Basically just putting a step in the middle of a disallowed transaction that is really only there with no actual profit/business/clean motive except tax avoidance...is not valid. 

It will familiarize you with the basic terminology and benefits.

Please note the information provided below is a layman's definition designed to provide a basic understanding for the general audience.

Check passive loss rulesTrack carryforwardsMost small landlords will simply:Take the simplified $5/sq ft deductionClaim it if they have net rental incomeSkip it if they're already showing lossesPro Tips: 💪Use the simplified method - it's $1,500 max (300 sq ft × $5)If you're showing profits, take itIf you're showing losses, don't botherKeep basic photos/documentation of your spaceThe Bottom Line: 💰If you're making money on your rentals and genuinely use a home office, this is a nice extra deduction.

I don't love Belleville anecdotally or when I do some basic research.

When picking a market, I would look for things like population and job growth, rental demand, and economic diversity—basically, is the area attracting people and businesses?

Also, for your on site manager, do they perform any basic maintenance and do you give them a stipend or just discounted rent?

What would you do in my shoes I don’t invest there so take this with a slight grain of salt but I’ve heard multiple stories of basically this exact scenario someone getting offered a big payday for something in Cumberland, rejecting it & always for some reason (house burned down, block got worse, sheetz decided they actually didn’t want someone’s land for a car wash after all) always selling for like 10-20k and regretting not selling. 

I am open to investing basically anywhere, as long as I could make it work.

I’ve done 4 cash out refis to buy 14 houses basically for free, since I didn’t have to come up with any out of pocket cash for my 20% down payments on the new houses.