I came across this article from Kellogg Insight showing how online sports betting is eating into people’s savings.

When done right, pairing REPS with strategies like cost segregation or short-term rentals can unlock some serious tax savings.Really like how you framed it, appreciation and cash flow get the attention, but taxes are often where the real wealth is built.

If you are wanting to save up for a down payment there's a couple options from your backstory.

The 1031 exchange deferred the taxes from house 1, and those taxes carry over into the basis of house 2.In your example, your basis in house 2 is $300K (what you paid), so if you sell it for $400K, your taxable gain is $100K.

For kids, use 529 plans for tax-free education growth or UTMA accounts for general savings.

I don't want to pay federal income taxes on the earnings I give them, the "interest" payout.

I'll focus my answer in digital property management vs local property management.In recent year it has been an overflowing of digital property management companies, many of which are not making any many and constantly investing in customer acquisition, that is the main reason that you see so low coat on their offering.If you go to stablish digital property management like belong home you will see that prices are similar than a local property management and they make you save many offering you additional services at no cost.You have to evaluate what would it be the additional work that you will have to do to get at the same level than the local PM.You have to analyze this as a business owner like any other services that you will buy from a service provider. 

It's 2025, almost 2026, and everything in the tax industry is done remotely these days2 - waiting "a few months."

I don't want to pay federal income taxes on the earnings I give them, the "interest" payout.

It could Potentially save you thousands or 10s of thousands