Either way you structure it you are subject to SE and ordinary income tax. 

That’s absolutely my thinking  i guess I was hung up on the “definitions” of doing a repair such as buying a machine isn’t a repair per se, however if it’s needed to restore a unit back to what it was prior to you smoking in it, it’s absolutely a repair in my mind  within reason of course   

NPN = a JOB not an investment per se. 

If a broker nets $100k, she would pay $15k in this SE tax as a sole proprietor (which is no entity or a disregarded single-member LLC).

Tenant does not have rights to any land per se so this shouldnt even be necessary but if the backyard was expressed in the lease and they are paying for that as an amenity then you need an amendment not addendum 

Paying  yourself via dividends will help with SE tax treatment.

While I do t have any regret per se as even the bad stuff got me to where I am today.

Better wait for an expert to confirm or deny but if you actively participate in a business then you'll pay SE taxes.

Perhaps slightly in this se market conditions no mater the location, but again, that all depends on YOU and not the location.

If one of you already have a high paying job, maintaining the partnership to allocate the SE income to the spouse that already has W-2 above the 128,400 income base could save you 12.4% of SE taxes.