I'd appreciate advice on our next steps.

Do they have the necessary resources to stay on top of all the tax issues such as 1031 exchanges, 754 Step-Ups, etc.Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions here.A couple articles you can read that will be helpful:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1206189-cost-...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1204912-how-t...

As a realtor, I always used a 50% valuation as a rule of thumb, but appraisers may have a better method.

I will be making $55-$60/h by the time I’m certified at 21/22.I am also looking into side hustles to increase my income such as flipping cars, reselling etc.As of right now I have around 8k saved, and 5k invested in stocks.Obviously I cannot buy a property with just a few grand right now, but basically I just want to ask for any advice or tips you would give to me or your younger self when you started.I usually listen to audio books on personal finance and business while working instead of music to further my knowledge.Any sort of advice is welcome, books, podcasts, methods to learn about.

Hey guys , what is your preferred method to find off market leads ?

I read Chad Carson's Small and Mighty Real Estate Investing and I think my path is most aligned with what he calls the "live and fix" method.

They have stepped in to cover repairs for me, pressured mngt to do the same, introduced me to other PM teams that would perform better, shared multiple resources with me to assist with the sale of the properties and have spent ample time helping me strategize overall about what to do with these properties.

The whole reason FHA developed a short sale method is to reduce the loan balance down to reality, down to what the home is worth, down to the value of the collateral at the bank accepted. if they had the cash, they wouldn’t be behind on their monthly payments.You're right I overlooked that part.

Most fail to take this last step, or merely obtain insurance certs where they are listed as a certificate holder. 

Do they have the necessary resources to stay on top of all the tax issues such as 1031 exchanges, 754 Step-Ups, etc.Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions here.A couple articles you can read that will be helpful:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1206189-cost-...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1204912-how-t...