.- The 203(k) will allow you to bid on properties that need repairs that won't qualify for a traditional mortgage => less competition => better purchase price.You will need to find a great local contractor you can trust to supply the required bids to qualify for the 203(k).- After closing, you can do some of the work yourself to save money, but the program doesn't allow you to pay yourself.You will want to buy a Class B property, maybe Class C+, in an area that seems to be improving.

Let me break it down for you in a more conversational way:If you and your spouse are currently limited in how much you can deduct from your long-term rentals (LTRs) because of passive loss limitations, adding a short-term rental (STR) can potentially open the door to a completely different tax benefit, even without qualifying as a full-fledged real estate professional.Here’s how it works:The IRS treats STRs differently if the average stay is 7 days or less—these aren’t considered traditional rentals, so the income (and loss) isn’t automatically passive.That means if you can prove material participation—like doing most of the guest communication, cleaning coordination, pricing, etc.

Sounds like you’re navigating a big transition and doing a lot of things right already by planning ahead and speaking with a tax attorneyA few things to consider or ask about when you meet with themCapital Gains Exemption If this was your primary residence for 2 of the past 5 years you may qualify for the Section 121 exclusion which allows you to exclude up to 250K in gains if single or 500K if married filing jointlyCapital Gains Bracket You’re right to look at your taxable income including W2 wages and life insurance proceeds to see where you land The life insurance death benefit itself is generally not taxable but if any of it was interest income it might be Ask the attorney to confirm that partEstimated Taxes If you sell the house and owe tax you may need to make an estimated payment to avoid penalties especially if your W2 job didn’t withhold enough for the yearHealth Insurance and Marketplace Credits Since you’re planning to go on your partner’s plan this may not apply but if for any reason you do end up looking at Marketplace insurance your income level will impact subsidies Ask how your income mix affects thisNew Business Planning Talk about how startup costs might be deducted how to structure the business (LLC S corp etc) and whether making a clean break this year or early next year gives you any tax advantageRetirement Account Planning If you have any traditional retirement accounts and this is a low-income year you might consider a Roth conversion or some other strategy to optimize your tax bracketIt’s totally normal to feel nervous about a big change like this but you’re already doing the most important thing which is planning proactivelyHappy to talk more if you want help organizing the numbers or figuring out what to ask I work with a lot of people going through life and business transitions like this and it’s all about getting the right pieces in place ahead of time

SilvaAs mentioned refuse to do a land contract, do it as a traditional note and deed of trustIf you do a land contract then you would want to make sure the land contract gets recorded in the county to show your equitable interest

That should translate to a lower risk for the bank—and, logically, a better interest rate for the borrower.Flaws in the Traditional Appraisal ProcessThe three standard methods of valuation—comparable sales, income approach, and cost approach—all have limitations:- Comparable Sales can be wildly inconsistent, especially when neighboring properties vary greatly in condition.- Income Approach is useful but doesn’t account for hidden future costs (like a $20K roof replacement in 3 years).- Cost Approach often glosses over the real-world quality and age of systems like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.In short, these methods can miss key nuances that materially affect the risk of the deal, both for borrowers and lenders.A New Way Forward?

Years ago I was able to get traditional financing on a property that I bought on auction.com but this is very risky because theoretically you can not enter the property until after you have closed and a traditional mortgage lender has to enter the property in order to conduct an appraisal of the property and they wouldn't be able to do that if they can't enter.

Responsibility in the Property Ecosystem The traditional hands-off approach—where sales agents, developers, and builders disappear post-transaction—is no longer acceptable.

For funding, private lenders or joint ventures can offer more flexibility than traditional loans.

However, I recently became a licensed real estate agent (about 3 months ago), and I know that may temporarily impact my ability to qualify for traditional financing like an FHA loan with 3.5% down on a multifamily property.So here’s where I’d love your input:What other methods of financing or raising capital should I explore (DSCR loans, private money lenders, partnerships, etc.)?

Great, you don't know either..... ok, well, rich people are rich, so, yeah, let's just find some rich person and ya-know, yeah, something, that could work, maybe, I think, I don't know.