My wife is a realtor and my sons are MLO's and we started a lending company last year :)We do STR's mostly personally with our own properties and self manage all of them.

It separates your personal assets from your business, providing a safeguard if any legal issues arise related to tenants or the property.

Find someone where there is a personal connection and at some point your relationship now or later can benefit the mentor.

Congratulations on the duplex -My investor clients have acquired several multi-family investment properties locally in the market I operate in Northwest Indiana - Figure out your personal investment objective for the next 4 years and align yourself with the next property that make sense in this current market environment-

.• I purchased a small 1B/1Ba condominium in a high rise building in 2004 for personal use.• In 2010, I moved out and decided to put in in service as a rental unit.• I was able to keep it well occupied and leased throughout 2024.• I sold the condo unit in late 2024 for a nominal profit.That brings us to today. 

I wouldn't spend another moment of my personal time on it. 

I've personally invested and work with investors - it's critical to get your numbers right on the front end.

They prioritize personal development.

but i also 2nd @Jay Hurst's sentiments - get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion on DTI/ full doc. i personally love files that are puzzles, i get some weird satisfaction out of figuring out how to make it work on full-doc, especially when my client has been told "no" before. if it doesn't work now, a good loan professional will help you create a path forward.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.