The guy in the article was running an exchange, sort of like a bank, and he was also connected to another earlier huge exchange scam.

And sort them for the most recent reviews. 

The first being - don't bring your friends or family into the mix :)Since it sounds like you're pretty solidified in your friend moving in, and it could be a good first roomie, so just to get your feet wet... i'll double down on Laura's advice - do a lease, for the legalities, but i also highly recommend some sort of written (we call it a) Room Mate Agreement.

Via LLC or through a syndication of some sort?

I have a friend who is further along on the path (has done 5-6 of her own) who has offered to help as a consultant of sorts.

Hey BP community!
First post here. I currently co-own 2 different properties. One is my primary which I live in with my girlfriend - I'll call this property A. The other I co-own with a good friend - I'll call this p...

My opinion is they are not treated RE in a business manner, because most business growth is built on some sort of leverage.

At the end of the day it generally becomes cost prohibitive unless some sort of grant money is released. 

It would be ideal to get some sort of large study done on this.Furthermore, if you sold in a buyer's market, your thought may be skewed.If your portfolio was in a market that was declining in value.I am not saying that the above situations applied to you but it would be good to get a large study on this.Furthermore, if we are talking about more expensive homes being a better investment?

I've generally gone out for those sorts of trips unless you really trust the team to have a sharp eye as a lot of the styling happens once everything arrives and you have to make it fit together.