I believe in putting in the work—1,000 hours of research, testing, and learning—before offering advice, and I’m excited to tap into the collective wisdom of this community to refine my approach.Here’s where my head is at: I’m considering strategies like short-term rentals (Airbnb) for higher cash flow, long-term rentals for steady income, or even creative options like house hacking or partnerships to stretch the funds further.

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.

– Considering Class A properties with established tenants• Less focus on appreciation – Prioritizing income stability over potential future gains Current Opportunity: I’m evaluating a retail property in downtown Portland with:• >80% occupancy, most tenants in place for 10+ years• Decent cap rate (6-7%), NNN lease• Well-maintained, high-quality building, with existing HOA which will take care of maintenance. 

@Jemini LeckieRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

You mentioned W-2 income as part of a way to save on taxes. 

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. 

Long story short, you spend a month cleaning and renovating, then you find a new tenant after just 15 days.In total, you lost three months of rent income ($3,000) plus paying utilities ($500).

Rental gives $500 monthly income from $2,000 rent.

Top 3 reasons owners hire PMCs:1) No time to manage correctly2) No time to learn how to manage correcly: laws, documents, processes, etc.3) They're too nice and need someone to "save them from themselves"A good PMC can usually earn their fees by better managing the property/tenant than the owner, thereby:1) Increasing owners net profit2) Decreasing owner's time commitment, stress, headaches, etc.No matter what though, you should always plan to commit a couple of hours a month to manage your PMC.

And add all that to the income from the first one and just keep grinding til there’s enough money for a second.