I can't speak to the entire country, but you're in VA, and I've seen quite a bit of rent-to-own in VA Beach, so this may help: For the demographic you’re thinking about — younger buyers with decent income but affordability challenges — I've seen them participate in programs like shared equity or down-payment assistance more so than rent-to-own for a few reasons: Traditional rent-to-own operates in a different corner of the market than the one you’re focused on.In many areas, like VA Beach, rent-to-own tends to show up with older, more distressed homes that wouldn’t function well as traditional rentals.

Separate “must-do for safety/function” from “nice-to-have to increase ARV.”For BRRRR, the only things that must be done upfront are the items an appraiser, inspector, or tenant would flag as functional or safety issues, plumbing, electrical, bathroom addition, paint, etc.

“unrelated to the various bugs, the search function would be poor for 2005

The critical deadline is your tax filing deadline, not the calendar year-end.

Buy a slightly ugly but functional property.

For the majority of these older multis, 12% is the number I see most often, because it accounts for systems that are still functional but clearly nearing the end of their useful life.

Long-term tenants don’t necessarily want “more house” they want the right layout.Families don’t need 2,000 sq ft, but they absolutely need:• 3 bedrooms• decent storage• functional kitchen• good schools or stable neighborhoodSquare footage matters less than livability.Rule of thumbIf the price-to-rent ratio is similar, the best rental is usually:3 bed / 1–2 bath / 1,200–1,500 sq ftIt has the lowest expenses, broadest tenant pool, and longest stays.

The total project cost through opening is $800,000, broken out as follows:-$150,000 white box-$160,000 liquor license-$110,000 sprinkler system and new hood-$106,000 kitchen and bar equipment-$140,000 fit out-$40,000 tables and chairs-$90,000 critical-path items to openingI was already prepared to invest $200,000 towards fit out for a proven operator.

A clean, functional, durable home performs better than a “beautiful” one that breaks every six months.5.

The most critical tip is to start by determining whether (and also when) cost segregation can help you in your particular situation:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1075919-five-...