You’d be able to pull out $330,455, which is significantly more than your initial $236,930 investment.Your Initial Investment Back: This means that in 5 years, you’ll not only get your original investment back but also keep an additional $93k in your pocket.However, there’s a downside:Negative Cash Flow Impact: Over the next 5 years, due to the negative cash flow of $1,229 per month, your total cumulative loss will be $(60,153).

Only other initial question I'll leave here is that I'm looking for REI mentors and hope to find a few on BP willing to share a few gold nuggets to those willing to slog it out in the mines the smart or hard way.

THEN, I plan to purchase the second home using a FHA or conventional loan (3%-5% down), for which I will likely pay the monthly cost out-of-pocket, maybe with some rental income support if it is a duplex.My concern is, I do not want to spend my savings or weigh down my debt-to-income ratio so much so that I cannot qualify for and pay the down payment and closing for the lending on the second home.Questions: - With the first home being multi-family, 75% of the rental income (or potential rental income initially) will relatively either maintain or boost my debt-to-income ratio from lenders' perspectives, right? 

.🎯 Your 6-Month Timeline:Month 1: Foundation (5-7 hours/week)Morning routine: 1 hour daily market researchEvening routine: Deal analysis practiceWeekend: BP forums & networkingKey Goal: Analyze 10 deals on paperMonth 2: Education (8-10 hours/week)Complete 1 RE courseJoin 2 local REI groupsSchedule lunch breaks with agentsKey Goal: Build your initial power team listMonth 3: Systems (10-12 hours/week)Set up deal tracking systemCreate document templatesEstablish banking relationshipsKey Goal: Ready to make offersMonth 4: Lead Generation (12-15 hours/week)Drive neighborhoods after workWeekend open housesSetup automated MLS alertsKey Goal: Generate first 5 qualified leadsNow, the Owners and Brokers you deal with may not enjoy this, but you can certainly "practice" making offers.  

The markets you mentioned in your initial post in this thread are great markets, but they're all heavy on appreciation and light on cash flow.

This creates an initial negative equity position that consumes the initial cash flow, sometimes for many years.

@Tom Dieringer After purchasing my first property in 2024, I acquired most of my short-term rental (STR) knowledge from The Short Term Shop, which included maintaining respectful communication with guests, keeping calendar availability up-to-date, and ensuring high-quality listings.When I initially began May of 2024, I opted to list my property exclusively on a single Online Travel Agency (OTA) - Vrbo.

This means you can sell, lease, or pass on the property as you see fit, just like any other property owner.Full Ownership RightsYou have the same rights as a Mexican property owner, including the ability to sell, lease, transfer, or mortgage the propertyLegal SecurityThe Bank Trust is a well-established legal mechanism in Mexico, ensuring your investment is secure and protected under Mexican law.Renewable TermsThe trust is set up for 50 years and can be renewed indefinitely, allowing you and future generations to maintain control over the property.Estate PlanningThe trust makes it easier to pass the property on to heirs, simplifying the inheritance process and reducing potential legal complications.Although the process might initially seem complex, it is entirely managed and supervised by a reputable banking entity.

Are there any guidelines or best practices (ie: rewiring such a property would be more valuable than updating insulation).Is it something you need to ask the insurance company about to get, or is all this determined in the initial interview with the potential insurer?

My initial reaction was "hell no".Algorithms are usually poor estimators of actual value.