I guess it has to be fully paid back within 5 years from the distribution so you basically skip the first payment.)I vote that @Dave Meyer does a quick upgrade to the rental property calculator to include scenarios with simultaneous loans!

Guess how many I ever saw a penny on?

Making decisions based on "rule of thumb" analysis isn't analysis, it's guessing. 

Hey Bigger Pockets community, I'm just starting out in Step 1 (get educated) on what I want to become a successful career in real estate investment.I also currently run an e-commerce business that is currently completely online, but would benefit from having a brick & mortar storefront, and I had an idea that maybe using the investment capital I'm looking to allocate into real estate into a commercial property my business can operate out of until I decide to sell the property in or rent it out to another business.I am obviously very naive when it comes to the complexity of any good real estate deal (especially commercial VS residential), but I'm hoping to spend as much time learning from everyone here who is on their journey as well.My main concern with the idea of buying commercial to operate my business out of it that I might struggle to rent it out afterwards and that there may likely be depreciation in the commercial real estate market over the next 5 years.I understand there is a lot of nuance depending on the local market but I'm guessing commercial is even less of a "safe" bet than finding a solid residential deal to leverage in some way.

I'm not sure why three years exactly--they can say anything they want--throw Covid in there and I guess anything is possible. 

My guess is that finding good staff in this industry remains hard to find.

I also have great contractors that are familiar with what prices are.I guess all in all it boils down to experience.

I guess you might save a few hundred dollars.

I guess im just so ignorant to where to even begin now that I have some capital for the next move.

Guess my thinking was if they can help me save on the funding part and locking in my first deal , it would pay for itself.