Would love to connect to hear more about your experiences as well and any PM recommendations.  

Ensure you have an itemized invoice from the cleaner, which can help justify the deduction.Reasonable Deductions: Long-term tenants often leave normal wear and tear, so I recommend being lenient on minor issues.

Here’s what I recommend instead:Offer Value Beyond Price: Rather than just lowering your rates, focus on adding value to the guest experience.

You’ll likely find a strategy that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.Since you’ve been enjoying the BiggerPockets Money podcast, I’d also recommend checking out the Real Estate Rookie podcast—it’s great for diving into beginner-friendly strategies and learning from others who’ve been in your shoes.Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more or bounce around ideas.

Again, definitely consult with a CPA - our team has a few recommendations if you are interested and I can DM you as well. 

@Christopher Leet, I can recommend an excellent realtor who works with investors and is an investor. 

If you’re considering other custodians, I recommend focusing on those with a strong reputation for consistent customer service, transparent fees, and ease of account management.

Why don't you take a few months and attend a few of the BiggerPockets webinars hosted by Brandon, listen to some of the podcasts, and read a few of the recommended books.

If you're open to $120-180k, I would recommend looking into Columbus Ohio as it does have much better growth and appreciation potential than Cleveland and Dayton. 

My wife and I have overhauled our personal budget to reflect the 'pay yourself first' approach (allocate in order: income comes in -> invest -> donate -> fixed expenses -> variable expenses -> fun $$).We are looking to see what experienced people generally recommend for a holding tank for that 'invest' allocation while we target our first real estate deal.What financial vehicles have you guys used that works well for this?