Hi Geoff,In my opinion, keeping your current home as a rental property could be a smart move.

Yea they would keep that in place and you'd get a second position mortgage for the rest at, well, higher than todays rates.

BiggerPockets is an excellent resource to kickstart your real estate journey.I recommend that you take the time to define your financial goals and always keep learning.From insightful podcasts and informative blog posts to interactive forums and detailed guides, BiggerPockets provides a comprehensive suite of resources designed to empower you with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the market.

i wouldn't cash out your 401K, it's not worth the penalties.the only thing I can say is to keep looking and don't buy just to buy.

No way is this a scheme to keep EM for the seller..Anytime I have had EMD disputes it usually gets solved with a 50 50 split since I know what will happen.. what happens is exactly as you describe.. money is to small to realistically hire an attorney to collect..

That's awesome, keep it going bro.  

You would have ongoing filing requirements with the State and would need to keep business records and documentation.

It's tempting early on to leverage as much as you can so you can do more deals and keep liquidity, but increased cashflow especially with PMI will make you sleep a lot better at night.

My 4 personal STR's are all in San Antonio did over $575k in 2024 and on track for $650k in 2025.I think you are generally looking in the right areas, but there are a few things to keep in mind:1) Stay inside of 1604. 

@Tom Dieringer After purchasing my first property in 2024, I acquired most of my short-term rental (STR) knowledge from The Short Term Shop, which included maintaining respectful communication with guests, keeping calendar availability up-to-date, and ensuring high-quality listings.When I initially began May of 2024, I opted to list my property exclusively on a single Online Travel Agency (OTA) - Vrbo.