You can also choose to include the costs in the basis of the property purchased.This can also be the case when moving into a new asset class, like SFR to Commercial Property, even if it's in the same geographic area.If you move quickly - ie, travel to an area and put in an offer and close on a property in quick succession, you can make a case for deducting as an expense right away, but there are several grey areas involved in this.So keep track of all your expenses.  

Idea: A website that matches home buyers with realtorsThe home buyer would type in their zip code, describe their ideal/dream house, give a price range, give their contact info, etc and every real estate agent in the home buyers zip code would be sent an email with the buyers info and their description of their dream/ideal home, that way the realtor could possibly match that person with their ideal home in the territory or area they cover.

I've just finished drafting the job description and am considering posting it on BP.

Column A is the descriptions. 

and potential monthly rental values for properties in a specific geographic area.  

Hi @Phillip Vaughan,Based on your description and intent to "use ourselves from time to time," being at least once a year, the good news is that this probably doesn't need to be an investment property mortgage.

In this case, do people typically list the ad with the base rent (so that it's competitive with other similar sized units in the market) and put the full rent amount with utilities included in the ad description?

@Dustin Hawks,if you go to the app store on your phone and search for biggerpockets it will say in the app description when the last update was.

No idea if it's the same property, but your description sounds very familiar.

The description on Trulia says it is for sale by owner, that he owned the building as more of a hobby than anything, and that the building is for sale for the first time in 24 years.