I've been investing in the immediate Boston area since 2013 and can verify that it is insanely hard to find deals that pencil.

FHA loans require living in the home as your primary residence for 1 year after purchase.

@Anthony Miller here's something to think about that's not covered in any books!

NAR Says - Existing home sales fall to lowest level in nearly 30 years and Median housing prices rose to a record high"The National Association of Realtors released data that showed existing home sales declined to the lowest level since 1995 last year, with 4.06 million homes sold on an annual basis.Meanwhile, the median home price median home price rose to a record high of $407,500 in 2024."

I do generally agree with the sentiment of Austin and the other hosts that fundamentals will always win out in the long run, and this by nature is a long term industry, even the sales side I'm learning.  

@Vidit Maini,I'm a structural engineer in the Atlanta area.

In neighborhoods that won't attract high credit score tenants, I've found that a stable job history with a MINIMUM of 1 year at current or previous job to be the best indicator of a great tenant. 

So even though our right better get half back then none and or be in the hole like your experiencing.

Why in the world are so many people drawn to New York City?

I now sell STRs in FL.