Leverage equity, explore house hacking, and continue learning through books, podcasts, and local networking to refine your strategy.

Flexibility in Loan Terms: Josh offered a unique hybrid product that let my friend lock in a portion at a fixed rate while leaving the rest variable.

Nothing illegal about doing that, but if caught, the lender may call the loan due and if you don't correct the situation or pay the loan off, they willstart mortgage foreclosure.3) You could also go the HELOC route to tap the equity in the home, but the 12-month owner-occupancy will also apply AND the interest rate on the HELOC will fluctuate with the Fed Fund Rate.4) You could do a cashout refi as an investment property, but that will be at an interest rate 0.5-1% higher than owner-occupied rate.Suggest you meet with 2-3 lenders to explore your options about the above.Once you have access to funds, recommend you buy a 2-4 unit with 20-25% down. - You can buy owner-occupied, live in one unit, and fix up and rent the other unit(s).- If you're handy, recommend buying a property in the worst condition you can tolerate.

Quote from @Casey Wilson: Hi there, I was wondering if any Detroit-metro experts from the PB community could offer advice on what areas in the Detroit-metro area might be worth exploring for rental properties (ranging from single family homes to 5+ unit apartment complexes).

Perhaps that's the correct option if you are selling a SFH to a home owner that has unique design characteristics but not in the context of what you are facing.

Whether it's optimizing listings on OTAs, leveraging social media, running targeted ads, or using dynamic pricing tools—I'd love to hear what’s working for you.Some strategies I’ve been exploring include: Enhancing property listings with professional experience photography and compelling descriptions, leveraging Instagram and Facebook ads to attract more direct bookings, and utilizing email marketing to engage past guests.What’s been a game-changer for your vacation rental business?

Alternatively, I could explore loan recasting, where the lender recalculates my monthly payment based on the reduced principal, keeping the original loan term intact.

It would be mainly rented to alumni, parents of students and people exploring the area by the University of Florida.  

I'm currently exploring opportunities in real estate, particularly in accounting roles.

For funding, explore options like FHA loans, personal savings, or creative financing, and focus on New Jersey markets that align with your goals, such as Newark for rentals or commuter towns for house hacking.