This site is an absolute gold mine for those just getting started like yourself.

The home office deduction cannot increase your passive losses:You can only deduct home office expenses up to your net rental incomeIf your rentals are already showing a loss, the home office deduction won't helpExcess deductions carry forward to future yearsMust apply §280A limitations first, then passive loss rulesExample: 🔢Rental Income: $24,000Regular Rental Expenses: -$20,000Net Before Home Office: $4,000Home Office Expenses: $3,000 [using allocations, not the Simplified Method]Result: Can deduct full home officeCounter Example: 🔢Rental Income: $24,000Regular Rental Expenses: -$26,000Net Before Home Office: -$2,000 (Loss)Home Office Expenses: $3,000Result: No home office deduction this year (carries forward)Reality Check: 🤔Let's be honest - while technically you need to:Calculate net rental incomeApply §280A limitations [Consult your CPA on this!]

Given that the property was worth $390K in its current condition, I saw an opportunity to make the numbers work while keeping my upfront costs low.Instead of increasing my cash offer, I negotiated a $25K down payment with the seller carrying the balance for two years through owner financing.

Get it under agreement for less than asking price and offer to bring the loan current and have them carry that loan.The way I see it is they are just getting MLS properties under agreement - the last five I looked at had been sitting on the market for more than 150 days (overpriced) because the payoff of the loan would not be satisfied at lower price point. 

Do you carry earthquake, flood or termite insurance?

You can too, without being a wholesaler or an agent.You can walk into a mall to a jewelry store and buy gold, which is simple, but you pay a huge markup.

Champagne Bronze fixtures (NOT brushed gold).

How to Structure the Deal to Protect Your $20KIf you’re willing to cover the $20K arrears, here’s how to protect yourself:Option 1: Secure Your Funds with a Lien or Escrow AgreementUse an escrow account: Deposit the $20K into escrow with clear terms—if the assumption is denied, the funds return to you.Record a promissory note & lien: If the deal falls through, this would give you a legal claim against the property to recover your funds.Option 2: Sub-To + Wrap While You AssumeSubject-to deal: Take over the existing loan payments before assumption approval, securing control.Escrowed deed transfer: The seller signs the deed into escrow only to be recorded after assumption approval, ensuring they can’t back out.Lease option fallback: If the assumption is denied, consider a lease option agreement until another solution is found.Option 3: Negotiate a Seller Financing HybridAsk the seller to carry a small second note for the $60K equity gap at favorable terms.Use your $20K as a down payment, structured as a secured loan against the property.3.

Even at 100K/coin it still puts it at 1/4 of gold's market cap.Nice that is insane.

Not certain if similar in your market, but in our market the payments often take around 90 days to start coming in (they'll get caught up on what is owed) so if not already aware of the payment schedule it may be worth looking at in case you aren't prepared to carry the mortgage for a few months past your vacancy period.