There's so much info online now.I'll add one other tidbit to think about: If an investor claims they want to buy a $50-$150k rental, how serious are they if they can't afford, or see the value of paying a nominal upfront fee?

The tax amount and rates are generally pretty nominal, so consider this a small cost to reap the benefits of leverage and a higher cash-on-cash return for each IRA dollar invested. 

Things were unraveling long before COVID-19 hit as the markets were already showing signs of trouble in 2018 when the fed tried to nominally raise the interest rates during a “booming” economy and the markets started to seize.

I’m planning on raising rents as the two leases renew and while doing the construction work I have considered giving a nominal discount of maybe $200 off each month we are working, for at least one of the units that I believe the work will take the most significant amount of time to complete, even though it is in the basement that they do not use.

You can make money on the US government eventually devaluing the dollar because your debt is nominal, you can pocket the positive cash flow from the rental and take the cheap cash and invest it in a better market overseas.  

That would be my recommendation but I️ would just call a few lawyers and they should be able to give you this advice at a nominal fee, probably free!

As home prices rise and interest rates rise (even if nominal and still below historically numbers), individuals budgets are being maxed out and they are forced apartment rents.

But, a lawyer can draft you an ironclad lease agreement for a fairly nominal fee. 

They have helped other investors that I know get everything necessary set up and for a nominal fee.

I followed through and got the deal done.NUMBERS:Purchase price: $103,500 (off market deal)Closing costs: $4,409Financing: 25% down, 6% fixed 30 year noteAppraisal: $117,500Renovations and deferred maintenance: ~$10,000PITI: $673/month (tax will likely go up next year; they are relatively high in this market which is one of the downsides)Vacancy, maintenance, long term cap ex: 15% of monthly incomeManagement: ~2% of monthly income (self-managing for now with Hemlane, cost is highest for the first unit due to flat annual fee for the software and decreases as properties are added due to nominal fee incurred with each additional unit).