Most house hacks are more of a break-even situation when you find a "good" one, and you are mostly looking at the longer-term benefits of real estate like appreciation, depreciation and debt pay down.

Thanks so much for breaking down the conservative underwriting.

Does anyone have some creative ideas on how I can break into the market?

We go to that area every year for Fall Break and I have several properties on my wish list.

My biggest hesitation right now isn’t finding a deal — it’s making sure I can trust the people managing it once I buy.I’ve read (and been told) that a good property manager can make or break the experience, especially for remote investors.

A few tweaks might get you much closer to your break-even point. 

I would definitely look at DSCR and your break even occupancy.

soils matter and can make or break a deal but you can always pivot to a secondary exit strategy Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

You'll also get a good relationship with your customers, so depending on where you live, you could do seasonal up-sells: rake leaves, shovel snow, put up Christmas lights, mow lawn, etc.

Tax planning is one of those things that can make or break returns, but it’s so often overlooked until year-end.