As already mentioned, you could sell via seller financing to lower AGI, as all you would have to claim is the payment income - until balloon payment received.Did know an investor that had 14 properties paid off and he moved into one every two years to then sell with the $250k single exemption.

Across the board, the worse the neighborhood, the better the cash flow, the better the neighborhood, the trade off for tenants base, better schools, low crime, etc etc.

Quote from @Michael Overall:I understand the utilities will go to basis, on the interest is it able to be yearly deducted based off the conversation you referenced if using form 4952According to one of my colleagues on that thread - yes.According to court - no.

Before finalizing a decision to sell, I thought I’d get some thoughts from the BP forumThe only obvious factor I know to try to head off a problem is to carefully screen applicants.

Mello Roos are bonds that are floated to do off and on site development and then added to the tax bill. there is also 1915 act bonds etc.. if there was not the ability to float bonds CA would never have developed as it has as the up front captial for major improvements would have been a major stumbling block..

I’d like to start off by house hacking a multi-family unit. 

Book recommendation #1: Hands Off Investor by @Brian Burke https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/the-hands-off-inves...Book recommendation #2: Lend to Live https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/lend-to-livePodcast Recommendation: PassivePockets podcast is focused on passive investing in syndications - https://passivepockets.com/podcast/Passive investing summit: PassivePockets Summit May 2-3rd in Columbus https://get.biggerpockets.com/passivepocketsevent/I make these recommendations specifically since you mentioned passive real estate investing, and syndications or hard money lending are really the two most passive ways to invest in real estate. 

Please let me know your thoughts… or if I am way off base on what you were trying to accomplish.

That group is made to help first time investors build systems to get off the ground.

I don't necessarily mind that they are making a profit off of me; in fact, I expect it.