Whether its a renovation project, or just light cosmetic work, you'll be doing these things yourself or managing the people you hire for the job(s).- Property management experience.

Affordable purchase prices, good spreads, good 2- 4 unit inventory, nice appreciation, active sales markets.

You have people getting private money at 4%... you have hard money lenders making 15% + 4 pts leading to 20 - 30% returns annually.Are you looking to attract investors who are protecting equity and want a nice solid return... or people who are looking to actively grow their wealth?

Yes - except that is you have a full-time W2 job, you cannot qualify as a "real estate professional."

If you know and trust the person, then go with them, but let them do the job and step back.  

Congrats @Jarrod Ochsenbein and nice work @Jeff Nash on making this client a success story :D 

@Orane JacobsWhen thinking about venturing into a new market for house hacking using a VA Loan, it's important to look at various factors like the cost of housing, how much demand there is for rentals, the job market, economic conditions, how fast the population is growing, what amenities are available, and the resources for managing properties.

I have no intentions of quitting my job or shutting down my business, but want to  buy and use properties to help grow my equity and help me develop a 20+ property portfolio, creating a nest egg for 15+ years down the road, when I retire. 

Expand your knowledge and connections in the real estate industry by attending networking events and building professional relationships.Make sure your short-term plans match up with your long-term objectives and consider looking at different markets with positive economic indicators, job growth, population growth, affordability, and rental demand.

I have been very understanding and nice with my tenants about paying rent late, but I now see that is not how this works.This is my first time dealing with this so that any advice would be much appreciated.