There is not a simple answer to your question as just like tax planning the real estate planning and what is best for an individual depends on where the investor is in the investment cycle and years to retirement among other things.

As far as the investing side i am fairly new to the investing part just researching and looking to get started rehabing house for extra income short term goal, long term goal is to be able to purchase house for flipping or renting to be able to retire from current job and do it full time and then pass it down to my kids so as they can share in my dreams.

Now that the kids are grown, we've downsized, turning that tax-free profit into more investment property, and moved into something we can turn into another great rental when we buy a permanent retirement home in the next few years.

My goal is to retire young from rentals and other investments.Hope to make great new contacts here and to learn a lot,-Steve

I retired late in life @ 49 but still live & breathe the RE business.I am currently mentoring a couple of young kids & having a blast.Good luck

He is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army and continues to work in the same field.

One day you might have more mailbox money then your salary.. and that is the day you can retire.

My goal is to own enough that the cash flow allows us to retire, when he is done with the military.Pros-*Can use primary residents to become rentals so less money down*Get to explore tons of different towns to evaluate investment possibilities*Can use the VA loan for multiple properties as long as you don't exceed the maximum VA allowance*Understand Tenant needs and cater to them*Maximize Long Term Rental by renting to fellow military*Can save management fees by handling it yourself through the connections you made while you live in the town.Con-*Military can be a demanding schedule.

Then the plan would be to pay all the properties off in the following 10 years so my wife and I can retire at that point from our teaching careers and have our income more than replaced.

To have it paid off in 16 years so we can retire when my husband is done with military