.• Optionality: selling preserves flexibility during a high-stress life phase; holding makes more sense when reserves are strong.• Future upside vs present strain: appreciation is theoretical, monthly outflow is real.There’s no wrong answer here — just tradeoffs.

The FHA house hack starts with poor cash flow but helps you create equity and decrease your housing costs while you prepare for your next purchase.

I'm also in the process of getting my real estate license to help generate additional income to help decrease the time required to scale. 

When to use a HELOC or cash-out refiUse equity after you prove to yourself that you can operate rentals well.A HELOC should be used as:A bridge tool, not long-term capitalA way to avoid being cash-poor during rehabA buffer for emergenciesOnce you’ve done 1–2 deals and feel comfortable underwriting and managing risk, then you can use HELOC funds to accelerate.But leveraging heavily too early is how good investors become stressed investors.If I were in your shoes, here’s the exact sequence I’d follow:Use the $100K to buy a simple, cash-flowing out-of-state rental or light BRRRR.Get that first property stabilized.Evaluate your comfort level and skill after 6–12 months.Then consider a small HELOC to scale into your second and third properties.This path lets you grow safely, gain real experience, and protect the home that gives you the strongest financial foundation.

If what you are predicting with interest rates decreasing going forward that could play into my plan of selling with a 1031 Exchange in the beginning of 2027. 

I haven’t personally built full underwriting models or written IC memos end-to-end, but I’ve spent years reviewing them, stress-testing assumptions, providing feedback, and helping determine whether deals were good or bad investments.What I haven’t done is originate and execute a deal entirely on my own as a principal.Specifically, I haven’t personally:Sourced deals directly from brokers as a buyer under my own entityRun a full acquisition process independentlySet up banking, accounting, and reporting systems from scratchSelected and onboarded property managers and construction teams independentlyBuilt investor systems and reporting infrastructure from zeroPut legal documents in place for a new investment platformFully controlled the capital raise, including locking in commitments ahead of bidding with confidenceConceptually, I understand how all of this works, but it still feels theoretical because I haven’t personally owned every step.

Btw, due to health issues my wife is getting a new job, less stress but bit less pay as well.

Then they scale into duplexes and fourplexes once they’ve built confidence and systems.Looking back, many experienced investors say they wish they’d gone into small multis sooner because of the economies of scale, but at the same time, those who started with SFRs often avoided the stress that can overwhelm new investors.I’m a real estate agent here in Memphis, TN, and I help out-of-state investors build rental portfolios.

Is the sponsor working with a relationship based lender they have gone round trip with before especially through adversity which is actually a positive or are they relying on expensive debt because the deal or the GP does not qualify which is a major red flagFixed versus adjustable rates and length of runway including term length extension options and whether the deal was stress tested across different rate scenariosReserves and contingent funds and whether they are real and sufficient or merely cosmeticEvaluation of how sources and uses are being allocated and whether the capital stack fully funds the business plan or leaves gaps with a "we will figure it out later mentality"The fund that I invested in with ODC actually has fixed rate debt, so there was not a similar learning point, although the ODC fund is also performing terribly.The reason has more to do with rent growth. 

I have a high income but I can't take the stress.