I'm looking to make smart decisions for 2025, and this seems like a great place to start.

Smart investors first focus on finding quality properties—such as those in thriving areas of Brooklyn or potential neighborhoods around Manhattan—and then reverse engineer the process by improving management, optimizing rental structures, or enhancing facilities to make it worthwhile.

Ditto, I use PriceLabs for my STRs - here is a nice writeup ...Airbnb Smart Pricing Vs PriceLabs: An In-Depth Comparison For Hosts | Boost Your Short-Term Rentals

@Sebastian AlborsIn my experience, buying a single-family home (SFH) in Asheville and house hacking with a family member like your brother can be a smart way to balance costs.

Starting with house hacking is a smart move, especially in a higher-cost area.

You might want to limit your visits though to avoid escalation.Short term if the smart lock is on his personal door just change it to a key if it's isn't working for him, you can always switch back later.

I went from a W2 job to building a portfolio of 500+ units over the last 5 years by starting small and scaling smart.

Absolutely, real estate can still be a smart investment—even in this market—and the Panhandle is one of the best areas to consider right now.

Newark is a city where smart investors can do well, but uninformed investors can miss the mark.

There are a lot of smart and innovative investors etc on this forum