I'll let others chime in on their experiences, but from a motivational perspective, I think attending live events and getting the "conference high" is something that only happens through in-person connections and being in the same room with investors who are eagerly pursuing their real estate/financial goals. 

I'm going to exclude my personal residence from this because I don't view this as an investment, I need a place to live.Excluding my primary residence my current breakdown is 47% real estate 53% stocks/cash. 

I am personally very bullish on the Phoenix market.  

With comps ranging from $875K-$1M and your estimated build cost at $550K, the after-completion value gives you a significant equity cushion, making this project highly attractive to lenders.If you plan to hold and rent the property, you could refinance into a DSCR loan after construction, which bases lending on rental income rather than personal income.

In high-cost markets like Chicago, that can be tough to meet.If you're looking at a duplex, the self-sufficiency test doesn’t apply, so you’d just need to qualify based on your personal income and the rental income your lender allows.If your current lender isn’t familiar with making FHA work in your situation, it might be worth getting a second opinion from someone experienced with FHA multi-unit financing.

Conventional would allow you to add a fence or do yard work in your bid.I cannot lend to you personally in MA but happy to answer any general questions about the 203k or other Renovation loan programs!

Any insights or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Here’s a breakdown of the main ways investors fund their first deal while minimizing their own cash outlay:1.Private Money & Hard Money Loans– These lenders focus more on the deal than on your personal finances.

Personally, my primary residence has appreciated around 6% in market value and I live in Levittown. 

Quote from @Irina Badal: I heard for anonymity purpose it’s advisable to set up a personal residence trust.