How can I take this money and put it down on a couple properties and use them to negate the tax obligations? 

Looking solely at price is a sure fire way to lose big time. 

bought a condo with hard money. 

Or rent out, refinance , and recoup money else where knowing what I know now .location: southern Florida. 

Some of that money goes toward advocacy.

If they cause damage to the flooring, then they are definitely losing the deposit.

However, there is a tax deferral strategy that could accelerate your depreciation, keeping more money in your pocket today, known as cost segregation.A Cost Segregation study is an IRS approved federal income tax tool that increases near term cash flow by utilizing shorter recovery periods for depreciation to accelerate return on investment.

A bank, or credit union, or anyone issuing a mortgage, can earn 5% interest from treasury bonds, or a money market account.

You can made money anywhere even counties with no growth even negative growth, but its easier where there is growth.

I purchased it for $405k and four years later I sold for $530k plus I had paid down the loan and kept that rent money.