However, if you strike a nice balance by finding the best property you can find with the highest cash flow and occupy the property, while renting out the property providing the HELOC, you can put your normal monthly budget for housing into paying down the HELOC and then repeat.  

proper notice to enter is usually defined by the state as 24 hours notice. some states require 48. that is your starting point. that being said, coming through with a high amount of showings can be considered as disrupting the tenants right to peaceful enjoyment of their home. if you plan on coming through with one or two, you should be ok (legally) to give tenant prior written notice and come in regardless of their objections. if you think it may take multiple showings, you are likely better off to work with the tenant to set up a block of time for an open house. in extreme situations, you can consider offering a gift card to a local restaurant or movie theater to get them out. the tricky part is striking a balance between what is legal, entering with proper notice, and what is fair and reasonable, since the tenant can purposely leave the house an extreme mess to make it harder to re-rent, badmouth you to potential renters, and may even try to refuse entry. how you approach will depend on your relationship with tenant.

Originally posted by @Jon Holdman:Pulled out an old medicine cabinet that had a slot for used razor blades in the back wall and found something like five pounds of razor blades in the wall.Jon, that strikes me as sort of awesome -- a record of a large chunk of someone's everyday life...  

You are not paying them to be forwarded information you collected by managing your own property.Even though some responsibility is borne by the PM here, from where I sit this is also a huge strike against the tenants, who basically are thumbing their nose at your rules and the lease they signed. 

Now, if there is some extenuating circumstance that can only be rectified by selling the property, then you might be able to strike a win-win deal.

I've been researching the Spokane market for quite sometime (I'm also a homeowner in Seattle) and think it's a much better time to strike than 6 months ago.

But asking us to participate in structuring the cover up, not to mention posting it online, strikes me as rather poor judgment.There are plenty of ways to grow SDIRA's/401K's/HSA's/CESA's legitimately. 

I watch people buy homes 50k under asking price but I have made similar offers and seem to strike out 1 after another.

If not - start ASAP.The other problem is that not all time you spend qualifies, and the 750 hrs test is "all or nothing": if the IRS can strike a few hours to bring it 749 hours - you lost.

House hacking may be a great way to start.  1-4 unit place.. live in 1 unit.. rent the others... pay a lower downpayment so you have cash reserves to strike on property # 2 I am in your area often on the weekends.. be open to a coffee and convo.Welcome to BPJim