Only "CASH OUT" of your IRA in cash of an emergency or you are at retirement age. 

Just say no.I would almost never do this trade unless all my downside, including potential unknowns, were completely compensated for. 

They are simply trading one thing for another.

They know they can’t afford a trade war.

.✅ Stronger Tenant Relationships – Being involved directly allows you to build rapport with your tenants, which can lead to better communication and longer leases.Cons of Self-Managing❌ Time-Consuming – Dealing with maintenance requests, late-night emergencies, and tenant disputes can quickly become a second job.❌ Legal Risks – Chicago has strict landlord-tenant laws.

It was also difficult to assess the heating situation after repairs since tenant refused to provide key to access unit for repairs and/emergencies, citing “privacy and safety” concerns.

Are there new trends in commission splitting resulting from the NAR lawsuit starting to emerge?

There’s no chance I would trade my 10 well performing homes for 50 or 100 homes to get the same income before the increased taxes and repairs/vacancies, etc etc. 

When we moved, we turned it into a rental, hoping this would be the start of our real estate journey—something we’d like to continue once my husband retires.Some key details:My husband is active duty and will retire in 3 years.We have one final move coming up this summer to Raleigh, NC.Our current debts are crippling us—the high interest makes it tough to stay afloat every month.The plan me and my husband are thinking bout:Sell the rental property.Use the proceeds to pay off all our debts, set aside emergency funds and a down payment for our next home.Free up $1,500/month from debt payments, and that also can stash in a high-yield savings account.Regain full VA loan entitlement, allowing us to purchase a multifamily home and use the house hacking strategy for up coming move.Avoid capital gains tax, since April marks five years of ownership, and the tenant’s lease ends in May.This wasn’t our original plan, and we hate the idea of using our equity to pay off debt.

As a PM, I'm authorized to make emergency repairs without owner permission.