Minor unevenness is common and usually acceptable, but noticeable slopes can impact marketability and resale, even if structurally sound.If there’s uncertainty, but you like everything else, getting a structural engineer to give a quick opinion is usually money well spent.Understand it, price it appropriately, and decide if it fits your risk tolerance and exit plan.

Every investor is different, and “hot” areas don’t always translate into the best fit for your situation.

This time and money is better spent on getting your first investment project off the ground.Also, since your CPA is likely to be a major - if not the primary - recipient of your bookkeeping, it needs to fit his/her requirements and preferences.

With a Self-Directed IRA, you can become a private lender and fund real estate deals while your profits grow tax-deferred or tax-free.How it works:• Your self-directed IRA lends money to a real estate fund or investor• The loan is security by real property• You earn interest which is paid back directly to your IRA• No stock market volatility and no landlord headachesWhy investors love it:• Predictable returns• Asset-backed security• Control over where your retirement money goes• Passive income inside your IRANOTE: You can’t lend to yourself or certain family members; but when done correctly, this strategy can be powerful.Curious if this fits your retirement strategy?

Bottom line: great tax benefit if it fits your situation, but the deal itself still has to make sense on its own.

@Susan Swanson I’m definitely interested — turnkey new builds sound like a great fit, especially since I’m focused on out-of-state investing and want something reliable to start with.

Quote from @Barbara Johannsen: How do you decide which type of note fits your current investment goals?

Getting exposure to both commercial and single family early on is a solid way to learn what actually fits your goals.

Any less and there isn't enough value add/competing with owner occupants and any larger you are getting into pretty heavy rehabs that might not be fit for your first rehab in a new market.  

If owner-occupying isn’t a fit, the next clean option is tapping a portion of your equity with a HELOC or second lien and pairing that with your cash, without refinancing a good first mortgage.