For value add you need to buy deep, have reputable contractors, and understand different financing products + creative finance.  

If the seller refuses to discount the price or fix it, I'd walk.

To succeed with the BRRRR strategy, focus on buying properties at a discount, work with trusted contractors, and plan for refinancing timelines.

As an experiment I invested $30k each in the 10 REITs which had (according to average estimate of NAV) the largest discounts from net asset value as per market price).

Metro could have different rent growth projections, however, this is a great sign to see that the area as a whole is moving in a very positive direction.ConclusionBecause of D.C.’s typical recession resilience from the federal government and the large presence of big-name private sector companies in the area providing stable employment, it is very rare to have the opportunity to buy real estate at a discount.

Quote from @Basit Siddiqi: I personally would not buy real estate with a retirement account.There are just too many headaches that are not worth the potential increased return.Some headaches when it comes to investing in real estate with a retirement account1) LTV values are less and harder to find lenders.2) Potential to sell or partially distibute the property if you have to do a RMD(Required Minimum Distribution)3) If you run out of cash and have to make a major repair, you may be out of luck and have to sell.4) Having to potentially worry about UBTI(Unrelated Business Taxable Income)I would personally invest in stocks/bonds/notes with a retirement account.I buy deals with cash and use a ROTH SDIRA so there are no RMD's.I buy at huge discounts to retail.

Some people with deep pockets are buying for appreciation and the negative cash flow doesn't bother them. 

Regardless of legal nuances, I can tell you from extensive professional experience: Don will WIN an IRS audit for his Subject-to interest, as long as he can show that he made the payments..I agree and my experience is, that the person who can show he made the payments gets the tax write offs.I think there are two questions: 1. who pays the payments and gets the write offs (the audit side)2. who is in deep doodoo if payment doesn't get done or if the seller disputes other "facts" in the transaction.

They were discounting my policy cost for no longer covering vehicles.  

Milwaukee inventory has just been so low, that even very distressed properties sell to first-time home buyers without a significant discount, so in the end it's cheaper for me to buy properties that already have a new roof, windows, kitchen, HVAC etcI appreciate that insight and it makes perfect sense.