Us: We want to buy the property, fix up the (3) apartments not occupied by her parents to generate rental income.QuestionsMy thoughts are to work out a deal where we purchase the property from her parents without taking a loan from bank.

that's awesome @Tieirra Singleton I love those areas for real estate investing - there is so much potential for cash flow + equity build up.

The rental market is already showing signs of recovery:Spring Is Coming: Historically, the rental market picks up momentum in the spring as tenants prepare to move during warmer months or ahead of the school year.Early 2025 Trends Are Positive: In just the first week of January, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in rental applications, suggesting pent-up demand from renters who delayed their searches in November and December.What Landlords Can Do NowTo make the most of this recovery, consider:Refreshing Your Listings: Update your photos, descriptions, and pricing to ensure your properties stand out.Offering Incentives: Temporary discounts or move-in bonuses can help fill vacancies quickly.Being Patient: The market is already bouncing back, so don’t panic if your property takes a bit longer to lease than usual.What’s been your experience?

- Renting it Out: The likely rent I'd get in this area will cover half my mortgage payments at the moment- Add Square Footage: Taxes will likely go up significantly- Build an ADU: Overall ROI will likely not offset much since it'll still be counted as value tied to the one house- Selling Off Land: Sits on .5 acre that I might be able to sell.

CA really cleaned up the fractional note business from my days of doing it in the 80s..

Do you have to 1031 the whole chunk of profit and not divide it up? 

If not, you could do it this year and catch up on the missed depreciation losses this year via form 3115.

Are there any local real estate meet-ups or community here that investors meet-up?

I looked it up and read that’s an electrical fire hazard.

Sometimes, unseen issues (like major repairs) end up costing more than the discount you negotiated.Final Thoughts•If there are no major rental restrictions, and the numbers work based on rental comps, this could be a great first investment.