However, there is a point of diminishing returns, where its just possible to flip 20 properties a month.

However, likely she is on a fixed income and would use her savings quickly, thereby diminishing her chances of buying something in the future.IMO she is better off staying in her home and using her income to repair the house to make it more livable, if necessary.  

Thanks for the article Not only with the value be considerably lower, but your buyer demographic will be greatly diminished as well.  

Pretty soon the pissing match begins between two or three big dogs that were handed free and clear farms from parents and if the ground in question is close to where their other farms are or whatever justification that they can muster, they will pay whatever it takes to buy it, and that's saying something when testosterone and egos get fired up at an auction .      

Just be aware that there is a possibility that your real returns can diminish significantly if the economy shifts into a slightly higher inflationary period and make sure that when buying you have a spread that can accommodate this possible change. 

This in turn, and in my personal opinion, diminishes the character of the homeowner it attracts. 

.- no access to the money- you have to have enough money to purchase the property and maintain it for a while (i.e. a lot of money) to be able to use it as a self-directed IRA- too strict requirements and too much paperwork- most of the real estate income is tax free (or taxed at a very low rate) which diminishes the advantage of IRA:1031 exchange - can help you avoid paying taxes as wellRE depreciation can offset some of the taxes as wellinterest deductionproperty tax deductionAlthough I have a pretty huge IRA account(s) I use them predominantly as reserves.

They both can fluctuate like the wind or every quarter lets say, with vacancies, evictions, trashouts, break ins, diminishing values, you get the picture.

As time rolls forward the missed credit card payment will also start to diminish its affect.  

There isn't any harm to go further back, you just might start to get diminishing returns since some of the executors might have already sold the property or listed it with an agent.