I manage my own properties as do my clients; with the electronic resources for screening, rent collection, more - the ROI is greatly improved and you retain control of the property.Hope this helps.

If you know how to make rates of return higher than that, I would say it is better to invest the money than pay down your mortgage early.If you don't know how to do that, then either pay down your mortgage or learn how to improve your investment returns.

The loan does need to be secured by the property being improved if we are talking about a personal residence and personal itemized deductions on Schedule A.

Hi Devin, Have you ever considered that instead of America needing smaller homes that are more affordable, that America needs more higher paying jobs so that people can live the actual American dream versus having to settle for less and less and less (Has George Carlin pointed out in his classic speech about this). 

What I do see is that a strong screening process improves your chances of getting a responsible resident. 

Improvements on property you own do not qualify.2.

Hey @Bailey Rentz, I'll say that we use QuickBooks Online exclusively for all of our Clients and they are constantly working to improve the bank feed feature and specifically the connections.

Basic staging with an agent usually means they give you insight into how you should:Declutter and depersonalize by removing photos and personal itemsArrange your furniture to improve the room’s flow and make it feel biggerAdd plants, move art, or re-arrange other accessoriesFull-service staging is another option if your house needs more hands-on attention.

On another note, I had a lengthy conversation with VRBO last night while we both looked at one of my listings and came up some ways to improve it. 

You also have to be super detail-oriented, focused on continuous improvement regarding the property and guest experience, very in-touch with what it's like to be a guest at the property (and a cleaner of it as well), and focused on technological tools and opportunities.