It will have the added benefit of reducing water costs while also off-setting them.

So I was thinking that over the summer (I will be 15 then) that I would be able to get an internship anywhere so that I could learn about real estate in any way possible, I can do whatever anybody wants me to do as long as I can gain knowledge about the real estate world.

My background in real estate/rehabs has been full gut job remodeling houses that my parents have lived in as well as remodeling my current home, at one point I was a mortgage loan originator (helps knowing how mortgages/financing works), and I'm currently in the process of getting my home inspection certification to help identify issues for my own benefit was well as generate additional income.  

So if I had cash to rehab a property and to keep it simple lets say I can turn it over three times a year one right after the other (every 4 months) and the total cost for points, fees, interest is 20% over the year then wouldn't I be better off using my own cash unless...I have more deals than my cash can supportI can invest the cash somewhere else for more than a 20% returnIf the cost of borrowing is higher than what I can make investing the cash then what is the main benefit of using OPM over cash?

Many didn't even try to short sale because it was of little benefit to them, and this resulted in entire neighborhoods being nearly vacant.

2) A regular investor would have to pay Capital Gains Taxes right?

If so, congrats....if it's appreciated to $284,000....wow, 40% gain in about 2 years!!!!

Very happy to be part of this forum, and was hoping I could gain some advice from you wonderful people.

Buy a place to live and you have the opportunity to gain equity that way with a really low downpayment if you go FHA.

@Sam MillerFollowing are the similarities and differences between the solo 401k and the self-directed IRA.The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k SimilaritiesBoth were created by congress for individuals to save for retirement;Both may be invested in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals tax liens, promissory notes, private company shares, and stocks and mutual funds, to name a few;Both allow for Roth contributions;Both are subject to prohibited transaction rules;Both are subject to federal taxes at time of distribution;Both allow for checkbook control for placing alternative investments;Both may be invested in annuities;Both are protected from creditors;Both allow for nondeductible contributions; andBoth are prohibited from investing in assets listed under I.R.C. 408(m).The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k DifferencesIn order to open a solo 401k, self-employment, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, is required;To open a self-directed IRA, self-employment income is not required;In order to gain IRA checkbook control over the self-directed IRA funds, a limited liability company (Checkbook IRA) must be utilized;The solo 401k allows for checkbook control from the onset;The solo 401k allows for personal loan known as a solo 401k loan;It is prohibited to borrow from your IRA;The Solo 401k may be invested in life insurance;The self-directed IRA may not be invested in life insurance;The solo 401k allow for high contribution amounts (for 2016, the solo 401k contribution limit is $53,000, whereas the self-directed IRA contribution limit is $5,500);The solo 401k business owner can serve as trustee of the solo 401k;The self-directed IRA participant/owner may not serve as trustee or custodian of her IRA; instead, a trust company or bank institution is required;When distributions commence from the solo 401k a mandatory 20% of federal taxes must be withheld from each distribution and submitted electronically to the IRS by the 15th of the month following the date of each distribution;Rollovers and/or transfers from IRAs or qualified plans (e.g., former employer 401k) to a solo 401k are not reported on Form 5498, but rather on Form 5500-EZ, but only if the air market value of the solo 401k exceeds $250K as of the end of the plan year (generally 12/31);When funds are rolled over or transferred from an IRA or 401k to a self-directed IRA, the amount deposited into the self-directed IRA is reported on Form 5498 by the receiving self-directed IRA custodian by May of the year following the rollover/transfer.Rollovers (provided the 60 day rollover window is satisfied) from an IRA to a Solo 401k or self-directed IRA are reported on lines 15a and 15b of Form 1040;Pre-tax IRA contributions on reported on line 32 of Form 1040;Pre-tax solo 401k contributions are reported on line 28 of Form 1040;Roth solo 401k funds are subject to RMDs;A Roth 401k may be transferred to a Roth IRA (Note that from a planning perspective, it may be advantageous to transfer Roth Solo 401k funds to a Roth IRA before turning age 70 ½ in order to escape the Roth RMD requirement applicable to Roth 401k contributions including Roth Solo 401k contributions and earnings.)