Meanwhile Jeff paid an invoice from MCT Diversified Services in the amount of $4900 without previously contacting us (property owners). 

One of my applicants showed up with little credit but no defaults, no evictions, and only traffic violations and verified income high enough to cover well over 3 times the rent and I accepted the tenant despite there being some signs.He paid the rent in time for the most part until a few weeks ago when he stopped and I could not get ahold of him.

Ideally, I’d like to become so much of value that I’d be paid for my help/ services.

Properties in flood zones are harder and more expensive to insure, which lowers their perceived value and makes them more difficult to sell.

After a few nasty emails and him threatening to sue me if I left a bad review, I paid him in full, $7000 and moved on.

The other positive, at least for apartments.com is if they fill out an application it's good for any other unit on the site for 30 days without having to pay the fee again.Not that it matters for the law but another thing we do for tenants after they are selected is do a gift basket that exceeds that in which they paid in application fees. 

And to Lynnette, no, "Renewable energy is very expensive to develop."

**As investors, you are closest to the consumer (home buyers/renters), so you tend to absorb costs and reduced profits from unexpected spikes in expenses that wholesalers or contractors pass on to you!

Have a plan for marketing, operating expenses, and scaling without overleveraging.

As already mentioned, you could sell via seller financing to lower AGI, as all you would have to claim is the payment income - until balloon payment received.Did know an investor that had 14 properties paid off and he moved into one every two years to then sell with the $250k single exemption.