Hello,My fiancé and I are recently engaged and have received a gift of $200k from family to put towards wedding costs or a house however we see fit.

I have a wedding/event venue in Maine, and I'm ready to move on (literally, I'm moving).

I’ve had better success with some of my buyers by focusing on areas that attract long-weekend stays rather than full vacation trips.These are typically visitors coming to town for specific events—such as weddings or attractions like Nights of Lights in St.

Either way congratulation's on your upcoming wedding and best of luck to you both on your real estate adventure :)

Documentation is everythingStrong agreement on the importance of:Move-in photos (date/time stamped)Move-out photosMove-in inventory/checklist completed promptlyClear, itemized deductions tied to actual repair costSeveral noted that good documentation dramatically reduces disputes, even when charging.Repeated Best Practices That Clearly WorkSet expectations early (this came up a lot)Multiple people described this as a game-changer:Define wear vs damage in the leaseRequire move-in condition forms (often within 7–10 days)“Plan for the divorce before the wedding”This reframes the deposit as:Protection against damage — not a repainting fund.Don’t let tenants do repairsSeveral landlords:Tell tenants not to patch holes or fix drywallPrefer to handle it themselves to avoid bad repairsOnly charge when damage is truly extremeBudget for paint and light spackle every turnA very consistent message:You should expect paint and minor drywall work every turnoverDeposits are not meant to cover routine refresh costsOwners need to understand this upfront to avoid frustrationContext Factors People Consider (but don’t abuse)Mentioned multiple times:Length of tenancyNumber and age of occupantsOverall condition of the unitWhether damage is isolated or widespreadBut even with context, the dominant rule is still:Would this look fair to a neutral third party?

The towns that work year round weddings, wineries, weekenders, festivals, fishing tend to have reliable demand and established managers who know the rhythm of the market.

Off season revenue ideas could include glamping, weddings, hunting cabins/tours, wilderness schools.  

We drove to a wedding on the East Coast a couple years ago from Texas.

As investors who have been screwed by them and former employees try to recov er their money, Dutch is going on cruises for his wedding anniversary and for holidays while Amy goes on lavish outings and recently came back from the Bahamas.

They are the first WED of every month in different locations and are always listed on BP.It may sound ideal, but for most people new to the game, the numbers don't like how they thought they would look to house hack in North Jersey right now.