Messy is where solutions matter most.Even with rates easing, seller motivation is still very real.

Hi everyone,I’m looking for some direction on next steps and would really appreciate collective guidance from this group.Here’s a snapshot of my current situation:Portfolio2 single-family homesOne is my former primary, now a rentalOne is my current primary (previously an investment property)2 three-unit multifamily propertiesEach worth approximately $1MOwned 50/50 with a partnerRecently refinanced at 75% LTV, 7.1% rate, 3-2-1 prepaymentEach cash flows about $800/monthFormer Primary (Rental)Rent: $6,200/monthMortgage: ~$7,400/month (FHA loan at 6.625%)Value: ~$1.1MNegative cash flow of ~$1,200/monthI did a cash-out refi ~2 years ago (pulled ~$200k to fund multifamily investments), which raised the rate from ~3% to 6.625%I’m unsure whether I’ll realistically be able to:Refinance into a better rate or out of FHA in the future, orIf selling once the tenant leaves is the more prudent option to stop subsidizing the propertyCurrent PrimaryPreviously held in an LLC as an investmentHigh interest rate (~11%)Now in the process of a rate-and-term refinance after moving it into my personal nameTargeting ~75% LTV (value ~$1.5–1.6M)Considering adding a HELOC post-refi to create liquidity for future investmentsIncome & GoalsCombined W-2 income: ~$310kGoal: scale cash flow aggressively enough to eliminate the need for W-2 employmentPortfolio cash flow is modest on a consolidated basisAppreciation has been strong, and I’ve used cash-out refis to continue acquiring and stabilizing assetsChallengeWhile multifamily and BRRR strategies have worked for equity growth, the timeline (8–12 months per deal) and resulting cash flow haven’t been sufficient to replace active income quickly.

It can tell you if building permits were pulled for remodeling, roofs, furnaces, etc.

At $2000/mo net living cost after the other units cover most of your PITI, you're essentially renting for the same price BUT building equity and locking in your housing costs long-term.A few things to stress-test before pulling the trigger though:Your $5800/mo payment estimate looks right, but make sure you're factoring in a realistic maintenance and cap-ex reserve.

If you’re a real estate investor looking for creative ways to minimize your tax burden while making extra income, the Augusta Rule could be the solution you’ve been seeking.

If you go the cold call / sms route, pull data from PropStream or Propwire (free option) and focus on motivated sellers - high equity, absentee owners, pre-foreclosure.

Incentives & Redundancies Reduce BurnoutAmerican Airlines offered double pay and extra hours to get the crew back in position.In property management terms: build incentive structures for your on-call teams, use rotation systems so the same maintenance technician isn't pulled 24/7, and cross-train staff, so you're not reliant on one person for critical tasks.When you prioritize team sustainability and flexibility, you recover faster and maintain service quality.4.

I know there's no way to tell until a buyer actually pulls the trigger on it. 

AI can quickly pull key terms like rent, escalations, CAM language, termination rights, etc.It’s a great example of how AI in real estate isn’t about replacing professionals, but rather compressing time, improving accuracy, and freeing people up to focus on higher-value work like structuring deals and managing risk.

Institutional lenders like banks and mortgage companies also have resources that someone lending privately out of their IRA just doesn't have...like the ability to pull credit reports.