Some of the main variables in my projection models include: expenses (broken down into various categories like personal expenses, capex, debt service, vacancy, etc.), income, cashflow, debt, DTI, equity, property appreciation, rent appreciation, mortgage paydown & amortization, rate of net worth growth, cost of living increases, hours worked per week, cash on hand, etc, etc. 

IMO this is because of government fiscal policy, ie spending.Bad Government Fiscal Policy is Driving InflationDeficit spending is a snake eating its tail: deficit spending → more inflation → higher interest rates to slow inflation = more inflation = keep interest rates higher → debt more expensive / accelerates…..repeat.The US debt has is currently rising by $1 trillion every 100 days, or roughly the budget of our entire defense budget (which is larger than the next 10 countries combined).

Hey Chelsae, totally can relate with you being from an expensive real estate market - I moved to Columbus a few years ago (from Portland, Oregon which was super expensive) to become a full time real estate investor, and ever since, I've completed quite a lot of BRRRRs, flips, and own a successful rental portfolio here in Columbus Ohio.

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 = 1.23DSCR lenders generally let you vest either individually or as an LLC.

I understand the importance of a lease, but I think the actual risk of this happening is quite low.

Florida would be an exception because it's much lower crime, low taxes, business friendly, Landlord friendly, etc.

For most of us - the GC that will 100% meet all the requirements including Work Comp certificates covering every person on the job site throughout the entire scope of the project is often too expensive to make a project work. 

Side note, you can also use the interest-only option to squeeze as much cash flow as possible with higher rates and expenses in this environment. 

You're estimating only 6% interest for a refi, that is pretty low in today's market.

It would cost around $3,500 to safely get my head above water with the licensing expenses, and I currently do not have that much, as I have most of my money currently in either a retirement fund or going toward college.