And I feel this book took my personal due diligence (and how I look at deals) to the next level.

A lot of people get into real estate investing for the tax benefits, but they don’t always realize it can take real work and actually cost you money, if it’s not managed properly or if life events derail the plan.

Also check if your lender charges any prepayment penalties or early closure fees.From a tax perspective, since both homes are personal residences (not investments), the main thing is tracking potential capital gains and how long you’ve lived in the current property before selling.You’re in a tricky spot, but balancing convenience and cost here will save a lot of stress later.Thank you Deborah for your input.

They realized there were still options.

One of them he paid my personal residence mortgage for the past few years.

House hacking is hands down one of the best ways to get started, especially if you’ve got family support and multiple incomes in the mix.A few quick things to think about: if you’re going the FHA route, you can only have one active FHA loan per person (in most cases), so you’ll want to decide whose name makes the most sense for the first purchase.

You've got 8, you could probably go up to 20 or so with little issues.- Hope the 8-unit is on its own tax return, so your personal income doesn't have to be disclosed.

We can't afford to not be pricing right with the significant double-digit increases in insurance and property taxes, especially in Houston.Decentralized Service -- I realize this is done to be more efficient/cost effective but it's more than quadrupled the time it requires me to "manage" them/PM. 

Ultimately, I realized I didn't want a side hustle, I just wanted strong returns on my money. 

You also have some responsibility.I personally believe your responsibility is greater than the agent’s.