My goal is to buy my first property within a year.

Join some free REI clubs, find a mentor, make a plan, make some goals....Inventory current assets to see if your goals are realistic.I would start by finding a mentor and setting some goals to determine which direction to go in.

Do you have any end goals for investing?

@Charlie GomezI think it comes down to what are your goals.

I have a 6 year goal to retire at the age of 50.

QB is great for tracking book value but it doesn’t get you the whole picture or help you strategize your portfolio.It really depends on you, your goals, and your timeline.

My ultimate goal is to invest in apartment complexes and be able to separate myself from my day-job by the time I am 30 (I am 23 right now). 

My goal is to teach new investors how I did what I did.

Soooo long story short, if your goal is to use the property a decent amount of time, you will at least break even & cover ownership expenses with short term rentals (possibly make a few bucks). 

@Jay Hinrichs many types of trust and estate planning exist for AP it all depends on the goals of the person and the size of their assets etc.