https://www.usbank.com/investing/financial-perspectives/mark...

Paying off debt hurts your financial performance but lessens risk.

If you set up with a lender beforehand, they would be more willing to reimburse you a portion/most of the purchase price as well as set you up with a rehab escrow to get reimbursed for the work to improve the property. 

The more assets a borrower has the more desirable it is.

Attend real estate meetups in Orlando to connect with other professionals like inspectors, appraisers, and fellow investors.Financing: While securing funding is often the more straightforward part, with various hard money lenders in Florida, understanding your financial options early is crucial, as it affects the kind of properties you can afford and the scope of renovations.Metrics for Evaluating Deals: Use metrics like After Repair Value (ARV), Cost of Repairs, the 70% Rule, Holding Costs, and Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to evaluate properties.

I tell my STR clients during intake that A) they should have a long horizon and that appreciation over 10, 20 years, is your biggest asset and that B) they should want that vacation rental also for personal reasons, not just investment.What prevents you from house hacking right now?

So all that being said: if you are buying a "turnkey" or core asset with no real operational upside available, your thought holds true.  

If you have or have had a financial mess to clean up that makes you part of the human race.

What details and financials do you consider when deciding whether or not to renovate units of a complex.

I'm closing in on 200 rentals and am financially free.