Holding onto a property merely for tax considerations is a dangerous gamble.But if you want to gamble - yes, selling in a year without a W2 job usually saves on taxes.

I know that sounds crazy, and you and I would never think to do it, but people do.At the end of the day, inheriting tenants is a gamble and risk you need to factor in.

Are you willing to gamble your life and those of your family on, "being accountable for your rentals", "being a good landlord", or "maintaining your properties correctly and being decent to your tenants"?

Class D   Bars on every corner  , houses with bars on windows  , cars on blocks and stripped ,  drug dealers on the corner , drug addicts  sleeping on the sidewalk , tents on the sidewalk , gunshots , ladies of the evening ( and day ) , abandoned  houses  , graphity on buildings .   

The area does not have explicit rules on STRs so its a gamble with that strategy.

The agent, a fiery German lady going after the owner, berated the owner, threatened to sue him if he doesn't accept us as buyers, and the deal was signed off that night.An explanation.

But as the lady above said you still have to screen them very thoroughly. 

Its a gamble to go the permit route or not in Philly and absolutely matters the neighborhood/your neighbors as they are usually the folks that will call L&I on you OR if your property is near other construction sites where inspectors would be traveling to/from.

Focusing just on appreciation causes people to take on negative cashflow situations, gambling that the market will eventually save them before they run out of cash.

Don't gamble.