It was a difficult decision as my family is emotionally attached to this home but based on the financial gains of investing the tax free appreciation it makes sense for us. 

I was the kid in high school getting offers from private colleges over how high my test scores were, and I ended up ruining so much with drugs, toxic emotions and bad decisions. 

Just be very clear on pets you will/will not allow, make sure you understand the support/medical/emotional pets laws in your state as well.Ultimately, if you're screening your tenants correctly, you'll be choosing tenants who are responsible pet owners anyways....Hope this helps!

.#5 Make Decisions Based on the NumbersYour real estate investing strategy should include the financial parameters by which you determine if a property is worth purchasing.Your strategy may include details about: Purchase price range.Investment cash needed for repairs and upgrades before leasing to tenants.Financing strategy for the short and long terms.Bargain purchase (the percent under fair market value a property must be purchased).Immediate value increase (the percent in increased value you expect after making initial repairs and upgrades).Geographic area.Net income.Cash flow.Net cap rate (annual net income/total value).When you find a potential investment property that fits within the guidelines of your real estate investment strategy, you can pull the trigger based on the numbers rather than emotions and personal preferences.#6 Don’t Buy from Unmotivated SellersMotivated sellers are usually willing to work with buyers, so focusing on finding motivated sellers can result in making great deals as a real estate investor.

If you truly gave them your best offer, and they didn't bite and are 100% opposed to holding any type of paper, you need to appeal to the emotional side as opposed to the analytical.  

Admittedly have some emotion attached to it, since I lived there for 15 years.

Now that I am a Realtor in Colorado, I am also required to disclose that on my listings as well that I have an ownership stake in a property in the advertisements.I also have not really seen a difference with the tenant's treatment of me as the property manager vs being the owner except one time a tenant did try to pressure me into paying for a silly upgrade saying that as the owner and I could afford it and the $100 month rent increase should pay for the new ceiling [The upgrade was to re-texture the whole ceiling of a 1000 sq foot apartment because it had swirls and minor hairline cracks (built in 1920) and this tenant did not like the swirls -- changing the swirls would cost thousands and not result in any more rent]

Although we talk about not getting emotional when investing, it is hard when it is next door to your little slice of heaven.Lower starting price can actually drive it higher in the end.

IMO, and again I just do rentals.. but if I were a buyer... i'd see that as another expense I have to pay... you aren't selling the happy emotions.. you're likely making people see $$$ in how expensive it'd be to pick yours.     

It comes with non-ideal emotional baggage...-- I have some skills in remodeling/construction and some vacation time I could take to do more major repairs/upgrade/etc.The main goal I'm looking for advice is how to go from being a single family house hacker to owning a commercial real estate space that I could art studio hack (share loan payments with other tenants that I manage) to use as a shared art / video /dance studio?