Investing in single-family residence fix-and-flip projects in New York involves purchasing distressed or undervalued single-family homes, renovating them, and selling them at a profit.

This one was strange because I ended up splitting the companies and partners involved in the deal so we liquidated halfway through the project. 

I am starting to become involved in real estate investing and I am looking between two cities in Ohio to purchase my first property (hopefully a duplex).

I would tend to agree with the other CPAs typically.The 500-hour test is one of seven material participation tests used by the IRS to determine if a taxpayer is actively involved in a trade, business, or rental activity. 

Worked out nicely for all involved. 

My humble advice to anyone attempting to do creative finance is:Creative finance is for experienced investors who have access to capital if anything goes wrong.Learn the lawsDon't use a contract "off the internet", laws vary by state and are also regulated on a federal levelLearn the financing techniques correctlyDon’t skip parts of the processDon’t ever do a “kitchen table” closingUse the proper deedAn attorney can help you with the legal work, but the rest you are on your ownYour guru will not bail you out“Investing” in someone else’s deal by providing a small 2nd loan so the “investor” can pay for “cash to the seller” and for “closing costs” so he can do the deal is a very bad planKnow what problems can ariseLearn the responses and solutions to problems before they are neededKnow everything there is to know about Title and what that meansKnow who a "protected class" individual isLearn the "back doors"Learn human natureUnderstand timelinesUnderstand regulation enforcement (some of these "mistakes" have a 10 year statue of limitations ( they can charge you 10 years AFTER you do the transaction) and carry hefty fines and possible imprisonmentThe court doesn't accept "I didn't know" for an answer"Know that the source of the lead plays a serious role in some states and federallyKnow how much of a "profit" pushes the boundaries to invite an investigationYou can be sued by the seller if you don’t do things correctlyYou are automatically at fault if an investigator or attorney or regulator gets involved.

As you probably read through the comments on this thread, there are many moving pieces, costs, and folks involved in this transaction. 

And lastly, market risks and mismanaged funds can also create major headaches, especially for those involved in lending groups.

Make sure every dime is deposited into the trust account.Private lending, like syndication investing, doesn’t involve many transactions.

These are great for experienced flippers who can handle the tight timelines and costs.Private investing usually involves individuals funding your deal, like friends, family, or networking connections.