In order to defer all tax you must purchase at least as much real estate as you sold. 

@John Lasher If you are still looking to spend $20k-$30K for a coach, I would be happy to take you up on that offer :) For full disclosure,  I will share with you precisely what you can learn online/ perhaps even entirely through these BiggerPockets Forums but that doesn't address the reason why most are still unable to purchase larger assets: creditworthiness and capital relationships.

.)- The property should be appreciating, if purchased in a good location, increasing the owner's equity/wealth.- Rents will be paying the mortgage off, increasing the owner's equity/wealth.- If you hold a rental until death, you can pass it on with a stepped-up cost basis, limiting captial gains if then sold (limited by inheritance tax limitations).Too many newbies on this site trying to replace their day job income via "passive" real estate investing w/o digging deep enough to understand how it really works.

Being able to purchase a property with only 5% down means you can leverage your money way more effectively.

Purchased in 2015 for $57k seller financed.

I have 23 properties in Kenosha and earlier this year purchased two duplexes in Racine.

Obviously if I intend to have a top performing STR in this market, my buy box will allow for a much higher max purchase price, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with shooting for the max if there aren't clear ways to beat these competing properties.

Id like to put a HELOC on it or redelop it after a few years, the whole points of purchase is this is a booming downtown area lot of development rights etc, dont want to be in a financial structure that banks will frown upon. 

Looking to get started this spring with the purchase of my first SFH for a LTR situation. 

Are you looking in any certain area of ATL and do you have a price range for a purchase price that you're targeting?