While I understand your hesitancy, it could be legit... if I were your Realtor I wouldn’t be doing any of this via text or written media, I’d be getting them on the phone and listening to the tone of their voice, and asking questions in real-time to feel out how legitimate this is.

In other words, it needs to be a legitimate, verifiable business expense that you can prove if ever questioned on it.

I think it's a legitimate fear in many cases since you are: (1) basically trusting the Bureau to take the necessary steps; and (2) it's not always easy to verify whether the Bureau took those steps. 

As for investing additional IRA funds in the already owned IRA LLC, as long as the IRA is the sole member of the LLC such additional investment would be legitimate.

Before forming a LLC, you certainly can have legitimate business investment expenses to offset your personal income.  

SO you would pay SE tax on your flipping income and, even thought it is infrequent, on any sales commissions you might make as an agent as well (after legitimate business expenses are deducted).Which then brings up the Home Office.  

But, the payment on the $57,000 mortgage would have been rather modest.Auction.com is a legitimate site.

Is this a legitimate concern?

Is there enough legitimate value in the cottage and converted garage to cover the entire proceeds of the rental property?

This is infuriating because there are people who are facing legitimate challenges.I am going to file a small claim for non-payment and may end up in court with them.They will certainly exploit the coronavirus sympathy angle in any way they canI'm seeking suggestions for how to expose their manipulation of the situation and show a judge what they are doing.