So your $300k number might be what the flipper sold the final product for, less what they purchased it for.

Eventually, after finally admitting he could not obtain a loan, he failed to return my capital, and completely stopped responding just long enough until the banks were unable to reverse any payments.

I need to learn more about the dsts including tax ramifications, depreciation and finally liquidity.

We finally made it across all locations and completed both trimming and thinning trees. 

@Luke H.Hi Luke,  As a private money lender myself I will focus on one element of your deal---5 years is a long time to be finally paid. 

@Dave Meyer always cover this almost every month.Below are few episodes and resources to help you narrow down your options and finally start your investing.I recommend you pick the market that aligns with you real estate investing goals, your risk appetite and personality.https://www.biggerpockets.com/resources/real-estate-101/wher...https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/best-real-estate-markets-...https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/most-affordable-housing-m...All the best and keep up posted.

When I arrived for the final time I had found out no work outside the frame of that picture was completed.

Over a year later it finally sold and they lost their BUTT!!! 

After talking things through with the boss "wife" I finally received the okay to invest into real estate.

Finally, The rent control discourages further development, limiting supply which results in higher rents.So rents go up, but the rent control advocates are too uneducated on the economics of the rent control policy to see their role in the rent increase.Another consequence of rent control is no value in keeping the property as nice.