Personal use, mixed-use items, or home office mistakes are common pitfalls.Retirement or education credits: These are often oversimplified on social media, and claiming them incorrectly can lead to huge penalties.The IRS has sophisticated systems to catch improper claims, and relying on viral tips instead of professional guidance can be very costly.

If you are a beginner with limited capital in my opinion the quickest way to get started would be doing a live-in rehab.

I guess the real question is, is your "real job" getting in the way of making money? 

This part of town seems to offer more affordable options while still being relatively safe and convenient for students.The goal is to:Provide housing for our daughter and her friends starting January 2026 (spring semester).Structure the purchase as a primary residence, so we can qualify for better mortgage terms.Include myself, my husband, and my daughter on the mortgage application to strengthen our position and meet the owner-occupied requirement.Convert the property to a full rental down the road once she graduates.We think the $30,000 should cover a 5–10% down payment plus closing costs under the primary residence structure, and the property would serve as both a short-term housing solution and a long-term investment.Would love advice from the community on:Does this sound like a smart way to combine student housing with a first-time real estate investment?

I've been listening to some episodes from the Real Estate Rookie podcast and reading some books as well.

Can anyone recommend an Eviction Management Firm that services Frederick and Washington Counties (Maryland)?

Do the full pre-approval, including running your credit.3.

Check out our Beginner's guides here https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides if you're new to real estate investing.

But the numbers will tell you!!

Choose a good advisor to help guide you amongst the many DST sponsors!