You didn't write how much 'sweat equity' you put into this place, but it was likely well worth it given the $400K cash out.  

Hi Ella, welcome aboard,Your post about your real estate ambitions, encompassing the purchase, renovation, and sale of properties, as well as the ownership of Airbnb rentals, is indeed an exciting endeavor.

But ya have to make some educated prognostications in life.Add this to the information your processing - What your talking about doing is eliminating around $4000 or interest expense (which is deductible anyway so really could be a real impact of eliminating $2800 or so) of debt in exchange for paying over $10K in capital gains tax (don't forget possible state gains tax as well).  

As for your ques if to wait, well, it depends on the market, in some parts of the country prices are still going up, slower, but still going up, other parts the prices are coming down, you know that area, what is happening there? 

I also agree that Akron is a viable area as well, but Im still finding the best deals in and around Cleveland.

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Rumor has it that SC is trying to require state licensure for commercial lending as well.

It's works most anywhere- but not everywhere that rental real estate works well in. 

I want to be a investor buying and holding as well as fix an flips.

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