For about $20 there are we sites that will print up official-looking paperwork and maybe even send a red doggy vest with "service animal" on the side. 

These types of loans have so much red tape, they kill deals, they leave little opportunity for "sweat equity" and ignore nuance of the deal.

I’ve heard it’s a great option just a lot of red tape.

My replies are above in bold.  

Do not buy one just because it’s on sale ... make sure the color is not too grey and not too red either.

Everyone has their comfort level, but in the end - "Fortune favors the bold!".

Even if legally you may be able to sign on it, it will raise red flags for an audit and you will spend way much more money defending yourself to prove you were right than the savings that you made on your study.Also having the technical knowledge required to perform a study does not mean that you have the experience to do it.

Interesting how all of the people that make bold claims about the future that turn out to be wrong disappear and the very few that are correct will be shouting how they were right from a megaphone, whether it was from actual intelligence or they got lucky.In regards to your question "is now a good time to be starting in RE or should people be waiting for this big crash that is being predicted?"

I found a multifamily home in my area that I'm interested in potentially purchasing. I've had my eye on it for some time and finally had the opportunity to tour it, however, when we arrived the tenant refused to let u...

For example, often fire damage is water damage--they put the red stuff out with wet stuff.