Just not seeing any rents close to the property for 3/4 bedroom properties that would cash flow for a mortgage that size.

They do not take into consideration the revenue from the STR business as part of the selling price.So if comps say the duplex is worth 500k, then it is worth 500k.

Including the Statement of Cash Flows.  

These are all important considerations, and understanding the requirements can save a lot of headaches down the road.

For long term, the main benefit is having someone else pay off the mortgage on an asset while you collect cash flow.

Quote from @Ryan Daulton: Since learning that cash flow from real estate that was purchased from self-directed IRAs is taxed, and that I would not be able to claim depreciation on this property, what are the advantages to buying real estate with self-directed IRAs vs. other investment types like stocks and mutual funds?  

I My goal is to have a cash flow. 

If all goes well, we should be cash flowing right away. 

It's a decent tool, but as Greg mentioned, I'd definitely plan for a worst case scenario and make sure it cash flows at the highest interest rate juuuust in case. 

A couple of our cash flowing properties do not yet count towards income because they are not fully seasoned.