I think there's a good chance that we will see little movement from the FED to see how the economy reacts to their last cuts and to see how the incumbent president's policies impact the country.

@Mike TikhRecommend 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 Class A property in Class D area, what quality of tenant will you get?

Does that impact any advice you'd give?

(2) Does anyone have any best practices or tips on dealing with rental properties and tenants that have been impacted by a natural disaster?

Do you think this will impact my ability to rent the property?

We've owned them for 20-plus years but the recent property tax increases have negatively impacted our cash flow as have major repairs such as roof replacements, AC units, etc.

There are several things here -1. 3-4 unit properties require a self-sufficiency test, which could impact your down payment requirements as that could change the max loan amount that they can lend on.

The LLC will have zero impact on lending.

One of the primary issues is the impact of rent control policies.

@Stephen Hood your idea is solid and shows good potential, but here are a few things to consider:Private Lender Terms: Ensure the lender agrees to the 1% origination fee and $2K monthly payments—some may require a higher interest rate or balloon payment at the end.Timeline for Sale: Factor in potential delays with selling your current property or completing renovations on the new one, as these could impact your refinance timeline.Refinance Feasibility: Confirm with lenders that refinancing at $500K is realistic, especially after recent rate increases and appraisal expectations.Exit Plan: Have a backup plan in case the market shifts or repairs take longer than expected, such as extending the private loan or bridging with a HELOC.If you can lock in favorable private loan terms and stay realistic about costs and timelines, this could work well.