-A good contractor(s) are invaluable-A relationship with a local lender pays dividends-Make mistakes the sooner the better-Never know who you're going to rub shoulders with, stay on your A gameHere's a few pics:

For example, if your partner is already a successful real estate investor, then maybe they will bring due diligence experience, mentorship for you, qualifications for a loan, relationships with realtors, contractors, lenders, title companies, insurance agents, etc.Then your value, for example, will be to search for the right property, manage the rehab, screen, quality, and lease to tenants, and property management.And you each bring whatever monetary capital you have for the deal.

I’m not in a place where I feel like I need to worry about tax avoidance (I probably can’t beat the standard deduction yet), but I would like to find a tax professional / CPA and establish a relationship as I start investing more.

You have only one lever to pull here to get this message across, the landlord-tenant relationship and how well you've managed it to date.

*This post does not create an attorney-client or CPA-Client relationship.

This is a business relationship you have entered into, and you need to be paid market value for the service you plan to provide!

BP is a great source for building valuable relationships with real estate professionals in other markets as well.

The minute the tenants threatens to sue or take you to court, your professional relationship has been irreparably damaged. 

Talk to them face-to-face, build a relationship, and connect with them via facebook, email, IM, LinkedIn, or other modern means.

Installed 700 sqft of LVP from Lowes for a total of $2,250 installedInstalled 4 new cabinets in the new kitchenette for $800Painted the entire interior trim/ceilings/walls for about $500 - did this ourselvesPainted the entire exterior for about $500 - also did this ourselves Still to come: New countertops for downstairs and upstairs - $2,500 installedElectrical panel upgrade and other electrical - $3,000Fence - $4,500Front deck - $2,500 We've learned a lot from this project and I would say two major takeaways right now are:Find better deals so that you can avoid doing any of the labor yourself and focus on finding future dealsFind a better GC relationship instead of trying to half GC ourselves and half GC with a GCWe're running into some trouble with the refinance at this point due to a lot of lenders putting a pause on their rental loans for investment properties.