The extra $150 or whatever amount it is that you get extra from using 30years vs 15 years can be used to invest and earn additional returns. 

If it i a good property and will cash flow - or otherwise reduce your  housing expense then it is a good deal. 

Short sales are different, that's when a the bank agrees on a reduced price so the seller can sell the house in lieu of foreclosure. 

You earned it .

In my case, I reduced my partnership share a bit to compensate. 

Now that the year has ended, can I provide her with a 1099-MISC as earned income.

With Debt deals, it is simply like earning interest in any type of bank account, and there are no tax benefits like depreciation available.I have invested in a number of crowdfunding and other syndication deals, but not Fundrise.

right now you are earning 2k/unit per year on average.

I'm thinking with the economy as uncertain as it now seems to be, maybe this is the time to hold tight and maybe reduce some debt anyway.Or the other option is to stay conforming, go right up to the $484k limit, pay the 1/4 point for cash out, and at least get $34k back out. 

So I switched my fix & flip on a rehab project and instead leveraged the property (after rehab) through a refinance and instead using it as an Airbnb rental, which is earning me 4-5x average market rental each month.