The only negative is when a tenant cause issue arises they can’t pay for the repair.

I found that the only way to make good money on my STRs was to be completely hands-on.....meaning that I did my own remodel/repairs, booking, cleaning....everything.

Anything lower will come with more repair items during the inspection. 

RentReady repairs between tenants?

@Michael Ewers - 100k pre-reno properties in Huntsville right now would be D neighborhoods, fire damaged homes, and/or 2/1s that need a full gut and major cap ex repairs.   

I’m finally ready to move from research into execution, and before I do, I want to sanity-check my plan with investors who have already walked this path.My goal is a slow, stable portfolio — not aggressive flips or high-risk scaling.Current PositionI own a small property in Tulare County that’s fully paid offWorking-class tenant base with stable demandDoing repairs/improvements nowPlanning a DSCR cash-out refinance to access equityStaying totally local where I understand the rents and tenant behaviorThe Strategy (months of research condensed)1.

If you have some basic repair skills you can keep almost any appliance running for a very long time.

From here, focus on getting thorough inspections, building a reliable contractor team, and always keeping a repair buffer in your numbers.

Real estate can definitely be a lot of work, but it’s usually worth it because of the long-term cash flow, tax benefits, and potential appreciation, especially when your management setup actually protects your bottom line.From a tax perspective, if you go the self-management route, you can write off repairs, maintenance, and handyman costs, which helps offset rental income.

You really need to decide ASAP if you want to rent or sell as it will impact the level of repairs.