The key with the real estate professional status is to make sure you materially participate in your rentals.

To get hands-on fast in Lafayette/Indy, show up with a specific offer and clear value: pick one active flipper or GC, ask to shadow a project 1 day a week, and trade labor for learning; volunteer to do material runs, photo logs, punch‑list fixes, and bid comparisons.

Nice try though.Myth 4: I'm hands-on, so I materially participate"Material participation" is defined by the IRS, not by your Facebook friends and not by YouTube gurus.

I am writing to seek assistance regarding a purchase I made a few months ago. I acquired the book "Real Estate by the Numbers" by J. Scott and Dave Meyer from the BiggerPockets bookstore. Unfortunately, I am unable to...

Per Google - you could perform a cost segregation study that separates the different property components and then take the bonus depreciation?

They do a decent job, but they don't specialize in real estate and they don't know much about things like the STR strategy or how to apply a cost seg study. 

What’s more important is that your CPA has deep experience working with real estate investors — especially those who own both long-term and short-term rentals — and understands strategies like cost segregation, depreciation, and short-term rental material participation rules.  

It helps with material participation but is permanent.

This can lead to quicker rentals and potentially higher rents or resale values, with some studies showing up to a 15% increase in perceived value.

You’re absolutely on the right track by taking the time to study the market, analyze deals, and build your foundation before jumping in.To your question — yes, what you’re seeing is fairly typical in today’s market, especially when pursuing investment properties (non-owner-occupied).