IRS Rules - Real Estate Professional Question

[Michael Higgins]

First, yes I will consult with a CPA. Wanted to hear the forum's perspective.  Here is the scenario.  My wife is a full time operations manager for a large real estate team in Nashville. She is not an agent but, spends most of her time training and coaching agents on the technologies and processes to help them be successful. I have a W2 job that has nothing to do with real estate.  Both my wife and I own three rental properties (4 units).  That said, can we claim my wife is a real estate professional according to the IRS rules?