Every decision, from the strategic upgrades to the tenant selection, was made with an eye toward maximizing value.

I'd be happiest being quite an active investor and property manager.Of course, given my wife's job there's a also a huge incentive for me to qualify for real estate professional tax status and (if I'm reading things right) maximize our paper losses.

Hi @Rhea Jeong,The situation you're describing is actually pretty common, especially for first-time investors looking to maximize their purchasing power.You’re correct that some lenders will consider a portion of the rental income when determining how much you can borrow, typically in the 75-80% range especially for FHA loans.

So far, no calls for repairs, so what should I be thinking about and doing to maximize the time I have each month.

HI Jordan,You can always start off by house hacking meaning you live in one UNIT or ROOM and renting out the other vacant units/rooms to offset your monthly mortgage payment.There are several ways to run and make sure you are maximizing your rental income while keeping your living expense as low as possible.

let's pretend it's an estimated $150k in transaction costs (state, federal, repairs, agents fees ..from our accountant) to sell our 1st prop worth between $550-$600k  our accountant told us that would likely take a very long time to recoup and honestly I don't know where i would put the proceeds to maximize returns. 

Using a JV partner, both parties are looking to sell quickly, maximize profits - they're "warm" in the transaction. 

Tax Strategy: We are keen on implementing a tax strategy that allows us to maximize our deductions and reinvest in the business.

Here are a few suggestions on how you can maximize the wealth of information available: Check out the blogs and podcasts, or take advantage of the search feature (magnifying glass).

Focus on maximizing your W2 income over a real estate market.