The next question is permissible and non permissible closing expenses. 

@Olivia Cannizzobuying a primary residence is a very personal decision, and I normally try not to advise on itbut - buying is expensive, in that you can pay significant closing costs on top of the down paymentso... to buy something to live in for 9 months, and then be negative if it's a rental... and now your 20% is stuck in it and not available for when you movedoesn't make a lot of sense to me unless i am missing something.if you move, you could house hack in the new place with a much lower down payment loan... and that frees up a ton of cash for other things. 

I recently saw a video on no-money real estate investing and I'm really pumped but I also want to be realistic and a good fit for my future real estate partner.Here's the link to that video if you're curious:There’s always money available IF1- The deal (investment) is VERY good, significantly better than the average deal2- The risk is lower than similar deals with the same investment return3 - The money partners are able to be totally PASSIVE - because the deal maker (sponsor) is experienced, educated, and honest.So, there are numerous ways to start, with some having a much greater chance of success than others.  

The period you can begin to deduct expenses  starts when it was "placed in service" this means when it was listed as available for rent.

You can google the average stipends for housing for travel nurses in your area and make that decision. 

So the home is costing me way and the returns can't even cover the expenses. 

Average house values have decreased by 2.3% over the last year, but by the end of 2024, the market is predicted to expand by 4.5%, indicating a strong recovery and bright future.As of December 2023, Jacksonville has a median listing price of $308.9K, and a median selling price of $298.5K for residences.

Yes, that is pretty a pretty average rate for investment properties right now, and lower than rates have been in recent months.

There are expenses from time to time, but the day to day is handled and covered by the rent I receive!

At the end of the day your net income will be about the same without the large expense of making it a STR.