My plan is to purchase a home that I will hold onto while hoping to gain both forced and time appreciation.

I would keep the work very cosmetic, and I would enjoy the additional space and/or revenue from the unit without considering digging up, etc. 

This is most of the depreciation you are taking year one.You can calculate your depreciation recapture by taking the sale price of the asset and subtracting the adjusted cost basis.The adjusted cost basis is what you paid for the asset plus any improvements you made along the way minus the depreciation you took along the way.The profit above this original cost is taxed as a capital gain, but the part linked to depreciation is taxed at a maximum rate of 25% under the unrecaptured gains of section 1250.To recap the tax rates are:- Sec. 1250 real property: 25%- Sec. 1245 property and 15 year 1250 property: Ordinary Tax RatesThere are ways to minimize depreciation recapture especially if you know how to work smart with your CPA.1) Asset Valuation at Time of Sale - Sellers can minimize recapture by reallocating the price of the assets on sale.

If you don’t want to spend money I’m pretty sure you could get someone to grade the surrounding dirt and add some gutters for your $5k discount and gain you will have added value and come out ahead.

@Damien Davis you'll make less on the initial projects but the experience you'll gain will be completely worth it.

Here are some additional comments to add - please be sure to read the last comment regarding making contributions to both an IRA and 401k.Can I set up a SDIRA if I have full-time job?

I've also held of holding properties in individual LLCs that are owned by one S corporation, which allows for a 60 / 40 split between ordinary income (regular tax) and dividends (capital gains tax rate).With the goal of minimizing taxation and liability protection, what would be the recommendation from more experienced people here?

We’re currently using it for multi-family properties in a few core markets.While redIQ is a much more sophisticated tool that focuses on properties with over 50 units, our system is perfect for properties up to 50 units, providing an efficient solution for managing lead intake and financial analysis without the complexity of larger systems.Here’s how it works:Lead Intake & Processing: Automatically processes broker emails and key documents (OMs, Rent Rolls, T12s, etc.).Quick Review: Evaluates leads based on key metrics like IRR, price per unit, and more.Detailed Analysis: Extracts data from documents, evaluates financials, and identifies additional income sources.Market Research Integration: Automates checks on flood zones, demographics, school quality, etc.Deal Tracking: Uses Google Sheets to visually organize lead data—while not a full database system, it provides a simple and efficient way to store and track deals without the need for a full-fledged database like MongoDB.Financial Analysis: Built-in underwriting and financial modeling with automated reports.In addition to ZCG, I also own a portfolio of properties.

I was drawn to real estate as a way of investing money I have saved up (around $130K with additional funds to leverage out of a 401K if needed), and potentially creating reliable cash flow over the next 10 years. 

.🚀 Making It Work1️⃣ Optimize Your Space – Converting a living room or office into an extra bedroom can supercharge returns.2️⃣ Target the Right Tenants – Young professionals, digital nomads, and students love co-living setups.3️⃣ Automate the Management – Using systems for roommate screening, lease agreements, and shared expenses makes it passive.Co-living is gaining serious traction in house hacking circles, and I’d love to hear from others who are using this model.