Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Its all about your cost of acquisition, of course...  

By the end of my fourth year, I had surpassed even my own expectations, closing over 220 transactions and ranking among the top professionals in my field.But my journey was never just about personal accolades or financial gain.

If successful, you would have just used your deductions against fictitious income.Anyway, still agree you should talk to tax professional about how/if you can use home expenses.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

@Dan BarthI would hire a professional to test air quality.

Several of my recent buyers have been medical and legal professionals with high taxable income, that are looking to expand their value portfolios by incorporating an accessible short term rental property (often doubled as a legacy anchor) that will often offset or 'pay for itself,' in tax savings. 

One model I’m seeing investors doing is the rent by the room strategy / padsplit.IF done right, you can turn a single family home to function like a multiplex - increasing the cash flow by double, even triple oftentimes.Has to be the right property of course / layout / characteristics to minimize drama and conflict between roommates / tenants since it’s a longer stay than STR and spaces are shared but with the right set up and systems in place in can be extremely effective and super profitable.You can easily switch from STR to MTR since it’s already furnished and just make a few tweaks.I can definitely help you put some ideas together or connect you with some investors I know doing it in Jacksonville FL. 

Yes, let me try to put a timeline on this....Purchase + Rehab for $468,000Rate and Term Refinance out at 80% of $500,000 ARVTotal loan amount is now $400,000Total out of pocket costs is $68,000 (plus various fees of course)I want to do the purchase plus rehab for 80% LTV, but not really finding any lenders that can do this.

Of course, assuming you have the equity, credit, etc.