Focus on C to B areas for steadier cash flow and cleaner exits, and let your buy box decide fast: if crime, PM feedback, or turns blow up your numbers, pass and move to the next lead.

As for the leases, waiting until January 1st can make bookkeeping and tax reporting cleaner since you’re starting fresh for the new year, but transitioning now is fine too, you need to track the date carefully for tax purposes.The mortgages are still personally held unless already in the LLC’s name.

Quote from @Marisa Woods: Good day BP community. 

It also avoids the inevitable squabbles between partners and is much cleaner and easier.

. • Since you’re a Realtor, you save fees, which makes this cleaner. • This is the “scale” play, but you’ll want to shore up reserves first so you’re not stretched thin. 

The best move depends on your long-term plan — if you plan to scale, keeping it under the LLC helps build business credit and keeps your portfolio cleaner.

She worked as a cleaner and her boyfriend is a construction worker .

That structure helps reduce self-employment taxes on flips.For rentals and future multifamily, an LLC does make sense for liability protection, cleaner bookkeeping, and long-term tax planning, but you can set that up when you get closer to holding properties rather than flipping.As for timing, there’s no tax disadvantage to buying now versus January.

The higher the down payment, the cleaner the offer, and the higher the interest rate being offered will be more likely to be an  offer that a seller will entertain.

But if your current interest rate is low, you might consider a second-position HELOC just for the renovation/down payment money — especially if you plan to refinance later when rates drop.If you sell instead, it’s simple — no debt juggling — but you’ll lose the chance to hang on to a property that could cash flow and appreciate long term.Here’s my quick example:Say your house is worth $300K and you owe $150K — that’s $150K equity.Sell: maybe walk away with $135K after closing.Cash-out refi to 75% LTV: new loan about $225K, gives you roughly $75K cash out after payoff and fees — enough to update your current place and put down 10–15% on the next one.If your current home rents well after the upgrade, that’s the smarter long game.If not, selling might be cleaner — take the win, roll it forward, and buy the bigger place plus a rental later when you’re not juggling two moves and four kids.You’re thinking like an investor already, though — run both versions in a simple spreadsheet and see which one gets you closer to your cash flow or portfolio goal; Ryan, I really hope this helps you a bit, I sent you a DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist.