Actively marketing the property and handling tenant relationsCost Segregation: allows you to accelerate depreciation by breaking down the property into different components, such as personal property (appliances, carpeting, etc.) and land improvements (landscaping, parking lots, etc.), which can be depreciated over a shorter period typically 5, 7, or 15 years rather than 27.5.

These improvements significantly increased the property’s market value and rental potential, attracting premium short-term rental rates and ensuring high occupancy.

If you're willing to hold the property and make some cash for the next 5 years or so you could see a big profit down the road or just refinance into a much lower rate and improve your cash flow!

How do you deduct "improvements" such as a room remodel in the rented unit.

I'm thinking of offering $450K (cash and bank loan), make improvements as leases end, and then refi and increase rents as necessary.

These types of improvements increase your house hacking income. 

In addition, the tax savings from the STR loophole and the Cost Segregation Study could help accelerate your paydown of the HELOC and improve your overall cash flow.

With things like the ONE Linden plan in Linden, which is a 50M plan to improve the neighborhood.

I'm not an active owner in that I use a management company but I spend a good deal of time fixing/improving things myself so I don't have to pay someone else.  

Its size and layout make it ideal for long-term cash flow, and the demand for updated housing in Drexel ensures strong tenant interest once improvements are completed.