So, most just jam more insulation in, upgrade better performing windows and doors, and call it a day. 

(One caveat: If you happen to have the cash to put down outside of a HELOC, that's always a better option.)We used a HELOC on our first primary residence, a condo in Denver, to put a down payment on our next investment.

Moreover, North Carolina's property taxes are generally more favorable than those in Texas, offering a better return on investment over time.Exploring Other NC Cities: While Raleigh is my top pick, Charlotte and Durham also offer compelling investment opportunities.

@Tom Owiti hi I teach a class series for the Miami Association of Realtors on how to better work with housing authorities.It’s a great option and can be used almost on any property as long as the association bylaws don’t have any restrictions that would prevent this specific tenant from qualifying.

@Joshua PetersenCommence my standard first-time-investor spiel ... there's a lot to learn, but you're going to learn so much of that as well or better by doing rather than reading. 

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do next to better prepare ourselves for the journey ahead?

MTRs (or better said, no term rentals) are just getting started and will continue to become a larger portion of the rental pool. 

I do love the options and filters on Wayfair to optimize for assembly (as in none, as much as possible) and the money I save going directly to the source allows me to buy better quality and set up faster. 

I would love to get a better understanding of what duplexes in this area actually sell for, and not just running my numbers based off of initial listing prices from owners.

If you decide do sell to reinvest the money in something better, are you comfortable taking a loss given the amount of new construction condos selling at a discount you'll have to compete against (and buyers typically prefer a new property unless they urgently want to buy).4.