(I know it's hard without seeing the full rent roll and financials, let me know if there's any other general details you'd need that would make you this "oh, that's why they offered that" kind of thing). 

Kind regards,Lisa IshamVice President of Housing Choice Voucher Program ServicesAnyone have more info on this?

That is a very common partnership strategy, but it gets dicey a lot, especially with family.

In any event in my area the most common municipal utilities are garbage and sewer which are flat fees and I include those in the rents which is the norm in my market. 5.

Their method of “forced appreciation” is kind of interesting.

I think many novices miss, don't know or forget that "the market" and it's market makers/movers/etc. have a kind of tri-lingual way of speaking. - There is what they say, the actual words being stated. - There is what those words really mean, or there true intent, which all too often is the exact opposite, such as saying the economy remains strong and a-ok with no recession risk being seen, because there is risk seen for it, but to say such would be to make it happen, and to say there is-not, may induce stabilizing actions that thwart the happening of such..... - And there is what they DO....

Construction skills, loan skills, financing skills, legal understanding, real estate transaction skills, etc all greatly help.Personally I wouldn't deal with someone that has no money, lacks experience, or some kind of resources. 

Is this a common practice?

At settlement what is sold is the beneficial interest in the trust rather than the property itself.On paper the lender just sees a common estate planning tactic rather than a sale of the property.

This is why I have stopped giving advice for these kinds of posts.Newbie - I just attended a seminar and if I buy 10 $50,000 crapboxes in D neighborhoods in the Midwest, they will cashflow $1,000 each and I can retire by the end of the year.Me - A $50,000 crapbox in a D neighborhood isn’t going to cashflow $1,000 a month.Newbie - just because you can’t do it!!!