Being firm when needed is part of the job, but experienced operators know when common sense and basic human understanding lead to better long-term outcomes.As a side note, Mike hit on your reserves.

If you get it now you are basically grandfathered in.

I’m a landlord who tried TurboTenant because they advertise “free” listings, but the experience has been frustrating and disappointing from the start.Support is basically nonexistent unless you pay.The free version only gives you an automated bot, which is useless.

Some even admit they no longer have the budget for basic operational safety because of what they spent upfront.

Your first house hack sets the tone for everything that comes after, so getting the basics right matters more than trying to be perfect.Here is a simple checklist I wish someone had handed me when I started.1.

., delaying closing, jeopardizing the buyer’s earnest money, losing the property for the buyer by not performing on their end, dangling a low rate then baiting and switching/ hidden fees, basically terrible customer service all around and over-promising then under-delivering).

For analysis, keep it simple: use a basic rental calculator to test your buy box (conservative rent, realistic expenses), then sanity‑check with a local property manager on true rents and vacancy.

I moved from Portland to Columbus in 2020 to invest and now own 10+ rentals here, and I’ll say this market is basically the opposite of your AZ situation — you can still find solid SFRs in that $120–180k range that hit the 1% rule and cash flow from day one.

The property probably has a few dings against it, like the pool and probably foundation work is my guess.The listing is super basic. 

Build relationships: agents, lenders, and other investors you connect with now will matter later.House hacking is a strong first move, and getting comfortable with the math and basics now will make it much easier when you’re ready to buy.