There are a lot easier methods to get ahead of the curve to buy properties, before bank pulls the rug out from under the owner and auction it off.

@Justin Y.If to you "tax shelter" means any method of reducing taxable income, then you may be focused on the wrong reason to invest in residential rental real estate.There are three advantages to investing in rental property:  Appreciation, Cash flow, and Tax benefits. 

However we are the number 1 seller in the greater Cleveland area so it has proven to be the most effective method on the planet to moving investment property in the Cleveland area.

That business model works well for more static assets (private placements) but is not generally best for investments that are more time-sensitive in nature or involve a lot of transactions (rental real estate, tax liens, etc).There are a smaller number of firms that provide plans offering checkbook control. 

Could I ask how involved was your process of investing, how much did the RE agents help in all the process (finding properties, negotiating price, arranging inspection, paperwork, legal, etc) or was it mostly work you did on your own?

@Ike Ekeh How things go really depends on whether the parcels involved are already incorporated into the relevant municipality's growth plan. 

If it is toxic black mold, the remediation process is very involved.

Pending litigation could have been decided with final judgment entered; perhaps litigation initiated involving the property, lis pendens recorded; federal tax lien could have been recorded... lots of things can happen before settlement.

An alternative would be to apply the RUBS billing method for water/sewer, which costs no money.

@David Frey the method that many of us vets talk about is using your BAH to pay for your SIDE of a property.