I asked him a lot of questions about the business and as soon as I got home I was doing research and joining RE forums focused on multi family.

I thought he was super smart and a straight shooter. 

Hello community,I have researching on benefits of long-term rental, and a bit stuck on requirements to be full time real estate professional (the 700 hours) if one has to be able to take tax advantages.

If I put all of my eggs in one basket (Florida in this case), paid off property and a hurricane blows everything away, FEMA is nowhere to be found and the insurance companies take years to pay what little claims they actually do pay, I suffer through it in a blown out house.

I currently have $350 dollars that is missing from a chargeback reversal from a tenant that has a document case with Amex and a statement to prove the money was sent back to me. 

The place I have is over 30 years old and a mansion ("mansion" in Japan means an apartment, not "mansion" like a huge house). 

No problem, I had cash from a refi, a HELOC, and a personal LOC.

I'm looking at Coimbra, Porto, Ponta Delgada, Evora and a couple cities in the Algarve. 

If you’re strategic about locations, management, and financing, STRs can still offer decent returns in the right market.I totally agree that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in real estate right now, but if you’re strategic—especially with tax savings and a long-term focus—real estate can still be a viable option alongside other investments.I agree with everything you said but it’s also important to consider the Time component.

Second, success often depends on creativity, persistence, and a willingness to negotiate.