Got into this game because at the very young age of 35, my wife got diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.

The net profit or loss then flows through to your joint taxes via a Schedule K-1.Since you said your partner qualifies as a real estate professional and assuming they meet the participation rules, some of those losses may even offset your W-2 income, which can be a game-changer.

Now it’s just about getting in the game.

The short term investment instruments are always have the highest return, but they are the riskiest as well. 

From a lender's perspective, you sound look like a very risky borrower.Hard Money is an short-term alternative to traditional bank loans and is more suited to rehabs and flips, but any lender is: 1) Going to underwrite the deal to make sure the numbers make sense, there is a clear upside, and plenty of wiggle room (and thus will expect you to come to them with a very clear picture of exactly what needs to be done, including a scope of work, detailed costs, and contingencies), and 2) Expect you to have skin in the game. 25% is pretty reasonable, actually.

Dollar Shorting (Inflation).

I look at it as a way to limit carrying costs on a short-ish term deal until I can sell or refinance into long term, fixed rate debt. 

Understanding your funding options can make or break a deal. Many investors lose opportunities simply because they don’t know what’s available outside traditional banks.

It’s not usually a “cash flow day one” market unless you do some house-hacking or short-term rental strategy, but it compounds incredibly well over time.

-Monetary Policy: Fed expected to continue short-term rate cuts into 2026 to address labor weakness and sticky inflation; however, long-term rates remain high due to fiscal pressures, with rising 10-year Treasury yields a key risk for multifamily cap rates and valuations.