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Deep dives on rental property analysis, real estate math, and underwriting best practices from the team behind TrueCap.
Best states for rental property investors in 2026
An honest ranking of the top 10 US states for rental investors — cap rates, property tax, income tax, landlord laws, and the trade-offs that decide which state actually fits your strategy.
May 25, 2026 · 12 min read
1031 exchange basics for individual rental investors
How a 1031 exchange actually works in 2026 — the 45-day and 180-day windows, qualified intermediary requirement, like-kind rules, boot, reverse exchanges, and when it's worth the complexity.
May 25, 2026 · 11 min read
The 50% rule for rentals — is it still useful in 2026?
The classic 50% rule says operating expenses run ~half of gross rent. Honest take on when it works as a triage tool, when it lies, and what to use instead.
May 25, 2026 · 6 min read
House hacking explained: how to (almost) live for free in a 2-4 unit
The actual math behind house hacking — FHA 3.5% down, owner-occupant rules, year-2 transition planning, and the deal types that make this strategy work in 2026.
May 25, 2026 · 9 min read
Should I use a property management company? The actual math.
8-10% of rent + lease-up fees + maintenance markup — does paying a PM still beat managing yourself? The honest break-even math, plus when to switch each direction.
May 25, 2026 · 8 min read
How to spot a bad rental deal in 60 seconds — 7 red flags
Seven red flags that tell you a rental doesn't pencil — before you waste hours running the full underwrite. The triage every experienced investor does in their head.
May 24, 2026 · 8 min read
Cash-on-cash vs IRR: which one tells the truth?
Cash-on-cash and IRR are both return metrics, but they answer completely different questions. When each one is right, when each one lies, and which to trust.
May 24, 2026 · 7 min read
Cash flow vs appreciation: which rental strategy actually wins in 2026?
A 10-year side-by-side across three market types with 2026 borrowing costs — and the two return components most comparisons silently forget.
May 24, 2026 · 9 min read
What's a good cap rate for rental property in 2026?
Benchmarks by market type, the framework professionals actually use to evaluate cap rate, and why pre-2022 intuition is silently buying investors into negative leverage.
May 24, 2026 · 9 min read
DSCR loans explained: what they are, when they make sense, what they cost in 2026
DSCR loans approve based on the property's economics, not your personal income. Who they're for, what rates and ratios look like in 2026, and the trade-offs vs. conventional financing.
May 24, 2026 · 10 min read
Cap rate vs cash-on-cash vs DSCR: which one actually matters?
Three different metrics, three different jobs. A plain-English guide to when each one matters and the 2026 negative-leverage trap most investors miss.
May 24, 2026 · 8 min read
How to underwrite a rental property in 60 seconds
The five numbers, four metrics, and two sanity checks every investor uses to triage a deal — without a spreadsheet.
May 24, 2026 · 9 min read
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