All of them - regular rental houses, STRs (short-term rentals), apartment buildings, office buildings, storage facilities and so on. *** Never put rental properties in S-corporations!

You might also add heated boot racks, bike/ski storage, and a cozy gear-drying nook — small touches that elevate guest experience and make your listing stand out.

I structure leases as furnished, that way I can flex to STR during peak seasons and not have to move any furniture to storage.

Regarding storage:(k) Yards, patios, balconies, vestibules, hallways, and entrances may not be used to store belongings or to dry clothes.

Regarding amenities, focusing on affordability is smart, but even small touches like well-maintained landscaping and curb appeal, modern or fresh paint colors, energy-efficient LED lighting, updated cabinet hardware, ceiling fans, good window treatments, and ample storage solutions all stand out and can help fill units faster and improve tenant satisfaction.

I've seen individuals make a 16K investment and then turn around and buy a major mixed use building (Self Storage + Retail) with none of their own funds.

Self storage specifically.  

For the $215K storage unit, small commercial loans can be tough to find, so try local banks, credit unions, or SBA lenders.

Here’s a quick shortlist that fits your needs (3 doors):Stessa - built for small portfolios; auto-tracks income/expenses and lets you scan receipts via the mobile app.Hemlane - end-to-end PM: leasing, online rent, maintenance, accounting; good if you want workflows plus optional local agent help. hemlane.comBuildium - more robust if you plan to scale; solid accounting and document storage/e-sign for leases and notices.DoorLoop - all-in-one with straightforward pricing as you add units.

Either commercial office/storage or turn into multi-family units.