Banking on appreciation always carries some risk, but if the numbers work, even with 2% appreciation, the asset may still be worth acquiring long-term.

If it takes 6 months to a year to build, that's tons of loss opportunity costs and carrying costs spent. 3.

This is really our jumping point to determine if we want to carry multiple rentals or just keep it to the one we have in Alexandria, VA.

Being clear about what’s covered in the lease and by local laws can avoid misunderstandings and set their realistic expectations.If you do plan to carry out the cosmetic upgrades (because the property is overdue and of course you want to ensure your tenants are enjoying their home to the best of your abilities), try to schedule the repairs at times that minimize disruption.

I'd always carry proof of solvency though when making entry into the US.  

Seriously, this is absolute solid gold!

This strategy, however, carries more risk and requires market knowledge to avoid unexpected costs or longer holding periods.If you want steady cash flow, go with the garage conversion.

While the IRS does not mandate a physical site visit, the IRS cost segregation audit technique guide (ATG) does suggest conducting “field inspections.”It’s important to note that the ATG is not an official IRS document.It serves as a guide and cannot be used, cited, or relied upon as an authoritative source.However, the recommendations in the ATG are worth considering.According to the guide: “A field inspection is recommended to document the physical details of the building, type of construction, materials used for construction, the assets contained in the building, the size and types of building systems, and any land improvements that were included in the purchase of the property and the condition of that property at the time of purchase.”So while the IRS does not require a site visit for cost segregation studies, following the guidance from the cost segregation audit technique guide can be beneficial.There's this thing called Hierarchy of Tax Authority that CPAs and Tax Attorney's reference.Let's not get too carried away with comments like, It serves as a guide and cannot be used, cited, or relied upon as an authoritative source....

Worth its weight in gold.

I also take pesos, gold, silver, cars, motorcycles, trade houses, airplanes, stocks, bonds.... etc... to piece a deal together and get paid!