Mixing the two blurs discipline.If financial independence is the goal, I would consider buying a small multi and house hacking conservatively or purchasing a stable primary with strong fundamentals and investing the rest in cash-flowing assets.

Mixing funds is one of the fastest ways to blur the line between you and the business.2.

The biggest risk isn’t habitability — it’s blurred lines between contractor, tenant, and leverage.If you allow it, I’d strongly recommend:• a short, written occupancy agreement separate from the construction contract,• clear start/end dates tied to milestones (not open-ended),• rent or a defined credit applied monthly (not netted at the end), and• language that occupancy does not pause payment obligations or excuse delays.Speed can improve, but only if expectations and exit terms are crystal clear up front.

Blurring these categories is where disputes often start.Be consistent.

The biggest risk isn’t habitability — it’s blurred lines between contractor, tenant, and leverage.If you allow it, I’d strongly recommend:• a short, written occupancy agreement separate from the construction contract,• clear start/end dates tied to milestones (not open-ended),• rent or a defined credit applied monthly (not netted at the end), and• language that occupancy does not pause payment obligations or excuse delays.Speed can improve, but only if expectations and exit terms are crystal clear up front.

I’m a mortgage lender who works with a lot of real estate investors, and I’m curious how this group thinks about cashflow mechanics, not just financing terms.Most discussions I’m part of revolve around:interest ratesamortization schedulesleverage and qualificationBut occasionally investors ask questions that sit outside the loan itself:Where should rental cash sit between inflow and outflow?

Or do rates double or triple that occasionally to allow for 10% vacancy? 

With systems (and the occasional headache), 10 doors is a very doable portfolio even for someone with a full-time career.For me, the mindset shift happened when I realized I didn’t need hundreds of doors, I needed the right doors.

I've found that by analyzing lots of deals it's often possible to still find a good one occasionally where the numbers work. 

But if you’re only driving occasionally or testing the strategy, a low-cost setup (Google Maps pins + notes + county records) may make more sense.A really helpful way to explore the different options out there are by watching YouTubers who actually drive for dollars.