Quote from @Charles Fay: Hello all, first time posting and wanted to ask for your advice.currently in the military awaiting a 9-12 deployment within the next 6 months.I will have ~150k savings after deployment, 85k before, with no debt, payments or anything other than basic bills, 750+ credit.

The current owner is letting me take over the property as a tenant as long as I pay the water bill and the mortgage payment on it and whenever I decide I can purchase property for the balance of the mortgage  they are in no hurry for me to purchase the home as long as the mortgage is paid. 

Paying bills, invoicing, etc count, but it will be hard to say it took 750 hours! 

Thank you Bill

So, if your property has all bills paid by the tenant, you will deduct from the voucher amount the set amount by bedroom count for items like water, electric, gas, etc.

Are there some other ways I can offset the rental income so we do not have a big tax bill from the gains?

Point is cash flow (positive or negative) is inconsequential compared to the appreciation assuming you do not need the cash flow to pay the bills.  

@Bill Hampton Thanks Bill

And Fed funding means "bill all the rest of America for us". 

Quote from @Bill B.: My GUESS is these homeowners have been tricked/screwed in to signing a long term power purchase agreement, often with no buy out provision.