The appraiser may need you to provide information such as purchase price, survey details, improvements made, legal description, etc.

You would have needed a big miss to the down-side to see an improvement in pricing and we simply didn't get it.

The labor market is still challenging (and not showing signs of improving based on the escalating average age of most contractors).

I want to bring a landscape company for both soft and hard scape improvements. 

Keep track of what items are purely for the rental unit and what items are for both units.If it's an item that is technically for improvement of the whole house (landscaping, common area improvements, exterior siding/painting) you can only write off a portion.

Each house needed some improvements, so I offered zero down as my cash would be improving the units and his security of the promissory note/mortgage.He accepted as this is the 1st time in 7 years that he's actually putting money in his pocket each month.BTW, I resold each individual property on terms using a wrap around mortgage (which the seller is aware of and approved) at 7% interest to other landlords.

Interestingly, they've recently negotiated a re-purchase price with us IF we bring new funding to the table.The rehab is required for several reasons: (a) correct the damage the bank has allowed to happen to the property improvements these past few years (known problems include completely destroyed pool makeover; wild animals living inside the residence; flooring missing in sections of the rec center building; destruction of the decorative main entry gate mechanism; lots of dead landscaping; as well as latent defects not known to us such as working plumbing, HVAC & water services) AND (b) expansion & upgrading of the accommodations (converting the private residence to a 2-story lodge with the restaurant/bar, reception/check-in, movie room, public restrooms, gym/sauna/steam room/massage therapy room; enlarged pool & deck area with climate-controlled cover for year round use; conversion of former restaurant/bar building to a general store selling venue collectibles & wearables, selected pre-packaged foods, sundries, RV & camping items, bagged ice & a propane refill station; construction of a free-standing event center; free-standing cabins; enlarged & upgraded RV park with its own small restroom/coin-op laundry building; outdoor activity areas; new landscaping & fencing; new parking area & entry drives (personal car & RVs).We know our target audience having created and operated the former version of this resort for almost years creating an initial membership base numbering about 1,100. 

I love real estate so much but I can’t even get in, and my dream is to be the guy improving property for the good of the world.

With real estate where the land improvement value is higher than the building value (like mobile home parks) the bonus depreciation taken can be significant, resulting in passive losses equal to the amount invested.

They've done a whole of improvements lately and it's great.