A lot of our clients will go with DSTs (Delaware statutory trusts).

They don't carry them anymore, but Wayfair has the exact ones for $166 now: https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/everly-quinn-noah-reev...For dressers in 3 of my bedrooms, I bought vintage wood mid-century dressers from Salvaged, which used to be in Lewes, DE but moved to Milford, DE.

At that point de-risk, sell 2-4 LTRs & 1 STR.

This is with cycling through 3 agents and re-listing/de-listing for over the last 2 years +.

Anyone that's operated in that knows the seasonality, liability, and regulations of that and to de-risk having less leverage is usually the most sound way.I pay for PMs so I can spend more time answering great Whataburger eating folks like you. 

@Paul De Luca thank you!

Have had an entry way rug "de-fringed" but guest paid for it. 

@Paul De Luca thanks so much for sharing your list, it's so helpful

I'd recommend going to local real estate meetups to meet other investors as well as follow@Paul De Luca's comments above

The opportunity: Tighten operations around three levers—Cost, Time, and Revenue—while de-risking each flip with disciplined underwriting and execution.1) Cost: Tame Labor & Materials Without Gutting QualityValue-engineer the scopePrioritize visible ROI items: paint, flooring, lighting, curb appeal, kitchens/baths (surface updates > layout changes).Replace, don’t relocate: keep plumbing and electrical in place when possible.Use finish tiers (Economy / Mid / Premium) per neighborhood comp set; avoid over-improvement.Lock pricing earlyGet three-bid packages per trade with identical scopes, photos, and SKUs.Negotiate 30–60 day price locks on materials; ask for bulk-buy or “contractor pack” discounts.Use allowances (e.g., $2.50/sf flooring) with pre-approved SKU lists to control change orders.Build a dependable labor benchMaintain a preferred-vendor roster (primary + backup) for each trade.Offer fast pay terms (e.g., net-7 on verified milestones) in exchange for pricing and priority.Test small jobs first; promote trades to your A-list only after on-time, on-budget performance twice.Standardize to reduce wasteCreate repeatable finish schedules (same trim profile, faucet line, paint palette) so crews work faster and leftovers are reusable.Pre-kit jobs: one delivery per room (box includes all hardware, fixtures, and consumables).Contracting disciplineUse fixed-scope, milestone-based contracts with:Progress draws tied to inspections/photosNo deposit or minimal mobilizationLien waivers at each drawDaily liquidated damages for missed deadlines (after grace period)Written change order policy with price + time impact before work proceeds2) Time: Move Faster to Reduce Carry and RiskFront-load planningWalk the property with all key trades before closing; finalize scope, bids, and schedule ahead of day 1.Pull permits early; choose scopes that avoid structural or major MEP reroutes when timelines matter.Sequencing & overlapSchedule parallel workstreams (e.g., exterior/landscaping while interior demo proceeds).Use a Gantt chart (even a simple spreadsheet) to track trade start/finish, dependencies, and buffers.Daily control15-minute stand-up with GC or project lead each morning (photos + punch list).Two inspections/week: one quality, one progress vs. schedule.Keep critical spares on hand (breakers, valves, GFCIs, common trim, extra boxes of flooring).Tech + templatesSimple tools (Google Drive + shared photo folders, or apps like Buildertrend/Jobber) for scope sheets, punch lists, and photo proof.Use QR codes in rooms linking to the finish schedule for fewer “what goes here?”