New regulations are making it tougher to turn as much profit as you used to areas like Jersey City dont allow them unless you are renting out a part of your primary residence.I did Airbnb for a while and switched to MTR (later sold it, wish I didnt) less operational drag and MTR gets you past most of the Zoning Rules that exist in the state.

Consistency here matters far more than finding the perfect first property.Whether you owner-occupy in NYC, invest out of state, or continue renting for a bit longer, the key is aligning the strategy with your longer-term goals and then committing to it long enough to build momentum.

But deal exist, you just have to dig, network, and persist!

Portfolio lines do exist, but they’re mostly handled by litigation finance or specialty credit funds, usually structured like borrowing-base or warehouse facilities.Matthew - this is exactly the kind of clarity I was looking for.

Effort and commitment. 

Before you close I would call the local building department and ask what it takes to legalize an existing addition and whether there are any open code cases besides the lien.

That baseline is critical before a tenant moves in or management officially starts.If the property is occupied, it depends on what documentation exists.

Using a low down-payment loan on a duplex or small multifamily lets you scale without tying up much cash or touching your existing equity, and it often improves overall cash flow.

I got a study appraised (I haven't committed to the appraisal yet) that claims they can write off anywhere from $76,000 - $117,000.

If so, the study pays for itself very quickly, but you need to make sure the fee structure makes sense for a single-family asset.I’d be happy to run a free estimate for you so you can see the projected savings before you commit to hiring anyone.