Verify Section 8 rents before you walk the property.We only look at deals where we already know the realistic voucher rent for that bedroom count and zip code.

The same terminology, "self directed" is also used to describe IRA accounts that are not associated with a banking/brokerage platform and that allow you to invest in nearly any asset allowed by the Tax Code for IRAs - truly "BYOD" ("Bring your own deal").

RUN THE COMPS: Pull rent, sale, expense, and real estate tax comps for analysis to determine if the rents / value / operating expenses / real estate taxes are above or below market (which determines whether it's a good deal or not)-Rent Comps: Pull a dataset of rent comps from similar buildings in the same neighborhood / surrounding ZIP-codes so you can determine whether or not the rents at the property you're buying are under market.

Internal Revenue Code section 707(c) defines a guaranteed payment for capital as payments that are determined "without regard to the income of the partnership". 

Same physical structure, two entirely different sets of risks, incentives and operating realities.That’s where the conversation keeps crossing wires.When you structure the exit differently, the economics change.When you buy the right pockets instead of the bottom five percent zip codes, the behavior patterns change.When you’re not the landlord, the maintenance and vendor math changes completely.None of that makes this “easy.”It just means the instability so many people blame on the asset is often created by the strategy being applied to the asset.I’m not dismissing the risks.

I look at the HUD Fair Market Rent on their website, which is the Median Rent for either the county or the zip code. 

Hey Devon,I would recommend sticking to a specific zip code or pocket of homes and looking for a fix n flip.I work with many investors that have tighter margins on their fix n flips due to subbing out much of the work throughout the process.

We had millions of vacant homes nobody needed (2025: we are 3-5 million homes short) and nobody had equity, forcing foclosure sales (2025: about 40% of all homes have no mortgage, most of the rest is equity rich, very few do not have enough equity to be threatened by foclosure)If I have my histroy right 1989 was mostly a commercial real estate recession: early 1980's tax code allowed w2 income to get wiped off by passive real estate losses causing a missive overbuilding of strip malls, office space and apartments to generate losses for high income earners.

If your zoning or building code limits unrelated adults, that limit still applies.

My old HVAC vendor was no problem I met them most times but if there was an issue they would use the code and go in without me.