I ended up connecting with a lawyer who has handled other issues for me and she said basically I waited too late in the month to start the eviction process and to sit tight as it seemed the tenant was actually moving out, but if they weren't out by designated day, circle back to start a formal eviction.What actually happened is that the tenant moved out on the date indicated and left some trash but the unit was generally clean and left in good shape.

What are the odds they are an experienced and competent realtor if they can’t get the basics right. 

I’m trying to figure out how realistic this idea is before I start talking to lenders — hoping some of you who’ve been through this can help me sanity-check it.Here’s my current situation:The PropertyLocated in California’s Central ValleyBought a few years ago from my dad for $30K (clear title)Current estimated value: around $293,500 (Zillow)Rents: $1,000 (front) + $800 (back) = $1,800/moNo mortgage, completely paid off ✅It’s been a basic rental that covers itself and stays occupied.Now that it’s appreciated quite a bit, I’m wondering if I can use it to fund my next step in real estate.What I’ve Gathered So FarI was laid off a while ago, so I don’t have W-2 income anymore — but I do have savings in the bank and this property free and clear.While researching options, I came across DSCR or “no-income verification” loans, where the lender qualifies the loan based mostly on the property’s rent and value instead of personal income.If I pulled out around $200K (roughly 70% of what the home’s worth), the monthly payment for principal and interest might fall in the $1,400–$1,500 range.Once I add property taxes and insurance, the total monthly cost would probably be close to $1,700.Since the property currently rents for about $1,800 a month total, it would basically break even or maybe make a small positive.That seems to qualify under the DSCR rules I’ve read about, but I’m not sure if that’s too thin to be worth the risk — especially with rates where they are right now.If this type of loan actually works the way I think it does, it could free up roughly $200K in cash that I could use as down payments or rehab funds to buy additional rentals.I just don’t know if that’s a smart move, or if I’m misunderstanding how flexible these loans really are.What I’m Trying to Figure OutDoes this make sense in today’s market, or would you hold the equity and wait for rates to drop?

At 8.5% on ~$104K, you are basically getting a guaranteed 8.5% “return” by paying it down, plus improving cash flow right away, which matters here because your property is actually negative after debt.If your goal is stronger cash flow and lower risk → paying off (or paying down) the loan makes sense.If you have a clearly better deal lined up that will beat 8.5% after taxes and you are okay keeping leverage → then deploying into the new deal could work.

Here’s how I’d look at it from both a business and tax-efficiency standpoint (since I work with a lot of wholesalers and flippers):You’ve nailed the basic setup — PropStream for pulling lists is solid, and REIsimpli is a great all-in-one CRM/dialer option, especially if you want to stay lean and avoid app overload.

This ensure that my monthly debt payment will remain basically stable for the next 30 years except for taxes and insurance (escrowed).

$287k for income of around $2k a month and having basically 100% leverage seems like this is not going to be a good deal at all.

She basically said that you want to renovate the kids rooms first so they have a place to go first.

Get her to repeat the basics of what you said and perhaps record it, so you both have a written and verbal record. 

Since you're brand new, the best thing you can do right now is focus on learning the basics—things like analyzing deals, understanding financing, and getting familiar with different investment strategies.