My goal is to acquire my first investment property, ideally a single-family rental, by early-2025.I’m particularly interested in hearing from others who’ve navigated the Hudson Valley or Catskills markets, especially with rental properties or creative financing strategies.

The ideal property would meet the above criteria, AND would have a large yard, or ideally, a detached garage that was a suitable candidate for an ADU construction project (CO now allows ADU construction on most properties), and/or a primary structure that had lots of value-add potential. 

There's only a handful of these in the Bonita market that meet the ideal criteria for your strategy, but they're much more prevalent in Fort Myers.

Otherwise, the deal (and all my earnest money/inspection costs) falls through.Money Spent So FarEarnest Money Deposit: $1,500Appraisal: $750Inspections: $1,050Survey: $580I’ve invested a fair amount already, and I really don’t want to lose this opportunity.Financial SnapshotMonthly Income: $4,500 (increasing to $6,000 by March).Monthly Expenses: About $2,000 total, including $1,000 rent (which I won’t have once I move in).Future Income: By June, I expect even more significant income from my business ventures.Debt-to-Income: Not too high right now, but my credit score is poor, so that limits quick loans or credit card solutions.Condition of the PropertyFull Rehab Needed: The house currently isn’t livable without major repairs.Seller Won’t Negotiate: I’ve already asked for an extension and concessions, but the seller is unwilling to help or budge on anything.Attempts So FarFriends & Family: No one can cover $25K.Down Payment Assistance Programs: I’ve tried multiple; none seem to fit.Co-Signer: Already have a co-signer on the mortgage.Personal Loans / Credit Cards: With my credit score, interest rates are brutal, and I’m worried about jeopardizing my FHA approval.Extensions: We’ve already pushed the closing date back by a month.What I’m Looking ForCreative Financing: Any reputable local lenders, credit unions, or community programs in Detroit that specialize in these types of last-minute shortfalls for buyers with less-than-ideal credit?

Here's an ideal PM contract: The two keys are: The PM is incentivized to make you money, not charge high fees, and is contractually bound to provide reporting that you can understand in a timely manner. 

For our second STR, we are currently researching Sherman, potentially / ideally, a less expensive duplex that we could rennovate and self manage from Dallas with workers coming to the area in mind. 

Diversifying geographically can also reduce risk and increase long-term returns.For example, there are several markets across the U.S. that are ideal for new investors because they offer affordable entry points, reliable cash flow, and strong economic fundamentals.

If staying in the deal isn’t ideal for you, an equity buyout by your partner or another investor could be the simplest path.

I think having a balanced budget would be ideal where you allocate money into buying another property and money set aside for renovations.

We like the short-term rental idea because we could stay at the property ourselves when we want - summer break, spring/winter breaks, etc.Our budget will be right around $1M or less ideally, and we would like a short distance to the ocean.How likely is it that we could find a property as described above and have it cover or come close to covering the mortgage?