I like never having to worry about increased interest rates.Note a rate of 4.5% that raises to 8% nearly doubles the payment. 

Good evening BiggerPockets! I am looking for advice on an issue I am experiencing in the 11th hour with my credit union.I am purchasing a duplex to be owner occupied with my girlfriend. - We have a close date of Febru...

If the utility cost equals 6% of the current rent then you can only raise the rent 2% (6+2=8).  

It depends on how much you have saved, how fast you can save/raise capital, and how much cash flow you are looking to get in your investments. 

Kept the same renters and raised rent a bit.

Mentally, I am prepared to start my first deal but capital is a bit hard to raise to purchase something in the NYC area.

If my level of knowledge surpasses the need to raise my own capital vs Opm — I will absolutely use those funds for my first deal rather than pouring it into the debt.

I recently backed out of a duplex (both 3bd/2bth) in Riverside with a gross monthly rent of $3625/month. unit 1 at $1,950 because it was recently upgraded and unit 2 @ $1675 because there was a tenant in place for the past 10 years so rents weren't raised over time).

We have raised rents on our duplex and 4-plex between 10-15% on the leases that we have signed in the last 6 months - but some of that was because the 4-plex we bought in May was occupied and the existing rates were a bit below market when they were signed in 2019/early 2020.Its going to be hard to find something that can cash-flow off the bat.

Primary Goal: Earn some more cash in order to more quickly get to the point where I can branch off on my own and do my own deals (now in SoCal, this is a substantial amount of money I need to get start without outside investors, but not afraid of raising money).