You need to be able to demonstrate intent by actively marketing it as a rental once it’s ready or available for use, actually rent it and have tenants for a period of time, etc.  

And it is very flexible and gray how you demonstrate that intent. 

Understand the loan requirements, down payment amount, interest rates, and any specific criteria for multi-family properties.Get pre-approved for a mortgage to demonstrate your seriousness as a buyer and strengthen your negotiating position.Build a Strong Network: Connect with local real estate agents specializing in multi-family properties.

On top of that, your tenants are paying your equity in, so your ROI is going to be much higher in the end (let's pretend you keep the house for 30 yrs and it doubles in value)Cash: 6000 * 30 = 180,000 + 166,000 (value at sale) = 346k - 83k = 263k / 83k = 316% ROIFinanced: 1680 * 30 = 50,400 + 166k = 216,400 - 16,600 = 199,800 / 16,600 = 1204%That's doing a lot of assuming and it sort of keeps everything "in a vacuum", but I think it demonstrates the power of leverage.And if it's a question of risk, shifts in value are going to have a bigger impact when you're all-cash, also.

To use it you have to be able to demonstrate you've received income for at least 9 of the prior 12 months and that your boarder will be moving with you.

You will want to have demonstrated income from the business that you file on a schedule C if you are a sole proprietor.  

If you raise capital on deals as part of the syndication team and those team members have a demonstrable track record or members of the team have solid experiences you are way ahead of the game. 

If you work with investors, you are going to have to demonstrate deep local knowledge to be valuable. 

Just by the fact that they participate in this forum, they are demonstrating that they are the professional ones I described earlier.Most of them have very valid points, but are describing a seller that is not the savvy investor, the experienced flipper, the consummated flipper and rehabber that belong to our unique BP community.

You need to be able to show data from closed comparable recent and close sales demonstrating that extra parking space, extra bedroom, etc, sell for more than otherwise similar properties lacking those features.