Rental Property Investor · Ortonville, MI · Member since 2025 · 2 posts · 0 votes
Hi everyone,
My wife and I are newer to real estate investing—what started as a personal goal quickly turned into something bigger.
We originally bought a vacation home in northern Michigan, thinking we’d use it a couple of weeks a year and offset the costs through short-term rentals. That plan has worked well so far, and it sparked our interest in real estate as a long-term investment strategy. Now, we’re looking to take the next step and purchase our first multi-family property—specifically, a 4-unit building.
We’re still building our team (agent, property manager, etc.) and joined BiggerPockets to learn from others who’ve already walked this path. We came across a potential deal and would love feedback from the community.
Here’s our situation:
We have funds for the down payment and a modest rehab budget.
We’re conservative with our reserves—we want to make sure our short-term rental is always backed by a cushion in case of regulatory or demand changes.
Our goal is to build long-term cash flow and gradually grow our portfolio.
@MM Santala don't know the Burton market, but a few observations & thoughts:
4th unit above the garage: - My have an issue getting it recognized for financing. There was a thread here on BP a few months ago from a seller who's buyers couldn't get mortgage approval for their Brighton, MI property with 2 houses on one lot. Maybe the sales price will be supported by only the main house's 3 units? - Check with city to see if all permits pulled to legally convert garage to living space. - If garage unit has own water meter, why is owner paying for it instead of tenant?
Kitchen in pic #14 of 15 could use wall cabinets above counter & stove (add hood fan). Be sure though, to maintain to the neighborhood - so maybe not needed.
Not sure of the absorption rate and competition for rentals in Burton. Be sure to evaluate.
Since it's separate from the main house and may be a great fit, what's the market for STR or MTR in Burton for such a unit? May greatly improve cashflow!