Actually the IRS does not tell us what we can invest in, only what is disallowed (life insurance contracts and collectibles).Allowable investments for SDIRA investing include the following:Residential real estate, including: apartments, single family homes, and duplexesCommercial real estate Undeveloped or raw landREITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)Real estate notes (mortgages and deeds of trusts)Promissory notes Private limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and C corporationsTax lien certificatesOil and gas investmentsPrivate stock offerings, private placementsJudgments/structured settlementsGold bullion Factoring investments

Who wants to spend $100 to view a rental?

Spending $1,000 to start the process can be worthwhile if you’re clear on the steps needed to reach that point.As for renovations, the approach really depends on your goals and the scale of the work.

And if your investor friend’s private loan helps fill in any gaps, it might be worth considering that short-term pain for long-term stability.What do you think you’d focus on first... paying off that line of credit as fast as possible or jumpstarting the renovation to boost cash flow right away? 

This way, they’ll have a vested interest in maintaining high standards of management.To truly understand property dynamics and support the management team, I recommend spending time on-site.

I'd also spend some money in direct marketing to get more sellers, and either wholesale those deals or buy them myself.

. - All they've got to learn is to save some of their income to pay their bills on time and they could then afford to buy a home.Instead, they spend every penny they make on things they don't really need and then blame everyone else.Take a look at a Class C or D tenant's bank statement to see the frivolous things they spend their money on and you'll better understand our society's biggest problem.

Financial Highlights•Acquisition Price: $72,000•Renovation Costs: $35,600•Total Investment: $107,600•Funds: raised from personal savings and private lenderHow did you add value to the deal?

At 19, you’ve already mastered what most people spend years figuring out—turning determination into action and action into results.

This provided a substantial return on the initial investment and freed up capital for future projects.Financial Highlights•Acquisition Price: $72,000•Renovation Costs: $35,600•Total Investment: $107,600•Funds: raised from personal savings and private lender•Appraised Value: $160,700•Monthly Rent: $2,150•Cash-Out Refinance: $3,200 after paying off private lender and myself•Rate and Term Refinance: 30 yr amortization, 7.25% interest, 70% LTV•DSCR: 1.45%Here's the breakdown of rental income and expense analysis:1.Annual Gross Income: $25,800 (Monthly rent of $2,150 x 12)2.Annual Expenses: $25,800 * 0.40 = $10,3203.Annual NOI: $25,800 - $10,320 = $15,4804.Annual Debt Service: $10,680 (Calculated previously using a mortgage calculator with a loan of $131,775, 7.25% interest, and a 30-year term)5.DSCR: $15,480 / $10,680 = 1.45 (approximately)With a 40% expense ratio, the DSCR is approximately 1.45.