Quote from @Jimmy Rojas: I live in Arizona and homes here are sky high, youd be lucky to get %6 interest rate, I would be a 1st time home buyer, apart from being 1099 employed would Trumps real estate plans benefit the little guys like me? 

If I had to leave a takeaway from this post before getting too far in it would be that whatever goals are had you have, we have these goals for a reason and typically it does not go exactly as planned but even if it doesn't go as planned, we can pick up where we left off and give it a fresh start.

Keep in mind of the I/O(payments/period) and game plan on how fast you'd like to pay it down. 

An example is on one permit I had plans for electrical, plans for gas, plans for AC condenser.

I’m at the very beginning of my REI journey and I would love some guidance on how I can best optimize my planning, research and saving phase (which I’m dedicating 2025 to).

Sounds like you've put together a good due diligence plan so far. 

You will also provide the whole amount if you plan on repaying the loan in full beforehand.  

It’s a good plan, to me at least.

Hey @Megan OConnor, I can't comment on the area specifically but it is doable.You need to search AirBNB and VRBO to get a look at the competition (don't forget to look at VRBO)You have to work into your plans the downturn during the off season.

Short-term rentals are popular around the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods, mid-term rentals are common to target traveling nurses and doctors from health facilities like Nationwide Children’s Hospital.I’ve also spent time living in Cincinnati and it has a lot of unique character.