The top closers, the most successful investors, and the best deal-makers all have one thing in common:They wake up early.

Speak with the director of development (they're not always titled that way, so just ask for whoever deals with area developments, new construction, rezoning, etc.) to ask if they'd be supportive of your plan.

Syndication Reporting IssuesMissing Form 8918 for reportable transactionsInconsistent investor disclosuresRequired registrations skippedWhat Doesn't Actually Matter:(Despite What Your Uncle's CPA Says)Special AllocationsNormal promote structuresStandard waterfall provisionsTypical developer promotesReality: Unless extremely aggressive, IRS rarely caresTechnical DocumentationMinor §704(b) gapsCapital account glitchesTechnical allocation languageTruth: Unless hiding something biggerProperty Value AllocationsNormal basis step-upsTypical appreciation splitsStandard promote calculationsReal World Example:🏢 100-unit apartment complex4 partners, $5M dealDeveloper promote structure= Zero IRS interestSame Deal With Red Flags:🏢 100-unit apartment complexHidden partner arrangementsArtificial loss allocationsUnreported debt shifts= IRS AttentionPractical Protection Steps:Basic Documentation✅ Clean operating agreement✅ Economic substance✅ Partner contributions tracked(Don't need War & Peace complexity)Economic Reality✅ Allocations match economics✅ Real money movement✅ Actual partner participationClean Reporting✅ Consistent K-1s✅ Required forms filed✅ Clear communicationThe "Sleep Well" Test:Can you explain your structure to an IRS agent without sweating?

Why move and take on a bigger payment when you’re already locked into such a good deal?

The things that have helped my clients succeed the most were starting to write offers and moving on deals before the property you are selling closes.

Using a recent example from one of my deals, I saw firsthand how inaccurate comps, misclassifications, and unfair adjustments could impact an appraisal by tens of thousands of dollars.I’d love to hear from other investors—have you ever had to dispute an appraisal?

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Lots of leg work, calls and emails, but if you can find a few deals that could get you started with enough capital to get into your first deal on your own.

You will likely miss some deductions using the commercial tax software but it’s the cheaper option and starting out a couple hundred dollars in deductions missed likely isn’t that big of a deal.

Now, you need to figure out how to find deals and pay for them.