What is the exact criteria for residential versus commercial properties.

@George Lods, clearly this is all anecdotal, since we are talking all hypotheticals, or at least not deal specific comparisons.As others noted, there are a a fair amount of efficiencies you can get by building a duplex versus multiple standalone properties.  

If you're interested in real estate, then a position like this will certainly give you more valuable experience versus a "coffee shop or serving". 

It's in the best interest of the contractor to build in profit to their cost figures as they receive 100% of construction profit versus their split of the sales profit. 

It's a pretty lake, not very big and created by a dam, but it stay full most of the time versus a lot of other lakes down here that the TVA lower pretty far in the winter & spring to contain flooding.

If you're going to be able to consistently invest solid chunks of money every single year, then a big part of your focus should be on not losing money versus hitting crazy returns. $50k invested per year at a 10% annual compounding return is just over $9m in 30 years on $1.5m invested.

Hi @Christopher 'Bear' DeSanctisThe debt service coverage ratio is derived from measuring the PITI (+ Association dues if applicable) versus the gross monthly rental income.

When you move into the home as a primary you are now able to take out a higher LTV for cash out 80% or 90% Heloc versus Investment.Fix up the other smaller side move out and go up in the rent and use some of the cash out funds as a down payment to buy another property.

As copied and pasted from above-(1) more than one-half of the personal services the taxpayer performs in trades or businesses during the tax year are in real property trades or businesses in which the taxpayer materially participatesThat's how I understand the W-2 problem... it is hard to say you spend more time on real estate than any other activity if you work 2,080 hours.Another consideration is how much you rely on the W-2 income for lifestyle versus rental income.

We are seeing opportunities for positive cash flow with creative acquisitions, but if you are looking to purchase conventionally, it would be really tough to make it work with the average prices versus rents that we are seeing in South Florida.