There are houses that can be lived in and fixed up, or turned into multi-unit spaces (such as terraced houses with converted 'stables' at the back) for living in and earning income at the same time.

The worst thing is to pay for a service where you don't get a benefit.If you have STR's and actively manage them, then there is a good chance that you can treat the propreties as active instead of passive which will allow you to offset the losses with other forms of income such as wages, interest, dividends, gains, etc.

600+ credit score; income validation; we have potential tenants meet the existing tenants to make sure there is a good fit. 

We’re currently using it for multi-family properties in a few core markets.While redIQ is a much more sophisticated tool that focuses on properties with over 50 units, our system is perfect for properties up to 50 units, providing an efficient solution for managing lead intake and financial analysis without the complexity of larger systems.Here’s how it works:Lead Intake & Processing: Automatically processes broker emails and key documents (OMs, Rent Rolls, T12s, etc.).Quick Review: Evaluates leads based on key metrics like IRR, price per unit, and more.Detailed Analysis: Extracts data from documents, evaluates financials, and identifies additional income sources.Market Research Integration: Automates checks on flood zones, demographics, school quality, etc.Deal Tracking: Uses Google Sheets to visually organize lead data—while not a full database system, it provides a simple and efficient way to store and track deals without the need for a full-fledged database like MongoDB.Financial Analysis: Built-in underwriting and financial modeling with automated reports.In addition to ZCG, I also own a portfolio of properties.

For instance, knowing the income limits, family size requirements, and the types of properties that qualify can help you make more strategic decisions.

A recent article discusses how Bloomington is considering flexible zoning to support dorm-style units, aiming to provide housing solutions for residents earning 30% of the area median income (AMI). finance-commerce.comThe city has successfully added new rental units in the 50% and 60% AMI bands but faces challenges in creating units for the 30% AMI bracket due to financial constraints.

I then did some wholesaling, land flipping, did some more buying and am now just doing lending to build up active income.

If debt concerns you, look at DSCR loans, which qualify based on rental income instead of personal finances.

I put the cash from the refi back into more mutlifamily units that produce more rental income. 

I mean myself and any bank would need more details, but if you utilize that large sum as a downpayment and have a small mortgage, wouldn't you easily qualify for the debt to income?