If you're at all interested in North Carolina, consider the Triangle (Raleigh / Durham) and Triad (Greensboro / Winston-Salem) areas, which are my focus for both clients and myself.

One of my CFO clients just did this last year and got cashed out over $1M, which he's using to buy more properties.

The world of real estate has changed.The result of the lawsuits is that a REALTOR® is now required to have an exclusive buyer's agreement before stepping into/onto any property on a potential buyer's behalf.

If a cost segregation study was performed, the accelerated depreciation may further reduce the property’s basis, potentially increasing taxable capital gains when sold.Depreciation recapture will occur when you sell the personal residence, so it’s essential to keep detailed records of all depreciation claimed while the property was used as a rental to ensure accurate tax reporting at that time.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

If your clients/or yourself put the time into learning and figuring out a niche in the RE world that excites you, start looking for deals that make sense and always run the numbers.

Hey, congrats on finding a potential flip—it sounds like you’re on the right track!

Gifting equity in a house may be more trouble than it is worth if you are not near the life-time exclusion1) Potentially having to get the property appraised everytime an equity is gifted2) Having a title company update the title every time3) Exemption of the gift tax return is normally for cash gifts below the annual gift tax exclusion, you may still need to file if you gift non-cash4) If there is partial ownership over several years, having to properly pro-rate certain items such as real estate taxes, mortgage interest and rental income if the property is a rentalBest of luck 

I recently read in Forbes that investing near growing transit hubs can offer great appreciation potential.

Pick one with value add potential.  

@John Reagan Johnson hope you don't mind a PMC answering, but most of our clients hire us because:1) They live out of state and don't have time & expertise to remote manage2) They don't have the time to manage3) They don't feel they have the necessary expertise and/or don't want to risk learning as they go and making an expensive mistake.Go read Kiosaki's Cash Flow Quadrant book.