Ask yourself what you are looking for (cash flow, appreciation, tax benefit, etc).

Hi Everyone,I purchased a tax lien on a property and found out today that the name on the tax assessor's website is the name of a person who bought a tax certificate in 2020.

If you are concerned for your safety, I will offer to release you from the remainder of your lease without penalty, but you must provide me with written notice at least two weeks prior to your departure.

But you also have to pay for taxes, insurance, and maintenance (generally 10% of the monthly rent).

Sounds like you (or prior owners) failed to mitigate damage by allowing this to occur over a long period of time.

If the alternative is wait 5 years for a down payment on something you don’t live in, you stand to likely gain substantially by moving on this decision now and collecting rent, principal pay down, appreciation, and tax benefits in those 5 years.  

The loan we were applying for is an FHA, which stipulates we must provide a signed lease for our half of the duplex (to be newly rented out) but for the other half which the parents "own" (in reality all three are equally owners of the entire property.) we would need to provide proof of rental income on our tax return, however her parents claimed that so we seem to be SOL.The mortgage is covered, we can rent it out no problem, but the underwriter is saying on paper it looks like she is responsible for the whole duplex and the rent for half of it is unreportable.

But my taxes, CDD, and HOA total are about $6000/year.

Origination fees should be charged at the time of closing and subject to closing, not prior to.

This is stated in the tax code under Section 168(k)(8) which outlines the bonus depreciation phase-down rules for property acquired before 9/27/17.