The FinancialsPurchased our "starter home" brand new in 2010 for $166,490Zestimate is currently at $281,510Mortgage Outstanding Principal balance is $137,331.69Monthly Payment (PITI) is $1,159.24Rent Zestimate is $1,625 /moIn case it's relevant, our budget for a new home is $450K and we have 25% saved for deposit.

Zoning changes are slow, but you'll see some of them over the next couple years since Atlanta is expecting 1.2 million more in the City over the next 20 years.Also, you can look for single family homes in R5 zoned areas.  

I own a couple rental properties in my personal name.

If I sold it today, I would not make much equity at all after realtor commissions...maybe a couple grand, so is it worth it, or hold onto it and suck up the losses???

They already manage a couple of properties which are leased out and I’m very happy with this.

They've been extending for 1-year periods for the past couple years supposedly claiming the same thing about moving.)2.

If you can find fixers then you can even combine a couple of strategies....house hacking, live in BRRRR, live in then rent, etc.

:) But I’m brand new at this and just educating myself for the first time... so far the main criteria to finding a ‘proper deal’ I’m aware of is to make sure you but your property at a discount. (20% - 30% discount seems right but I’m sure practicing this is much more difficult than it sounds.) 

Within a couple of hours of getting the ticket, I had his suggested measures in place.  

please tell me your secrets.7) cap ex. budget for it. yes you may have brand new systems, but brand new systems break down with time just as everything else. you may not ever see the bills, but i would make sure i was prepared for it.8) repairs, do not underestimate the the destructive ability of tenants.