I guess they could have also been turn-key and you just let the equity grow until you could cash out refi.If you are doing renovations, then flipping might be a solid option to accelerate your capital growth.

What about owner occupy, or family.If you are a broker or real estate professional you can qualify to deduct passively up to $25k per year on RE activities.https://loopholelewy.com/loopholelewy/01-tax-basics-for-startups/passive-activity-rules-01e-rental-real-estate.htmAlso depending on how much you make you can deduct alot of expenses, look at accelerated depreciation that might help.You have to look at least a 1 year hold that will reduce you some and is the debt service more or less than the tax hit.

To answer your questions: There's no limit I'm aware of for maintenance but if you start having $1,000 cleanings once a month until the end of the year that will throw up a flag...Yes, all your improvements will reduce your taxable income either through depreciation or accelerated cost segregation (google it). 

Residential is slightly accelerated to 27.5 years so 3.63% of your purchase price.Assume the following: $100 acquisition (4 cap), 2x debt-coverage ratio and no cap ex.

My salary from full time work  provides for my family's needs.Early this year I decided we have done well enough and the market is competitive enough that I wanted to gobble up a few more of these properties to accelerate my purchasing a bit.

I most cases, the lender so many years to foreclose “after they have accelerated the loan and called it due”....that never happened here.

The area's accelerated pace of growth has meant that the housing needs have been met mostly by major "cookie-cutter" developers and unique well-located non-HOA properties are in short supply and high demand.

In this case they would receive depreciation (and accelerated depreciation or 100% bonus depreciation with cost segregation) according to their percentage of ownership.Let's say they invested $100,000 which acquired 5% of the equity.

@Chris Kern more than likely you will still sign an acceleration clause and then you have something in writing that you signed stating they have the option to call the loan.

These are called “accelerated death benefit riders,” or, “living benefits riders,” more commonly.