She's also likely to be causing your tenant in the lower unit to have a higher heating bill.

There's a few different ways to focus on a lower rate such as with house hacking and making the investment your primary residence, requesting a significant closing credit from the sellers for standard rate buy-downs (which I've had great success with recently), or utilizing lenders who offer short term rate lowering solutions such as 2-1 rate buy downs (again, ideally paid for by the sellers).

HelloOver saturated STR in Ohio markets have caused many STR to drastically lower costs to as low as  $100 for entire bedroom home.My are higher and I'm not competitive with the lower cost Abnbs.I also feel hotel industry are mass building new hotels to compete with str. 

Owning has advantages that LL does not such as no vacancy, typically lower maintenance/cap ex versus being occupied by tenants, and often property tax breaks. 

Your fire risk is lower in Sacramento than in the Tahoe or any wildland urban interface area.

They were worried that our development is going to lower the value of their home- and it absolutely will- no one will pay a premium for a small, old home that butts up to a big apartment building. 

I am looking to join a mentorship program to help lower my learning curve and until I find it, I am educating myself with books, as well as YouTube University and great advice from the BiggerPockets community.I do work full-time in a career that I love and is very rewarding, but I also know I won't attain my goals with my current job.

If for no other reason the more predictable and lower maintenance costs are a huge benefit.  

Outside of that, I am in a lower barrier to entry market of Cincinnati/Northern Ky.

The window guideline also has a height restrictions, homes built hillside with a room on the lower level are not always considered bedrooms because if the window is too small for a fireman to get in , in case of a fire it doesn't comply with the guidelines.