I am also a huge fan of real estate and for the past 50 years there's been a way to combine both.By leveraging a Self-Directed IRA, real estate investors enjoy both the traditional advantages of property ownership and the additional tax benefits of retirement accounts, creating a powerful wealth-building strategy.

You’ll need to treat it like a business—handling tenant management, accounting, legal compliance, property maintenance, and more.That said, when done correctly, it’s a powerful tool for building wealth!

Yes, but your "highest and best use" is being an accountant to your clients, not handling the minutia of your RE portfolio!

Vet your contractors and hold them accountable.

Based on what my real estate agent thinks that this quote will be, roughly, and the after repair value, it looks like I could buy this property in cash, spend a month or two fixing the damage, and then put a mortgage for roughly 1.6x what I paid for it and thus have a cash flowing property at a few hundred dollars per month and a little more money in my bank account ready for a down payment on the next deal.

Some costs are eliminated (such as 'soft charges') while others are accounted for in the interest rate. 

@Jim Stanley Keep in mind any expenses of your SDIRA asset must be paid for by the account that owns that asset. 

There are many service companies that will manage seller finance notes including the payments, escrow accounts, and documentation. 

2) Accountant - Has anyone found a decent accountant with knowledge of REI here in Portugal?

I would be curious if Pricelabs has taken into account the sudden need for temp housing or if it is just on autopilot.