Actually, Avondale where you bought property was ground zero for one of the most violent racial riotng in US history. and, your property is on that bullseye.Cincinnati is a "bifurcated" city. there are 100,000 citizens that work in the massive medical and university complexes, Proctor & Gamble, Kroger, etc. and live like I do in luxurious and affordable near in suburbs or the trendy apartments of Cincinnati's historic district, and then on the other hand 150,000 stagnant mostly unemployed  or underemployed minorities who are 92% of the criminal defendants 86% of the welfare recipients and close to 80% of the Section 8 residents.

It is possible to get a cost segregation study on a property in the year after it is placed into service.A complex form, Form 3115, change in accounting method, needs to be completed which mentions that depreciation was incorrectly calculated in the past and that you are now calculated it correctly(from the cost seg).

Neither is “better” — they just serve different goals.3) Keeping vs converting the current home:Turning your current home into a rental can work well if the numbers still make sense after financing costs and management — otherwise it can quietly become a drag on flexibility.Since you have Michigan ties, it’s worth at least underwriting a few MI scenarios side-by-side with a CA option to see how they compare in terms of cash flow, leverage, and complexity.

A fee is reasonable based on the study's scope, complexity, and the substantial tax benefits derived, not merely a percentage.- While identifying obvious components is a start, a defensible cost segregation study, per the IRS Audit Technique Guide, requires engineering expertise to comprehensively reclassify *all* eligible 5, 7, and 15-year property, not just a few visible items.

10 years: $5,000 x (1 + 5%)^10 ≈ $8,144/Mo20 years: $13,266/Mo30 years: $21,609/MoEven though the dollar amount increased, the purchasing power—the amount of goods and services those dollars can buy—remains the same.Rent growth isn’t a property feature—it’s determined by the city where you invest.

WSJ and CNBC published featured articles about growing investor enthusiasm for the sector.

Hey everyone — looking for some real-world advice from investors who’ve been through a few cycles.I’m in a position to buy my first (or next) serious deal and want to pressure-test my thinking before committing.My situation / flexibilityBudget: Under $400kLocation: Anywhere in the U.S.Strategy-flexible:Section 8Market-rateDuplex / triplex / 5–10 unitSeller financing / creativeValue-add or stabilizedWhat I’m optimizing forCash flow matters — I want the deal to stand on its ownThat said, I don’t want to park capital in a market that permanently lags inflationI’m not chasing appreciation-only deals, but I also don’t want to be stuck in areas with no long-term upsideA middle ground between strong cash flow and reasonable appreciation would be idealI’m okay with operational complexity if the returns justify itLately I’ve been seeing:“awkward middle” deals with real risk but thin upsideCash-flow markets that look great on paper but feel capped long termBetter areas with returns that only work if appreciation bails you outMy core questionIf you were starting (or re-starting) today in January 2026 with:Some capitalGeographic flexibilityWillingness to self-manage or hire a PMAnd a long-term mindset👉 What would you actually buy right now, and why?

I'll second notion or another living wiki-type platform if it's just notes you're after, or if you're looking for something more task-oriented, Asana features project pages and other functions that track data and next steps.

I would talk with the local planning office first, as these processes could be complex and involve a good amount of risk.

Instead of focusing on the basic fundamentals: buying good properties, managing expenses, maintaining the asset, and operating responsibly, people are drawn into strategies and systems that make the process seem far more complex than it needs to be.