What works for me is pairing a foreman who’s good with psychology (basically the contractor whisperer) with a project manager who tracks budgets and deadlines (sometimes even virtual).

Instead of trying to “educate” them on my way of doing things (which hasn’t worked in 20 years), I focus on building around their weaknesses.What’s worked best is having someone with strong psychology and relationship skills as a foreman—someone who keeps the contractor relationship healthy—and pairing that with a project manager who may not even need to be on site but has the skill set to manage timelines and budgets virtually.The truth is, contractors are a revolving door.

Since you’re already set with a contractor, pairing that with reliable rent collection and legal backup makes self-managing from afar a lot more realistic, especially in Midwest markets where tenant demand tends to be steady.

Also, while insurance is a must, I always recommend pairing a good insurance policy with a proper LLC structure for maximum protection- there are too many carveouts with insurance these days to be safely relied on alone.

It’s a good alternative to a HELOC if you prefer stability, and it can be paired with investor loans like DSCR so the property’s rental income does most of the qualifying.

Purchase price: $550,000 Cash invested: $55,000 These pair of new construction duplexes were my first build-to-rent properties.

Pair that with checking crime maps, school ratings, and even Zillow rental comps.

So yes, you could pair the timing of a Roth conversion with the release of those losses, but it won’t be “tax-free,” just netted out depending on the numbers.

Driving for dollars paired with building a local network is a powerful combo.

What can help sometimes is pairing that 4-point with a small price tweak or offering a credit toward repairs instead of doing the work yourself.