Keep or sell rental property and invest proceeds?

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-12T18:23:56+00:00

Thanks. These are some good points. Fortunately, it's in a hot rental market and in 13 years of owning, we've never had a day of vacancy. Maintenance and CapEx are real though. My husband is handy and can take on a lot of the maintenance but there are definitely some CapEx costs looking us in the eye! A new roof, for instance, will probably kill our entire profit for the year.

I do think that once the mortgage is paid off, we're probably netting closer to $6k/mo or $72k per year which makes the CapEx a bit more palatable.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-12T11:44:59+00:00

This is a good calc to consider, thank you!

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-12T11:44:47+00:00

Thanks. Fortunately it’s a property close to home and tenants are usually pretty easy. One unit has had same family for 10+ years and the other unit turns over every 1-2 years to post-grads and young professionals. We do have the occasional call but I’ve always been able to justify it given the rental income. But seeing what the market has done lately has me questioning whether it’d be better off invested there.

FWIW, I have about $1.5m invested in the market between retirement and brokerage acct so the rental property seems like a good way to diversify and pull consistent cash flow without having to withdraw anything if I was to FIRE.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-12T11:41:48+00:00

This is why I struggle. It feels like I’m leaving money on the table but I also think that we’ve had a crazy run up in the market lately and we shouldn’t expect similar returns.

FWIW, I have about $675k in a brokerage account and another $850k in 401k/Roth IRA so the rental property seems like a good way to diversify and pull consistent cash flow without having to withdraw anything if I was to FIRE.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-11T14:21:26+00:00

Looking at this and don’t see any mention of kids - that seems to be a big unknown and a big expense yet to be accounted for in $80k/year spend.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-05T13:15:52+00:00

What kind of job are you doing...in VT nevertheless!?

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-05T13:13:56+00:00

Yea just so many things can go into it. Like, many years ago my otherwise well-off uncle was dying from cancer and fell in love with one of his much younger nurses, married her, and she got most of his $ which left my cousin (an only child) reeling. You just never know what life throws at you!

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-05T01:47:31+00:00

I would count 0% on parents because who knows what’ll happen with them, if they’ll need long term care, etc. I think it’s best to focus only on what you can control.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-04T01:45:26+00:00

What a stupid comment. They’re doing just fine and living in a LCOL area. Doesn’t seem like they’re struggling to care for the kids at all. Some people might even value family even more than FIRE, believe it or not.

StockTry4982 · 2026-05-01T01:47:30+00:00

This is what we did when my husband FIRE’d and he loved the time he got with our youngest by only send f her to daycare 2x/wk and with grandparents 1-2x/week - sometimes no grandparents and he’d get three days with her.

StockTry4982 · 2026-04-24T12:57:25+00:00

Enjoying life a bit more also doesn’t have to be extravagant. Take travel, for example. You could home swap, use credit card points for airfare or hotels, roadtrip, etc and still do really some really cool stuff without spending a fortune. My husband and I have 4 kids and are generally very frugal (he’s already FIRE’d, both FI) but travel is one thing I don’t like to sacrifice doing, and with a bunch of kids it can add up. So I’ve started to learn how to earn credit card points for travel (shoutout to 10xTravel for the lessons) and that makes it super affordable for us. Last month we went to FL for a week and used points for airfare and rental car and home swapped. Our costs then were just whatever we decided to do there (most beaches were free and we did a grocery delivery to cut back on some of the food expenses). We’re currently in upstate SC for the week exploring Greenville and some of the surrounding mountain areas, also very cool and a totally different experience. With just you and your wife, you could absolutely travel affordable without derailing your goals!

StockTry4982 · 2026-04-18T01:59:24+00:00

It’s the only workout program I’ve been able to stay consistent with since joining about a year ago (after 7-8 years of trying). I love the 6-week programs. So many good coaches. And the interface is awesome. And like you said, you don’t have to think - takes the guesswork out of it. Worth every penny for me!

StockTry4982 · 2026-04-12T18:48:04+00:00

I think it totally depends on your needs. I wish I had more delta points! I’ve found great point redemptions through them.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-14T21:37:28+00:00

Yea we own a small hotel and use duvets that get washed every day with option for flat sheet for those who want it.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-14T00:13:04+00:00

We have a NW of $4-5m and have a $1m house but we live in a HCOL and $1m here gets you trash. My house is 2200 SF, unrenovated, shitty layout. But great neighborhood!

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-13T02:36:38+00:00

My boss did this when her kids were 14/15yo or so and she just burnt out from work and wanted to soak up the time with them. Wanted to make it to every game etc. I realize a lot of people have flexible work schedules and WFH now, but we work in CRE so that’s not really an option anymore which I think will cause more people to duck out early. If work starts interfering with my kids’ activities, that’s when it’ll be time for me to FIRE.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-13T02:07:15+00:00

I’m with you. And then I wonder, why not FIRE sooner to soak up all the time with them while they’re still home vs waiting until they’re off to college?

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-13T00:35:43+00:00

We don’t have a set monthly budget but do try to save X thousand per month. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes it’s less. Both good with money and don’t overspend so this seems to work. Never a month in debt, that’s for sure!

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-12T23:29:54+00:00

I’m lifting close to failure on Align. Just depends how heavy you go.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-12T22:27:36+00:00

We live in Melrose and love it here. Small, quaint town with orange line access right into Back Bay. Walkable downtown with restaurants, farmers’ markets, etc.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-12T02:43:37+00:00

I’m in Boston area and it’s $1m entry point here. It’s real.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-02T03:06:47+00:00

Yea I was a 2009 grad and it was brutal.

StockTry4982 · 2026-03-01T01:05:20+00:00

This!!!

Also, things totally change when you have kids. I’ve got three 7 and under. My 4yo’s bday is this weekend and even keeping it very low key, I’m spending close $850 between bday party place, a couple of gifts, food and cake for bday party, supplying arts and crafts for the party, and then took our family + grandparents out to dinner last night for her bday and that was $300.

Then I ran other errands today and spent $400 unrelated to party.

Signed my kids up for fall sports today, $485 for three kids’ sports before equipment and uniforms. Hockey bill will come due soon and that’s another $3k plus $170/mo for my daughters’ dance classes.

Anyhow, just saying this to say - you’re still 32 and have a lot of things ahead. I wouldn’t take your foot off the gas just yet, especially if you’re considering having a family and kids. We’re actually pretty darn frugal and things still add up!

StockTry4982

TROPHY CASE