What scenarios lead to a loss- tax benefit

[Kate C.]

Hello- I have been reading for years about the benefit of being able to deduct $25K in losses from rental properties (and more if you are a real estate professional). The mystery to me- is how do average people get to this loss?  I am including depreciation, taxes, insurance, repairs, and all the typical travel expenses, but still either breaking even or showing a taxable profit.   This may be too individual-based and complex for a forum post, but I am curious what expenses or insights others who have successfully used this tax write-off can share. Thanks!