Opt 1) utilizing our savings in the brokerage account and emergency fund and pay for it all up front. 

Operationally, it's easier in multifamily and you'll have cost-saving opportunities as well when it comes to certain expenses.

What would you save in captial gains on the $360k if you sold now?

You will learn a lot on your own home that will save you time and money on investment property.

STRs also avoid automatic classification as passive if rented for seven days or fewer per tenant.To maximize tax benefits, maintain detailed logs of all hours worked on activities like tenant communication, cleaning, maintenance, and marketing.

We plan to stay in this house for more than 5 years unless another great opportunity arises, but maybe it is best to allocate a bigger portion of savings to our real estate investment savings account than our home improvement savings account for the first few years.

It is a tough market and there's nothing wrong with taking a breather and waiting for things to stabilize while focusing on savings and education.

Although I saved 20-30k by doing everything myself and learned a ton in the process, doing that sucked up all my time and potentially stopped me from buying multiple multis last year.

I have a W-2 Job, capital saved up for a down payment (or two), and a buy box based on my affordability.

That’s like depositing $300 into a savings account every month.Plus, it’s an investment property, so you can depreciate it to save on taxes.More Than $1,500This isn’t just about making $1,500 in rent—it’s about building long-term wealth.