PS - if you are looking to invest out of state, my best advice is finding an investor friendly real estate agent and someone who invests in real estate themselves because they can plug you in with their systems, processes, real estate team such as GCs, PMs, lenders, etc

If rent for a 3-bed home is only $1100, it won't attract the higher-class, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's attracting the local meth dealer either, does it? 

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23If a purchase, you also generally need reserves / savings to show you have 3-6 month payments of PITIA (principal / interest (mortgage payment), property taxes and insurance and HOA (if applicable).

Purchase price: $588,000 Technically a duplex but its a single family home with an ADU built into the home using the space above the garage as the ADU living space.

It has gone up ~$300k in value since purchasing. 

Purchase price: $155,000 Cash invested: $15,000 My investor was excited to acquire this condo in the Folcroft neighborhood of Delaware county.

Hi all,My wife & I sold our duplex in 2020 and used ~ $60k of that as a down payment on a town home for our growing family (purchased for $345k, 30yr @ 3.5% in 2022). 

I had a lease option contract with the owner at a discounted purchase price ( $120,000 ).

Is it better to first purchase a primary home for myself (living in CT), and if so, does it matter whether it’s a house or a condo?

Purchase price: $380,000 Cash invested: $19,648 Sale price: $485,000 Not really a portfolio investment as it currently my personal residence, but I'd still consider it an investment.