Most of our money has been invested in the stock market since we moved to the US in 2017, but we are looking to diversify and generate passive, long-term income.

@Jake Hughes A 1031 exchange is a great way to indefinitely defer all of the capital gains taxes, and gain access to that tax to use over time for your own benefit.

Keep for at least a year to get capital gain rate.  

I agree with Afra at that price point it's best to start with flips that have $15K - $30K rehab budget to gain some experience and get a good team in place and then work your way up to larger rehabs with higher ARVs!

If you can hold off for 2-3 years to save more and build a solid emergency fund, it may give you greater financial flexibility when you’re ready to buy.If buying now feels too risky, consider renting for a while to gain privacy without the long-term commitment of a mortgage.

The account fees are minimal compared to the potential gain with most syndication offerings. 

Note that if you are married filing joint, only the spouse who is qualifying for REPS is able to count their hours.Step 4: Apply the quantitative testsPer Section 469(c)(7)(B), in order to qualify for REPS, you must meet both of the tests below:750-Hour Test: If you materially participate in a real property trade or business, you must spend 750+ hours during the tax year.More Than Half Test: You must spend more than half of your personal service hours in the real property trade or business in which you materially participate.Step 5: Material participation in rental activities Just because you qualify for real estate professional status does not mean that your rental activities are automatically considered non-passive.

The market appreciates 3% per year.If you pay cash for one house and rent it for $1,500, after five years, you'll have earned $90,000 in rent income and gained $34,000 in appreciation. 

They don't care about the cash-flow, The write-off's are profitable and there looking at the out-sized equitable gains. 

Selling an investment property can result in significant capital gains taxes.