I got a very lucrative multi-day booking this fall, and then tried to cancel just a couple of weeks later claiming I want except her service dog which wasn't true.

I would include servicing costs of the loan and licensing costs.

Quote from @Lamier Guzman: Quote from @Wale Lawal: @Lamier GuzmanWelcome to BP and thank you for your service!

Usually with an on site maintenance handy man versus the heavy costs of commercial services.  

-OOS investors rely on service providers like agents and PMs and think they're guaranteed an outcome instead of just paying a fee for a service.  

On paper the cheap houses look great, but the reality is they are harder to manage, have higher turn over and cost a lot more time and money.Buying before you retire is a good idea because once you retire, your ability to borrow money is going to decrease as you don't have a regular income from a job.As you want to fix houses up, why not buy a house that needs a bit of work, live in it while doing the renos and then move when you sell it. 

In fact, even with my extensive experience, I choose to have all my properties professionally managed.Here's why:Tenant Selection Is CriticalThe most valuable service a property manager provides is selecting reliable tenants.

Connect with lenders and brokers, see what rates are out there, underwrite the deal and see if it makes sense after debt service. 

So could start with some community banks in Cleveland since you are local.Residential loans for the most part are serviced by Fannie Freddy but commercial loans can be much more diverse with their products so having a few options has always helped me a ton. 

Under IRS Publication 523 for 2023 dated February 2024, I qualify as "Service, Intelligence and Peace Corp Personnel" and for "qualified extended duty" (page 4& 5 - https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p523.pdf).