Preparation is key, and relationships are everything.When closing a property deal, the funds typically required include a purchase deposit, which is refundable during the due diligence period, and an additional nonrefundable extension deposit.

Additionally, young adults are living together with no intention of marriage.  

Join your local real estate investors association for additional education and networking. 

She'll help you arrange where the furniture should go, and links to any additional accents she recommends (rug, curtain, curtain rods, accent tables, etc)

In addition cash flow is taxed annually.  

If you feel ambitious, you could try a BRRR strategy adding additional equity to the subject home and then taking equity out of it to pay off either the HELOC or if you decided to the refinance the primary residence. 

I use all of them:-Brokers-Platforms like LoopNet, Crexi (my favorite), and BiggerPockets Deal Finder-additionally, brokers often have access to off-market opportunitiesWhen dealing with brokers, I've found that you have to build a relationship in order to get a good deal flow.

I would never buy a STR if the deal didn´t have either of the following, in addition to making sense as a STR: A. an obvious pivot (LTR, MTR) as my safety net if the market moves against me or B. have some additional RE benefit that would make it a deal using a different strategy ex.

Additionally, I've been spending a lot of time evaluating condo / HOA management solutions and accidentally stumbled on ManageCasa, which offers a free trial and < 3 unit free tier that has allowed me the time to get in, kick the tires, and really appreciate their attention to detail and broad feature set that adapts to each unique industry sector.

In addition to my surrounding area of Bridgeport, I am also open to looking in New Haven County, Middlesex, and Hartford as well as an out of state market (Detroit, MI).