It can be an advantage, but it is not required.For virtual wholesaling, the main benefits of being licensed are access to MLS data, leveraging established relationships with agents, and being able to earn commissions on some deals through referrals.The tradeoff is extra disclosure and more rules to follow, so if you do it, make sure your broker is investor friendly and ok with assignments and creative deals.

Don’t advertise the option price upfrontYou’re right, almost nobody posts it publicly.Not because it’s a secret, but because:You need to confirm they can actually qualify to exercise the optionYou need to verify their timeline + income + creditYou want the flexibility to adjust the strike price based on market data at the time they’re screenedThe proper flow is:Advertise it as “Rent-to-Own / Lease Option”Screen them like a normal tenant (income, background, rental history)Once approved, then present the option structure, option fee, strike price, and timelineIf you share it too early, you get tire-kickers who want an option fee refund when they get denied.

If the guy's solid and has been in for several years, I'm a lot more comfortable than I am with someone who started this year -- then it starts looking like a shell game.Every adult must be on the lease, and each must pass your screening tests, and each must be responsible for the entire rent.

Recent Zillow data shows that around 60% of tenants have pets (and that number is higher in single-family homes, which is what I rent).

Test smoke detectors and carbon-monoxide alarms monthly and replace batteries as needed.f.

A corporation or an LLC taxed as an S-corp/1065 cannot have a “principal residence,” so the ownership and use tests both fail.

I invested $1,000 to test it out and get $10/month in distributions.  

Most people judge syndications simply because they don’t understand how they work, and many jump in blind without knowing how to vet sponsors correctly or stress-test deals.

What value does a real estate agent add, now that their once exclsuive MLS data is on Zillow and Realtor .com?

I had one other person test this and she immediately got bookings.