In other words, it is a good long term investment vehicle not one for reducing your taxes now unless annual contributions are made. 

Fortunately for present investors this vehicle scares away most investors.Biggest issues getting in is financing.Cap rates on a SFH is only a number, home buyers drive the property values.

@Brandon Hershey,As you probably know cash and cash-like vehicles simply do not return much.

Myself, I would rather take care of things ahead of time... 

If not, I would go ahead and do the upgrades then refinance then. 

These vehicle will erode your purchasing power with inflation running more than what your money is earning. 

I have seen seniors whose real estate portfolio is depleted quicker than the time it took to accumulate it due to major health issues which they didn't anticipate or their advisors didn't plan far ahead. 

@Ashley Hernandez  sure thing if your tracking a home or improved property that you think is going to sale.. you need to be contacting the owner now and buying it ahead of the sale.. that is what your competition is doing.. and that is why these rarely go to sale.land for sure.. lots of land just is let go.. but with improvements very rare in our state of CA.

I'd love to be pointed in the right direction and any information helps on what I can do to get a head start.

Let's keep pressing ahead.