Even using a simple tracking system helps you see where your money’s going and keeps you ready when it’s time to refinance or file taxes.

Quote from @Charles Kennedy: As the market keeps shifting, I’ve been thinking more about balancing property ownership with paper assets like mortgage notes.

Use your agent chops to move fast: pick a simple buy box in Tuscaloosa/Northport, pull true rent ranges from two property managers, and walk three blocks you’d actually buy on to learn turns, parking, and tenant profile.

We usually just paint a wall or have a contractor make a simple design.

You can have tenants pay you directly via ACH and track everything in a simple Google Sheet.For something around 10+ units, you can still manage with a spreadsheet, but I’d recommend adding QuickBooks with the Bill Pay option — it’s budget-friendly and adds a nice layer of functionality.Once you’re managing 20+ units, that’s when I’d start looking into dedicated software like AppFolio, Buildium, or similar tools to streamline things further.If you need help, I can show you the way how we are setup as well, If it help you give a perspective. 

That’ll guide your strategy.Start small and simple: Many new investors begin with a turnkey single-family rental - already rehabbed, tenanted, and professionally managed.

These units seem like a CF strategy with with low appreciation; positive CF of $1500 per month after 2 years sounds great on paper, but you can't guarantee it. 

You’re guessing.The fix is simple.

The property is a bit old — I’d rate it around 3.5 out of 5 — but the numbers made sense on paper, and I had some buffer since I bought it below the appraised value.

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