I am a licensed realtor based in Atlanta, Georgia, and I am currently working on obtaining my mortgage origination license.

Distressed properties are real estate assets that are usually sold at a discount due to financial or physical distress.

I typically only charge for real damage to walls.

I am currently in the planning phase of my real estate investment journey and had a few questions I’d like to ask someone more experienced.Would it be smarter to focus on paying down my own mortgage and then use a HELOC as a down payment for my first investment property, or should I simply use my savings for the down payment instead?

Here is a newly created resource on BiggerPockets, which touches out cost segregation, accelerated depreciation, bonus depreciation, depreciation recapture, Real Estate Professional Status (REPS), STR Loophole / STR Strategy, example properties, and more. 

Ask your broker or if you have a real estate lawyer you know see if they have a generic one your state's BAR accepts.

@Erica King Sounds like this is more of a personal budgeting concern rather than a real estate one.

Since your property has high resale potential, some lenders may be willing to work with you.Cash-Out Refinance – If you’re open to refinancing, you could take out a new mortgage for a portion of the home’s value (say, 60-70% of the $500K), and use the cash difference for renovations.Personal Loan – If you have good credit, you might qualify for a personal loan for part of the rehab costs, though interest rates are typically higher than secured loans.Partner with an Investor – Given the potential profit, you may be able to find a real estate investor or contractor willing to finance the rehab in exchange for a share of the profits upon sale.Your best option depends on your financial standing, timeline, and risk tolerance.

In my case, I have residential rentals in one LLC, commercial properties in another, self-storage in a third, and my real estate company operates in a fourth.

-Here are some ideas I got from Tony & Ashley about providing value to other investors:(Shoutout to the Real Estate Rookie Podcast!)