After decades of paying Fed and high state taxes, I discovered REI and the STR strategy and have resolved to accelerate our long-term wealth for our children and future grandbabies. I felt like the "lost decades" are not coming back so we need TURBO mode. Where am I on my REI journey? My wife and I had no prior REI background. We have been learning about REI but chanced on a mentorship program for full time job holders that gave us the courage to jump in with our first STR acquisition within 3 months of completing the program in 2024. Now we are at 3 self-managing and looking for more as we are months from being empty nesters with 2 kids in college. What is my #1 challenge at this current point in time? I think I have bookkeeping handled but the discipline to keep at it every month is something I am struggling with. But my #1 challenge is touching all parts of our STR business regularly so that nothing gets neglected. Tax pre-prep gets neglected as deadlines feel far way until they smack you in the face. At this time Hours tracking to comply with STR strategy requirements is the one I struggle with most. What is the easiest tool you found? I have strugged with spreadsheets, REPS Tracker, and other thing. Im so excited to be here and learn from everyone's wisdom.

1.) Why do I want to save money on taxes? I'm determined to have a better relationship with money this year so that I can start living the mobile/remote work lifestyle that I've been dreaming & talking about for the last five years. 2.) Where am I at in my journey? I own two properties that have five units total. They are all STRs. I also manage seven other STRs for co-hosting clients. I've been self-employed since 2020. 3.) What's my biggest challenge right now? I'm still struggling to really get my systems set. I use a lot of tech & I've certainly been trying for the last five years. But, I'm still struggling to establish a true flow to my business. Last year I really dove into data to try to understand the numbers a little better. This year I'm trying to clean up everything at my current level that's still sticky, so that I can make a solid plan to expand either later this year or next year. Taxes & accounting are big in that sticky area! I want to have a very clear financial system set up, so that I can feel comfortable buying my next property in another market.

Why do I want to save money on taxes? I want to minimize my tax burden so I can redeploy that capital into expanding my real estate portfolio. By strategically reducing my W-2 taxable income, I can create more flexibility in my schedule—allowing me to spend meaningful time with my growing family while continuing to build long-term wealth. Where am I right now in my journey? I currently own one long-term rental (LTR) property and I’m preparing to close on a short-term rental (STR). I am in the acquisition and scaling phase of my real estate investing journey. What’s my #1 challenge right now? Time. I work full-time as a healthcare provider from 7am–7pm, Monday through Friday. My schedule significantly limits the time I can dedicate to studying investment strategy, analyzing deals, and actively managing or optimizing my properties. Creating more time leverage is my primary constraint as I scale.

Why do I want to save $ on taxes? I'm a planner. I like to plan 2-3 steps ahead. Before we finally take action and acquire our first rental property, I want to be sure we have the correct tax strategies in place so that we can scale to numbers 2, 3, and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to regain the freedom we once had - freedom to do what we want and freedom from financial stress. And THIS time around, create long-term wealth for our children and future grandbabies - through REI🥰 Where am I on my REI journey? My husband and I are both physician assistants with no prior RE background. I've been learning about REI through mentorships, courses, podcasts, etc since last March. Ive suffered a severe case of shiny object syndrome - considering every strategy from PML, to fix & flips, etc - till finally landing on MTRs/STRs. From there, my type A personality has kept me stuck in analysis paralysis. I need a plan. I need to get unstuck. I have set a goal for myself of purchasing a property by the end of the first quarter💪 What is my #1 challenge at this current point in time? Because we are in a season of transition (one year before empty nesters🥺), I struggle with which market makes the most sense for us. We plan to relocate to a warmer climate in a couple years and, although I know rentals can be managed long-distance, I prefer to be within at least driving distance. In addition, I struggle with deciding the smartest way to fund our first deal. With cashflow being our immediate goal, I love the pros of a cash purchase. At the same time, I hate the idea of tying up our cash in one property and stunting our portfolio growth. These are just 2 of my "dominoes". Honestly, I may just struggle with the art of decision-marking, in general🤣 But I am hopeful that with some solid expert advice, I will make an informed decision and finally take action. Im so excited to be here and to learn from all of you!❤️

1) Why do I want to start saving money on taxes? Whenever I look at my husband’s paystub and see all the tax deductions, it feels like missed opportunity. I know that money could be working harder for our family, and I’m ready to be more proactive and educated about tax strategy. 2) Where am I right now in my journey? We bought our first STR in June, and it’s off to a strong start with solid performance and positive guest feedback. I’ve been planning this move for years, so actually executing has been exhilarating. 3) What’s my #1 challenge right now? Letting go of perfectionism and trusting action over overthinking.