Even indirect or unintentional benefits can trigger a prohibited transaction.Frequent problem areas: Lending to family members or controlled entities Personally guaranteeing an IRA loan Paying IRA expenses with personal funds Personally managing or “fixing” IRA-owned assetsBest-practice reminder:Treat the IRA as a completely separate legal and financial silo.

The goal is simple: turn overlooked or underperforming properties into income-producing assets using practical, creative strategies.I’m actively building toward purchasing my first property in Q3 or Q4 of 2026 and am currently on track to become a licensed Virginia real estate agent.If you’re an investor, agent, or homeowner interested in connecting, collaborating, or partnering, my DMs are open.

Trying to manufacture speed by doing 10% down, paying PMI, then hoping a 6 month refi removes it is mostly a bet on appraisal and timing, not a reliable growth engine.Also keep in mind there is a practical ceiling on how fast you can stack conventional doors because each new mortgage hits your DTI and reserve requirements even if the property “pays for itself.”

Tenants also tend to stay longer because relocating refrigerated operations is costly and disruptive.

Reuben, I like Joshua’s perspective here, especially the part about not boxing yourself in on the first deal.From both a tax and practical standpoint, house hacking is often a great place to start, and it fits well with the areas you’re looking in, especially since it already aligns with your lifestyle.

I have 5 long term rental units in Boston area and have recently been relocated to Wichita for work.

In Chicago, this is one of those areas where you need to be very careful.Yes, the Chicago RLTO can apply to garage spaces, depending on how they are leased.Here’s the practical breakdown:• If the garage is leased as part of a residential tenancy (same tenant, same lease, or a rider/addendum tied to the apartment), then RLTO security deposit rules apply.

The rest of the expenses aren't terrible all things considered, but they could be better.Cook County just balanced the commercial property shortfall (empty downtown high-rises) on the backs of homeowners and multi-family by doubling their property taxes in many neighborhoods, which is what I consider to be the longer term risk of investing in this area.Again, not looking to acquire this one, just ran the numbers as practice and want to make sure I'm running the numbers right. 

Second is the security deposit dispute with the tenant.From a practical standpoint, the cost of litigation will almost certainly exceed the cost of resolving either issue "favorably", so that should be the starting point for the analysis.In my own rentals, I rarely encounter damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and even when there is some damage, unless it is fairly extreme, I generally do not withhold security deposit funds.

Networking with people who already have experience can give you practical insights, tips, and even potential mentorship as you start your journey.