I am profitable right now (cash flowing between $1200 and $2500 per month depending on the season), but don't have any desire to raise my monthly payment with a cash-out refi (nor am I likely to match my current rate).

I tend to do a quick dirty look at a building like JW with price per door, but after that sniff test, I quickly like to understand $Cost/SF and $rent/SF.The way I look at a single family, 2-4 units, or a 20 unit is all different, but the end result is still ROI or IRR (over time). 

🤔 I was raised sharing is caring. 😊  True. 

However, prop 13 is a gift to long holds, my interest rates are high 2s or in the 3s, and everything was financed (cashed out) between Dec 2020 and Dec 2021 (when the government tells you they are going to raise interest rates, it is generally a good idea to believe them).

I just extended my lease to a 2 year lease because of this success and fully believe that this airbnb will continue to do well.The newly onboarded airbnb:So the new airbnb had a little bit of a rough start, the laundry machine had to be replaced as it stopped working whilst I was testing things out in the home, I had a bit of a higher cost setting up the airbnb, (painted and filled in cracks that were previously present) but to be honest I spent around the same I would have spent if I had to fully furnish the home.

I generally agree that buying SFH as first investment is an easy way to test the waters; however, if you’re set on REI I suggest buying a duplex or quad.

Requesting to screen tenants again might raise concerns.

Does NOT mean you will NOT cashflow right away but most of the time in San Diego you are buying to ADD value, raise rents and finding other opportunities to raise your cashflow like; add AC, laundry, storage, etc. 

Quote from @Aaron Fuller: Walk away.Rents could "likely" be raised to $8,000?

The no is a test to see how they will take it and respond, whether they will listen.