I certainly wouldn’t want to draw conclusions from a datapoint of 3. Rent prices can swing a lot even within a state, and if you’re just doing trends based on number of sales and price, the the bigger cities are going to skew averages that your every day landlord doesn’t see as reality.
We bought our first 2 in 2018 and third in 2019. Our planned forth in 2021 but instead we live there now because we enjoyed the atmosphere (rural, woods, etc). We’ve taken some very dilapidated bordering on unlivable houses and done a lot of the repairs ourselves. I enjoy doing it, but it becomes a lot when you have an actual job and a family. “I’m going to be done in 6 months” turns in to 2 years.
We started as an alternative to trying to fund our retirement only by saving in stocks because neither of us wants to care / learn about the market. Goal was to have income producing houses in retirement. Taxes and insurance have gone nuts (and I’ve never had an insurance claim). We’re not profiting. My hope is that value outpaces inflation plus our losses, but I’m terrified I’ll look back in 20 years and have a lot of regrets.
We did STR (still doing one that way). I wouldn’t wish STR on my worst enemy.
I hate this new iPhone update.
Good bye and good luck.