"Is it a common practice to report it as a loss even though I fixed it out of my own pocket?" 

Find Brandon's videos on YouTube for the "four square" method of analyzing homes and practice.

Those seem like questionable practices to me.Great stuff from your own experience here.

But its a good exercise to go through this and try to figure out how it would be more cost effective for first time home buyers.Also keep in mind when I started in RE  Seminars or weekend work shops were put on by brokers and agents teach ing these buyers how to buy their first home..

Yes, this is quite a common practice for professional PM companies.

This is standard business practice - just look up how many settlements the SEC makes annually where companies pay millions in penalties WITHOUT ADMITTING to any wrong doing.- Cash-for-Keys is another example of this!

Is there a best-practice on how to do this or can you share pointers from experience?

Condos are starting to get condemned, which means people are having to vacate units.I'm telling you right now, I'm a JD (not a practicing attorney) in Florida whose business is being an insurance expert for carriers, working with engineers. 

Very practical.

White is denied the privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission as an accountant, with the right to apply for reinstatement after three years.In a separate proceeding filed in district court on May 31, 2023, the SEC charged, among others, ORES and its CEO and founder Chimene Van Gundy with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.