If the properties at or near 100%, if you collect all the rents but don’t pay mortgage payments, vendors, utilities, maintenance and everything else, one can draw only a single conclusion; they’re taking it.

Even on the really good deals where my "cash to close" was $0 - I still have holding costs (HML payments, utilities, time, etc). 

If you have real estate meetups near you (which I am confident you do) I would explore those more so you can have some in person interactions with like minded people.

Hey BP communityI aquired my first property a few years back and initially utilized a house hacking strategy for a couple years.

This timing is ideal, as achieving Real Estate Professional (REP) status in 2026 will allow you to fully utilize the significant bonus depreciation deductions from the study to offset active income without passive activity loss limitations.

The biggest difference was getting really clear on who we were targeting (traveling professionals) and adjusting the listing to speak directly to them—furnished, utilities included, simple monthly pricing.

It’s seen consistent rental demand, and there’s still liquidity for small to mid-size properties compared to some other parts of the state.The main things to get right there are property age, utility configuration, and understanding how local lenders underwrite older assets.

Check the lease language firstBefore anything else, confirm the lease clearly states utilities are the tenant’s responsibility and that unpaid utilities constitute a lease violation or collectible charge.

I’ve invested in both Atlanta and Florida (I’m in Sarasota now but used to live in Atlanta), and those are strong markets when approached correctly.From there, sit down with a CPA to understand how this investment interacts with your current income and to make sure you have your plan to scale and exit from day one.

C-PACE can be utilized for new construction and rehabilitations/conversions projects.