Borrowing from the equity must be done wisely or you will end up with negative cash flow and at high risk due to over-leveraging.NOTE: I use interest rates much lower than they currently are in 2024!

Nobody knows lead conversion rates, except maybe the company who is converting them. 

My questions are around taxation - i have read that if the rental is not associated with a us trade or business, then the gross income from the rental is taxed at 30%, however if associated with a us trade or business, then graduated rates apply, as well as the net is taxed and not the gross.

I live in NJ, and it has a very high cost of living and with the current rate of interest, makes it a very pricey market so to say, and not that investment real estate friendly.

I keep wondering about insurance, vacancy rates, if tenant selection is a bigger/ different factor, terms of the tenancy and differences in opex and capex? 

That's true of every market now, I suppose, with interest rates and supply problems, until either prices go down or rents go up.

Right now the mortgage rates I'm being quoted for a 20% down DSCR is 7.75%. 

With high interest rates, we'd be looking at around $3800 PITI.

Cooper) said that the mortgage is assumable (there is path that would allow me to remove spouse from mortgage and retain the current rate), but the process can take a while, is subject to fees, and they need to reevaluate my ability to qualify for the mortgage without my spouse.

Some renovations loans out there but the rates and prepays can be painful.