Focus on tax-saving strategies such as cost segregation studies and bonus depreciation to accelerate deductions.By qualifying as a Real Estate Professional (spending 750+ hours annually and materially participating), you can offset your wife’s S-Corp income with real estate losses, reducing your tax liability.

Speak with lenders - and consider that although they might agree they could lend to you today - they might not be able to when you need the loan.Unless the existing debt has no due-on-sale provision, there will always be a risk of the underlying loan being called.If it were to be called due:1.

I think your goal of getting your first RE investment for around $50k is doable as long as you plan to leverage debt (Loan). 

They were taxing as a fourplex, but the CO said it was a triplex.I found out when I went to try to refi with the bank.

If the floating rate debt starts costing too much and there is no capital to replace a rate cap, reserves run out.  

To defer all tax you must purchase in total at least as much as your net sale.

If 1031 is to be implemented it must be done on the property level.2. 1031 generally does not apply to IRAs since they are tax-exempt. 3.

I 100% endorse adding in the escrows for taxes and insurance to set the buyer/borrower up for success. 

STR seems to have better tax benefits (in the right market) but is it worth it at a distance ???

Hard to produce cash flow or break even with that much debt, at that rate.House-hackers, however enjoy certain one time (non-scalable) advantages that should be taken advantage of in the early days: - They can assume pre-existing debt like VA and FHA Loans (rather than take it on Subject-To which is dramatically riskier).- They can rent by the room and self-manage to produce day 1 cash flow.- Many of these HCOL areas also have strict limitations on AirBnB or short-term rentals... that do not apply to owner-occupants - thus allowing for extreme cashflow potential for house-hackers.