They’re coming back.That recognition pairs with another important factor: Kentucky is now #1 in the country for film tax credits, and credit where it’s due—Governor Andy Beshear has done a genuinely strong job positioning Kentucky this way.

That kind of competition usually pairs with job volatility, slower hiring decisions, and people being more cautious about big financial moves.Now layer in housing.Mortgages with rates above 6% now make up 21.2% of all loans, the highest share since 2015.

Pair that data with a simple check of each city’s STR rules so you know upfront whether hosting is allowed and under what conditions.

It’s much harder to be effective.

I maintain a simple yet effective Excel spreadsheet to track appliance and improvement details for each rental property.

VAs can help a lot BUT the problem is finding the right VAs... i would say only 10-20% can operate effectively and even then there is a learning curve to exactly how you operate .

Strong follow-up (most contracts come after multiple touches)Direct-to-seller still works well here, but only when the list itself is solid — probates, pre-probates, tax delinquents, code violations, absentee owners, etc. tend to convert better than broad high-equity lists.Driving for Dollars + skip tracing is still effective too, especially in older neighborhoods around Hampton Roads.If you’d like, I’m happy to share what types of lists and strategies investors in your area are having success with — just from my experience supporting people doing flips/new construction.Curious — which areas of Hampton Roads are you targeting most right now?

If owner-occupying isn’t a fit, the next clean option is tapping a portion of your equity with a HELOC or second lien and pairing that with your cash, without refinancing a good first mortgage.

Any cost effective training mentorship programs you can suggest for beginners of MFH.

Quote from @Sandy Hu: I wanted to share a recent deal structure that may be helpful for anyone sitting on equity in a high-cost market.A client recently:Did a cash-out refinance on a California primary residenceUsed the proceeds to purchase a single-family rental in MichiganIs closing in early FebruaryWhat made this work smoothly:No relocation requiredProperty manager is picking up keys immediately after closingClient transitions straight into passive monthly incomeNo short-term rental or active management involvedThis wasn’t about chasing appreciation—it was about:Redeploying trapped equityImproving cash flowKeeping the setup simple and scalableI’m seeing more CA homeowners explore Midwest rentals when local numbers no longer make sense, especially when paired with professional management from day one.Happy to answer questions around:Structuring equity deploymentOut-of-state investing considerationsWhat to look for (and avoid) in Midwest rentalsHope this helps someone thinking through similar options.