If you’re going to use AI, you should be a seasoned investor because you have to drill down to finally get correct answers.I have tested it with existing rental properties and eventually I got an answer close to being accurate, but it took drilling down and without having experience I don’t think I would have gotten the correct answer.It was incorrect on ARV, rental values and whether it would cash flow correctly.

Focus on newer especially out of area investors who don't have that existing affiliation. 

Investing with friends can work very well, but success usually comes down to clear expectations and documentation before any money is committed.

Deadline: Most providers expect the Cycle 4 adoption deadline to be December 31, 2026.Action Required: You must sign an entirely new "Adoption Agreement" provided by your Solo 401(k) provider.Impact of Missing It: Your plan could be disqualified, meaning your Roth account's future earnings lose their tax-favored status and existing funds may be distributed as taxable income with heavy penalties.Anyone aware of exactly what this means and the requirements for any updates?

Part of the challenge is also that I don’t fully know what I don’t know yet — especially around execution risk, sequencing, and the small but important details that only show up once you’re actually running a deal yourself.The capital side is the biggest gap — not just raising money, but understanding timing, how to secure real commitments without over-promising, and how to avoid bidding on deals without capital certainty.

If you take the property subject-to the existing mortgage, you're stepping into a $194k note at 6.87%.

When you have reserves, you protect the asset instead of reacting to it.Five Questions Every Investor Should Answer Before Becoming a Long-Term Rental OwnerBefore committing to this business, investors should be honest with themselves. 1.

That’s not necessarily bad — but it usually means liquidity and development optionality are limited.Before thinking about creative uses, I’d probably pressure-test three things: practical access cost, entitlement constraints, and realistic resale depth (how many true buyers exist at your target price).If the answer is “very few,” then the decision becomes less about creativity and more about capital efficiency.

Small multis can get sideways fast when comps don’t line up, and that’s usually where expectations break, not at pre-approval.In markets like Buffalo with older housing stock, I’ve seen the safest path be properties with existing leases + conservative rent credit so the appraisal and underwriting stay aligned.Curious in your experience — are you seeing more deals die at value or at rent haircut / seasoning once they hit full underwriting?

But if you're buying into existing inventory at 3-3.5% through assumption, you're locking in a rate that gains value every year rates stay elevated.For house hacking specifically, a two-unit property is the cleanest structure.