With a family and limited capital, keep it simple and repeatable: target a modest buy‑and‑hold in a cash‑flowing market and pair it with private money or a small partnership to cover the down and rehab while you learn to underwrite tight.

Personally - As a small time landlord with a very modest income (65-70k/year from all sources) the expenses in this situation scare me a bit.

Three workable paths: 1) Tenant hauls to the dump with a required cadence, photo proof, and a fee if trash accumulates. 2) Landlord provides monthly curbside service to a can at the road, plus a small shed or bear‑box halfway down for staging; add a modest rent bump to cover it. 3) Hybrid: landlord schedules a twice‑monthly haul by a local hauler; tenant brings bags to a designated bin area near the house.

Even if appreciation is modest, consistent rent plus tax benefits can outpace what a volatile market offers, especially if you value peace of mind in a downturn.

Have a history with the area they invest in, either having lived there before or having family members or close friends living there now.

Assuming the occupied unit recently qualified the yearly section inspections, and if the tenant elects to stay on (lease ends May 2026), I would have them stay as long as they desire and explore if there is any room to negotiate modest/fair increase in the rent.

For consumers, the affordability benefit is modest—monthly payments drop slightly, but total interest nearly doubles, slowing equity growth and potentially inflating housing prices without addressing supply constraints.

We expect some modest capex to freshen it up in year 1.

I am looking for recommendations for an Accountant/CPA who works with newer STR investors at a more modest price point.

You need to form an LLC, which in Texas costs a modest one-time fee of $300.