@Brandon Ortiz: each strategy has its own risks and potential rewards.Owning rentals, you have the constant maintenance and tenant risk associated with owning property.  

Hi Jake-Thanks for the advice- I currently keep photos of all recipets and have updated excel sheets with all costs associated to each property.Organized for now - but as I make moves to scale a bit I probably could use a CPA who knows real estate finance.Respectfully

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23If a purchase, you also generally need reserves / savings to show you have 3-6 month payments of PITIA (principal / interest (mortgage payment), property taxes and insurance and HOA (if applicable).

The Rental Property Association of Wisconsin is a resource for connections with contacts that own rental portfolios, legal presentations and resources, and contractors.

However, it's crucial to factor in additional costs like auction fees, back taxes, and liens that might be associated with the property.2.

The Rental Owners Association of Lane County has a membership of over 1,300+ rental owners, representing over 20,000 rental units(from single family to multi-story complexes). 

Instead, he seems focused on discouraging me from setting up an LLC due to the fees associated with California.

A great way to start is by attending RE events and joining a local investors association.

@Chris Blackburn, while I can't speak to this specifically, there are a few red flags I see in your post.1: A Realtor has to be a member of the national association of realtors, an industry trade group primarily focused on your typical home buyer.  

This is consistent with data from sources like Zillow, Redfin, and the local Santa Barbara Association of Realtors.However, when I go to "Pick Markets" and select Santa Barbara, the median home price listed is $620,000, which doesn’t align with what I’ve observed locally.