i missed the "rental property" component of the post.

What are the value add components that one should consider, like amenities.

Here are some of the reasons why: Compared to an IRA, Solo 401k contribution limits are roughly ten times higher.There is no custodial requirement for the 401k.You don't need the additional expense and administration of an LLC to have checkbook control.There is a built in-Roth component whereas IRAs are either traditional or Roth, not both.A spouse can also participate in the same Solo 401k plan.The Solo 401k has additional tax benefits over an IRA when investing into real estate using leverage.The penalties for prohibited transactions are less severe, though it's best not to utilize this benefit :)

(Be sure on those income streams, no speculation.)Have a good size cash reserve (I had at one point $115K in cash reserves in an account, because I was so cautious about life's surprises, especially medical, I have since eased up on that and put more than half of that to work for me in multiple income streams) waiting in a high yield savings account, or in some state of liquidity, that you can draw from at any time for those unexpected surprise expenses, because sometimes when it rains, it pours.

I've personally worked with a handful of "investor-friendly" lenders, primarily on DSCR loans in recent years, and each time I've run into significant delays, lack of transparency about the process, have been fed the requirements in a piecemeal fashion (every few days there's a new random request rather than having it all organized from the start), and have even run into lenders who were substantially misinformed about the real estate industry or the laws that govern it on both a local and federal level.I think there should be a better site to encourage accountability by tracking how long it actually takes each lender to close their loans on average, and what unexpected hurdles investors encounter when trying to work with them.I can't seem to find such a site.

There is a risk/reward component that you will need to get comfortable with and determine where you are on the risk profile.

Generally speaking, ensure your ARV estimates are conservative to avoid over-leveraging, screen tenants thoroughly, and having a buffer for unexpected repairs or vacancies is essential.

For newly constructed, purchased or renovated properties and also retroactive generally over the last 10 years, building components are properly classified into individual units of property and accurate recovery periods for computing depreciation deductions.

my biggest fear is not having enough reserve for a big unexpected item that comes up then I won't be able to pay back a loan or get the property fixed the way I want it to.

Surveying has a lot of 'art' and nuance to it as well as the mathematical component.