So the rare “find” of the naive seller - well that’s basically gone.The first thing you need to find a great deal, or even a good one, is to be able to recognize a great deal.

I have looked into land trusts and found a few lawyers suggesting that they are a viable option in TN while others say they are not recognized.

By that, my recognized gain should be 0, and all 202000 should be deferred gain. 

If it is then. for determining holding period capital gains or loss are recognized when the asset is sold, not when income is received, although tax may not be owed until the income is received. 

This is our first run at this and I have obviously made a mistake in understanding what will be recognized and an approved method of doing this kind of business.    

You have to asses your own goals on cash flow and cap rates and determine what you want to deal with.Chicago overall is divided essentially into two cities, and there is a contingent that literally doesn't even recognize anything south of Roosevelt.Dolton is a strong rental, and more specifically a section-8 area.

I suspect every creditor would like to go over the LL for bills that they cannot collect from the tenant, but that is silly and not the LL's responsibility.I recognize that fighting items has a cost, but seriously I question what the utilities argument would be for charging the LL for utilities that they did not use and is not in their name.Good luck

Looking back I could have thrown darts at an MLS map and done as well or better since 08 if we were aggressive about turning over properties.So I should have recognized supercharged liquidity was changing the game earlier and taken on more risk.

We just had one declined because, although the customer qualified, their system didn't recognize the physical address. 

You match the income with the expenses, so generally nothing is declared in 2017 and it is all then recognized when you sell in 2018.