If anything, at least wait a year so you don't pay short-term capital gains on the sale of the property.I need to find some more deals like that here in Chicago...where in Houston was this property?

Additionally, I've been spending a lot of time evaluating condo / HOA management solutions and accidentally stumbled on ManageCasa, which offers a free trial and < 3 unit free tier that has allowed me the time to get in, kick the tires, and really appreciate their attention to detail and broad feature set that adapts to each unique industry sector.

I gained equity in the property, and I got higher rents which lowered my living expenses while living there.

Do you think this strategy gains strength if lets say... in five years interest rates are at 5.5 vs 7.5 now?  

If I have a skill, knowledge, the right contacts or or a passion that can be leveraged into potential gains, that is where my money is applied.

Beachfront or properties near attractions tend to perform best.Mid-Term Rentals (MTRs): These are gaining traction, especially with traveling nurses and remote workers.

My advice would be to start small with your first deals to gain experience before scaling up.

I'm a newbie tooSelf education through books is a conversation between the author (mentor) and you.You'll gain knowledge, connections etc but it takes timeAttending meetups, listening to Youtube videos on subject matter further broadens knowledge base

The challenges in real estate teach you invaluable lessons that you might not gain otherwise.I also invest in Chicago, so I have a few thoughts in response to the questions you raised.

Staging your house well can help you attract more attention from buyers, which ultimately helps it sell faster and maybe for a higher price than an unstaged home (see visual):What Are My Staging Options?