I have two LTRs and want to get a STR to offset my W2 income.

When it comes to real estate, here's a general list of eligible assets and their depreciable lifespans that you should know: Residential Rental Property = 27.5 yearsThis includes any building or structure where 80% or more of its gross rental income is from residential units.That means:- Apartment buildings- Single-family rental homes- Duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes- Mobile homes (used for residential rental)- Any kind of residential lodging facility where the primary purpose is long-term rentalCommercial Property = 39 yearsThis includes non-residential properties like:-Office buildings-Retail stores and shopping centers-Warehouses-Industrial complexes-Hotels and motels that do not qualify as residential rental propertyLand Improvements = 15 yearsThese include sidewalks, roads, fencing, some landscaping, and parking lots that are separate from the building.Personal Property = 5 or 7 yearsPersonal property used in a rental activity usually has a 5 or 7-year life.This includes most furniture, appliances, carpeting and various machinery.Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) = 15 yearsGenerally, this includes any improvements made to the interior of a non-residential building after the building was placed in service, excluding elevators, enlargements, and the internal structural framework.Computers and Related Peripheral Equipment = 5 yearsVehicles = 5 yearsNote that the land itself is not depreciable.

They are exceedingly rare, thus very expensive, but I believe they represent an excellent long term steady income and store of value.  

It lets you focus on managing the property and getting steady income right away.

Oh....you can also pay off the mortgage even faster with your ample income or soon to be ample income.  3-5 year payoff time is definitely possible. 

You need two years of steady income before you can qualify for a loan.

--> Passive income doesnt mean tax free income.

Here's some basic copy & paste info that may help you make better investing decisions:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Start by getting pre-approved for a loan, ensuring your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and finances meet lender requirements.

Traditional financial planners make the bulk of their income from commissions on stocks and bonds, so real estate will often times get dumped into an "other" category that doesn't get the proper attention.In my experience, we did receive a lot of help from real estate agents that are able to help us with our upcoming transaction, HOWEVER, they aren't setup to support the overall plan design in a way that was centered around the most important financial kpis.