Any appreciation or other benefits are just cream on the cake for me.

The taxpayer(s) have a three (3) window beginning on the day they move out of the house and convert to rental property to complete this transaction and still qualify for both the 121 Exclusion and the 1031 Exchange. 

I would put in ceramic tile in light cream color that imitates wood, paint very yellow, cabinets in same color range as they are with less brown antiquing.

You don't ask for a discount at Starbucks when there is not enough room for so much cream, syrup, and sugar, you sip it black or otherwise make it work.Fixing things as needed is sign of a good landlord, not a reason to reduce the rent!

When an individual has a medical marijuana card they also have various options of how to take it, other than smoking: edibles, creams, etc.Remember, you should always confirm all tenant-landlord advice against your local and state laws. 

2x4’s have nearly doubled in price by me...

Keep in mind with the $63.5k in equity you're only going to be able to tap into 75 to 80% of it because it's a rental.Another option to consider would be to IRRRL the property since it's a VA loan and shave .5 to .75% off your mortgage.

Kenilworth Estates, located just off of the tree canopied street of Camino Real, is home to a multitude of young and old families in which it is common to greet neighbors by name and have coordinated shaved ice truck street “parties”.

I did a major renovation using a 203k loan.Pros: low down payment, they have a process that (as a first time remodeler) offers structure, the 10 percent holdback requirement and a few other processes (like requiring signed lien releases) protect you, and I believe they do allow some advance to pay for materials (which your contractor may need if thousands is stuck in that holdback account).Cons: hard to get the purchase contract with such a cumbersome process, you're sometimes limited to a certain set of contractors, you have to work with their inspectors to get payment which introduces a level of risk akin to city permit inspections, the inspector we worked with was maybe not the cream of the crop, if you end up running into extra costs you can't get that 10 percent holdback until EVERYTHING is done -- so if you have to pause to raise more funds your contractor may be waiting awhile, the banks can run this poorly (B of A sold my loan to another servicer and in the process the 10 percent holdback got LOST for like 60 days and eventually showed up as a large payment against my mortgage -- not what we were hoping for in our cash-short state!)

Hi Everyone!After a long chapter overseas, I will likely be heading back to the states to live in Philadelphia. I would like to link up with some great lenders, property managers, and other professionals ASAP. My goal...