Helping Someone Who Has Helped Me

[Brook W.]

So I'm experienced enough to know that no good deed goes unpunished. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way set up some mutually beneficial agreement with someone who has really helped me in the past.

This person hired me for my first job out of college, has provided some great advice, and gave me glowing reviews that allowed me to step into a better job after working for her. She made arrangements for a real estate deal after that, and that deal has been a great boon in my life.

She has several properties in a neighborhood that I'm already invested in, and am interested in acquiring more rental property there. A year or two ago she suffered from some awful health problems. Since she is a landlord, etc. with no sick time or medical leave, these problems were economically devastating. She's been able keep things afloat for a while, but is now looking to unload all of her property, including a personal residence with units that provide a substantial amount of rent money for her.

I'm interested in acquiring some of these properties, or figuring out some mutually beneficial arrangement that will help her recover. My guess is that she is in her late 50s, so buying all her rental property (especially the one with her residence) at this point in her life is something I can't abide by. I think it could turn into another big crisis down the line. I don't think she would suggest something that would put her in the poorhouse at some point in retirement either.

She would probably have some ideas, but I want to come prepared. Is there some kind of arrangement you can think of that would be mutually beneficial?