I've tried various things: shorter inspection time period (typically it's 10 days here, and if you do a 3 or 5 day inspection time you can be attractive b/c the seller can get it back on market quicker if you find something you don't like during inspection period); non-refundable earnest money (maybe $1000 of money that you will not get back for any reason on your side - not if the seller breaches-- should the offer not go to completion - this shows you are an extremely interested buyer, but you could lose the money, so use cautiously and with the advice of your agent who knows how to correctly write that into the contract); put a limit on the repair request no required by lender - cap it at $0/as-is, or $500; a higher earnest money - like $5000, shows you are serious.

Pick something fun and interesting that will attract people to your meetup on a regular basis.* Initially, you will have some meetups where either only a few people show up or none at all.

There are security deposit alternatives.

The article said that HELOCs are floating-rate instruments, so they're less attractive to take on a floating-rate loan at a higher rate than a general low and a fixed rate.My issue is that I don't want to pay $3,000 to do a cash-out refinance and I don't know how long it will take to get a deal (WHATEVER I define a DEAL as ;) ), but maybe I'm missing something here...If you are approved for a HELOC and the value of your home goes down, will you still have access to all of the funds?

Alternatively, if anyone has experience with HughesNet - good or bad - in the Culpeper County/ Sperryville/ Shenandoah regions, I'd love to hear about that too.

The larger and more expensive rentals will "likely" attract people with more means to sue you.#4 - Do most of your tenants have kids? 

The larger and more expensive rentals will "likely" attract people with more means to sue you.#4 - Do most of your tenants have kids?

Just need updating and adjustments to attract high rate STR guests in the 5 rental units.When buying these we were initially approved by 3 mortgage co's for conventional mortgages, just to be later rejected because these are multifamily bldgs with land deeded to each bldg while also being within the grounds of the condo assoc.

A second alternative I also don't love would be to try and plug the upper hole and just do a deadbolt in the lower opening.

I am very new to investing in real estate and I seem to either be in a pickle or I am just not seeing viable alternatives.