Get the people who are potentially making the decision to give you more details and specifically what it would take to get it done.

"Best" means different things to different people and Philly is filled with MANY neighborhoods to choose from.

People pick rentals based on location and price.    

Crazy idea - How about asking your tax professional instead of a bunch of people on this blog that have no clue about if you qualify for RE professional status?

You might also be able to employ a short term rental strategy to increase cashflow-- sporting events, conferences, homecomings, graduation, etc. always attract people to the area.Ask around and try to find people who are investing in Amherst/Northampton and connect with agents in the area to see what's working.

People will mention you can make it a rental for a short period and then still sell but… Why do that?

@Connor GoldenInvesting in mid-term homes means you look at what people need, how much they'll pay, how often it's rented, how much homes cost, and what's trending.

The applicant never bothered to call us and verify.It is sad to see scammers take advantage of people and steal like this.

It’s to prevent scammers from stealing elderly people’s homes.  

Hi @Tara MontgomeryI recently gave a similar answer to a similar question.The beauty of creative real estate deals is you can craft an offer to solve the seller's problems.