It's so much work to furnish and set up a short term rental.

I currently have a rental property and am looking at getting my real estate license and building a property management and property maintenance company to serve my investments and potentially others.  

Raleigh has strong rental demand due to its growing job market, universities, and overall population growth.

I'm thinking long term rentals will be a good retirement plan.

Before getting started, I’d recommend focusing on three key areas:Strategy Selection – Understand the different investment strategies (BRRRR, short-term rentals, etc.) and determine which aligns best with your goals.Market Research – Study the market you want to invest in, including property values, rental demand, and economic trends.Laying the Foundation – Take proactive steps now that will set you up for success later.

@Jordan Miller most Class A & B rental properties bought since 2021 really don't cashflow from day one.Class B will take 1-3 years to start showing cashflow.Class A, 3-5 years.Current investors keep making the mistake of looking back at deals from 5-10 years ago when prices & interest rates were both a lot lower, but NOT rental rates.

Look for areas with stronger rental demand, lower property taxes, and minimal HOA fees to keep expenses down.

It's just a rule of thumb, and only tells part of the story when buying a rental property.

The things that give a rental a value in cashflow are benefits to the tenant in the form of living amities. 

From there you can start to identify what you are looking for.Where do you land on the follow spectrums:Cash flow and AppreciationLong term or Short term needs (waiting for growth vs get out of my W2 now)Long term rentals, Mid term rentals, Short term rentalsBuying close to home or coast to coastSelf manage or hire a PMIf you can narrow in on those, you essentially have your buy box.