First off, let me start by saying I logically understand a winers attitude is not based in victim mentality.  

I can kind of understand that he wants to make sure I'm legit but that's a bit of a red flag for me.

However my understanding is that exceptions can be made if unexpected life events happen such as job relocation, eminent domain, marriage, divorce, changes to family size, deployment, imprisonment, bankruptcy etc. 

However, understanding the passive activity loss limitations is crucial before making this investment.

I like Warren Buffet's advice to make sure you understand the investment completely before investing.  

Once you have a good understanding of what you can afford, reach out to your landlord in a friendly and casual way.

So many people come in and are looking for a spreadsheet to estimate for them and they don't understand the basics of what numbers they are inputting.

In construction your plans are your Bible, so you need to know how to locate any discrepencies, locate answers to questions froms trades, understanding "Take-offs" with your materials, and be able to visualize in a 3D space what the plans are describing.

I'd also like for them to be aware of costs like insurance and taxes, so that they have a better understanding, but I'm not sure that's really that important.

Please note the information provided below is a layman's definition designed to provide a basic understanding for the general audience.