If you can message me maybe we could discuss how we could partner to get over the start up hump.

Your tenant on 2nd floor SHOULD be warmer - Heat rises.I bought a USB thermometer to record the indoor temp in 24 hrs period to prove to my tenant in a SFH that heating system is working just fine.

Our LLC presently owns 4 properties (1 duplex, 1 single family home and 2 vacant lots - set to build a new construction duplex this fall on one).My dad is 64 and I think is finally coming around after 10 years of us being in this partnership (we each have around $25k of our own initial capital invested -- Properties are worth around $350k total - when we build the duplex the # will go up to $487.5k with one duplex built and $650 w 2 built. -- Our LLC will be in partnership with another individual who will help me complete the build and I'm assuming 50/50 splits on the new const builds.So to get to my question - I have been pitching the idea to him that he could use funds in his 401k/IRA accounts to invest in additional real estate (If you read my other posts and my profile I've been focusing on a niche of renting to college kids here and want to expand that as I have been getting the word out amongst students thats what I do).Heres my scenario -- We are 50/50 partners in "XYZ LLC" -- can he set up an IRA to lend funds to the "XYZ LLC" (ie either a cash transaction for a property where we use funds to act quickly to purchase and then refinance later, or use the funds as a 20% down payment coupled with traditional financing etc)     The mortgage on the property would be in "XYZ LLC's" name and the mortgage would either be tied to his IRA, or bank if we get traditional financing/however we end up purchasing.He is a completely passive member of the LLC as I am active and handle day to day and he also lives in a separate city if that matters.  

Since my husband is the only one working right now, I don´t know if he could open the account in the US, being guatemalan, non-resident. 

With some diligent work, busting your hump for a few years, and being in the right place I think you could actually work $100K into such a situation.With a commercial property, your earnings are basically the cap rate, as Caleb describes, on your down payment plus the difference between your loan rate and the cap rate on the loan amount.

You need to have built up a reserve of good will with your tenants to get over humps

It might seem scary, but just like this one, once you purchase the property and get over that hump, you'll never look back!

I started out like most others on this forum by reading books and taking small steps towards my goals. I bought a duplex about three years ago, but because of family obligations and work it sat for a couple of years. ...

So once I was well over the hump I started looking at ways to not only buy with cash but also to pay off existing mortgages of which I had about 50While debt service (interest) is tax deductible, even at the 28% tax bracket the deduction is only worth 28 cents for every dollar you spend in interest.

What was the number one thing that you did or that happened that got you over the hump to get your first deal?