Through proactive maintenance, efficient tenant placement, and careful financial management, I optimized rental income and ensured a steady cash flow.

As you know, marketing and price are both very important, and vacancy will significantly impact your income, so you are almost always better off charging a lower price and getting it filled with a good tenant.  

If you are looking at this property from a residential and rental perspective, then it may work as long as you are willing to put your own income into the property. 

If you can’t do a 1031 to a non-income tax state, figure out a year when you will have lower income and tax rates ar as low as possible.

Don't change jobs or income yet.Once you do and you think you can manage the payments based on your new income, maybe once you get the rooms rented.Then if you want to switch there are plenty of opportunities. 

But an investment-focused agent brings way more to the table than just writing offers.Finds off-market deals you’d never see on Zillow.Negotiates beyond price—think seller credits, better terms, and saving you $$$.Spots risks & hidden costs so you don’t get burned.Thinks long-term—helps you buy with appreciation, rental income, and future wealth in mind.Has key connections to lenders, contractors, and off-market opportunities.If you’re looking at this as an investment, the right agent doesn’t just cost you—they make you money.

But with that one lender I found I am not lendable due to not having proof of income for the last two years.

However, when you combine the income from both the units, I think you will end up with more income after a year or two than with a SFH renting by the room.  

Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.Class D Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciationVacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560 (almost 30% probability of default), little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions.

Building a strong foundation with reliable management reduces risk, allowing you to reinvest the passive income strategically and grow your portfolio steadily without over-leveraging.