If the same person is willing to cut it down for free in exchange for the wood, I'd let them do it.

I’m finally ready to take the plunge into real estate investing, but with two kids, I’m nervous to use any of my own cash for the first project. Any tips on how to navigate this?

Unnamed person may not be held legally or financially liable for damages and/or unpaid rent in landlord/tenant court.

Learn from him rather than forming some kind of artificial business relationship.

Hello all. Hope I can learn some good information on here.

Every room has a few pieces of furniture/personal belongings.

That is MUCH harder to do from a distance and when your personal experience may be with newer homes that don't have issues like this.

The IRS has a “same taxpayer” requirement for tax tracking – if the same person or entity is exchanging, it’s easy.If not, we’ll have to bring in our structuring attorney to ensure the right steps are taken to maintain 1031 eligibility.

I personally know this landlord and have had sit-down conversations with him periodically over the last few years. 

we build ground up and don't collateralize anything. we build at a discount in Columbus Ohio and we build cheaper than every builder I've seen in our market and because of that we make each person self fund a retainer account. we don't extend any credit to anyone. opposite of what you are saying. builders that bring value call the shots.