL of your expenses and know what your various "outs" are before you commit to a property or you will lose your shirt.  

I knew before I went that if we decided to invest in the “Inner Circle” it would be expensive, but would give us access to 100% funding within 72 hours, or so they said.

Pros - guaranteed rent, tenants stay longer on averageCons - more mgmt needed (lease violations), they tend to not take great care of properties (increase maintenance expense or deferred maintenance)

  $31k after tax annual income - $11k rent = $20k or $1,600 per month net income left to cover all other expenses (utilities, cars, insurance, groceries, kids, activities, etc.).Median household income for 38128 is $41k or $36k after tax

New PM's get their experience at the owner's expense and it takes at least 4 years to really get a handle on this business.

California is tough because it's expensive and tenant friendly but the right areas can make some killer appreciation.

I was talking to a RE friend.He said it's a bad time to buy* rates are high* homes are expensive in most marketsLooking to hear some counterpoints.