Only thing I’m debating really is whether I want to convert the bonus room in the main house into a studio by adding a wall and a bathroom.

Bonus 80k in points right now I think.

I do not include cash bonuses from my full-time job in my numbers, but I plan to invest that as well.

well if your not going to do pony walls with concrete down the slope.you can build on pilings like your saying.. a trip to Sausalito CA and you can see just about every type of piling construction that is and has been used.along with the West slope above down town Portland and of course SF and Seattle.. on another note in Charleston SC we have to do piles  but they are 30 to 40 feet into the sand.. just to stabilize the above ground foundations.. about 1 to 1500 per pile and usually takes about 40 piles. one thing about the concrete pony wall is you can use that sq ft as you go down for bonus room storage etc.

Chase ink business card; $750 bonus after spending $7500 the first 90 days and 12 months 0% Interest.If anyone knows of anything better please post here.Happy Housing,Matt

Unless you're looking at hot markets like Boston, NY, NC, FL, I wouldn't count on much appreciation in CT, it's like an added bonus if it were to keep appreciating like it has during pandemic.

If I can make a profit then that is a bonus.

Never have to talk to an agent again, a big bonus!

To be clear, this would be for an STR where the goal is to show an active loss (with cost seg/Bonus Depreciation) against W2 income.

@Scott Gaspar, for my first rental in Detroit, I was all-in for  about $45k including closing costs and a $2500 bonus to my agent for helping me on a property with such a low commission.