Hi Jonathan,I set up my SDIRA years ago for the purpose of purchasing notes and have since used it for lending and doing land trust investments.

How do the interest rates usually compare between the two?

You can also partner up as well/have multiple people on the loan for down payment purposes!

Raleigh/Cary is definitely competitive..it's a booming market, but your $30K in cash gives you some solid options, especially for a BRRRR strategy.If you're looking for slightly lower-cost entry points, here are a few markets to consider:Greensboro, NC: Staying within your home state, Greensboro offers a more affordable market compared to Raleigh.

It will be a byproduct of investing, not the primary purpose.

You said: "This seems like an odd strategy - purposefully invest in an asset that loses value, with the hope that it will regain value to save a little on taxes... 

@Elizabeth Leb Every dollar of that $20k needs a purpose.

Cost of Borrowing: Compare the interest rates and fees associated with a HELOC or cash-out refinance to the hard money loans you’ve been using.

HUD and Agency financing is another beast compared to conventional or non-bank lending (Secondary Market).

Just don't make the mistake of comparing what someone else profits on a role, to decide whether your compensation is sufficient or not.