Biggest advice I’d give is to stay patient with the process, run your numbers conservatively, and choose projects that match your current skill level so you don’t get overwhelmed.If you keep things simple and focus on one good buy at a time, getting that second place by the end of 2026 definitely feels realistic.

In order to scale while building new construction you need a lot of cash or patient capital partners willing to leave money in deals, which is not an easy ask. 

I just came in as an LP on a 107-unit senior living community in the south suburbs of IL, and I also volunteer with Hospice patients (spend a fair amount of time in ALFs + nursing homes, which I do NOT like very much but realize they are necessary).

I believe for the patient mostly passive RE investor that leveraged RE can do well but1) residential RE is not passive, especially compared to index funds and etfs.2) because non commercial residential prices are near an all time high, interest rate is near high for this century, rents are all time worse compared to costs (per 2 recent studies) that you would be entering RE at a challenging time and a time were most RE will not produce the returns that were easy to achieve prior to 2022.3) RE provides diversification, but may not far exceed the returns from passive options.  

I am not that patient. 2) value adds.

You’re up against full time investors who move fast, take more risk, and know exactly what to look for.If you want to compete with them, you have to stay patient and focus on volume.

There are many moving parts from local laws, construction modifications and likely higher risk of liability if nothing else based on increasing the traffic with staff, medically fragile patients and family members. 

The compounding only works if you stay patient, consistent, and focused long enough to let it

That’s a lot of life change happening at once — exciting, but yeah, timing matters here.You’re right that being near a hospital makes your garden unit a prime candidate for mid-term rentals (MTR) — travel nurses, patient families, medical staff, even corporate relocations.

You just have to know your criteria, stay patient, and be ready to move fast when the right one hits.