Some great long-term buy-and-hold markets to consider:Memphis, TN – Strong rental demand, affordable entry prices, and historically resilient to market swings.Griffin & Forest Park, GA (outside Atlanta) – Lower acquisition costs than Atlanta proper, but still benefit from the metro’s job growth and population inflow.Akron & Canton, OH – Affordable purchase prices with solid rent-to-price ratios, strong working-class tenant base.Birmingham, AL – Diverse economy, affordable housing, and stable long-term rent growth.The goal with your first property should be to keep it as predictable as possible - you want your learning curve to be about tenant management, property management, and cash flow tracking… not about juggling contractor bids and building permits.Long term, you can always graduate into heavier rehab or BRRRR strategies, but for now, think turnkey or near-turnkey to build confidence and steady cash flow from the start.Always happy to break down current deal examples in those markets so you can compare rent-to-price ratios and ROI side by side before making a decision.Best of luck!

Totally agree that clear communication and setting expectations early are game changers, especially when juggling multiple clients.

That way, you’ll move with confidence instead of juggling unknowns.Just curious, are you leaning more toward keeping your current place as a rental when you move, or selling it to free up capital?

It only works if you have a manager who can handle guest turnover, compliance, and operations — otherwise, it’s too much to juggle during a renovation.3.

We will be focused of paying the credit card first since we were juggling on the idea of paying off the auto loan sooner.

I’ve been in a similar spot (juggling retirement vs. real estate savings) and here’s a simple framework that helped me and others in your shoes:1.

That way you can fund the rehab and roll smoother into your refi without juggling a HELOC.

Hello @Alison Meehan,You're doing great juggling careers, kids, and home renovations - that's impressive!

If you’re juggling a full-time W-2 job, hitting both tests in one year is almost impossible on your own - sometimes a spouse strategy is the only way.Bottom line: rehab time isn’t “wasted”—it all counts toward that one property’s participation, but be sure you can prove both the 750-hour and 50% tests too.

After being exhausted with juggling my f/t job and the portfolio, I'm training a part-time (offshore) bookkeeper/VAdmin to assist with books and day-to-day management with Baselane.