Hi @Jegan Basha,You could chalk my risk adverse investment approach up to recency bias but it's really a matter of returning to time tested value investing principles that have worked since they were crystallized by Keynes and Ben Graham.... and long before being explicitly called by that name.Briefly on the apartment market cycle: Different people measure the cycle differently but one of the most common methods is by market vacancy.

This procedure shouldn't raise any red flags even with the most acute of negotiators because technically there isn't anything illegal about it.The dynamic to be aware of would be if you've never dealt with this investor or buyer before, maybe this type of a transaction wouldn't exactly be the best test drive you need to really establish a business relationship.

Sometimes, my partner and I have meetings over dinner to talk business. http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc512.html Directly-Related Test and Associated Test: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/ch02.html#en_US_2013_publink100033852 You can even write off a cruise that included a RE-related education.

You have your way, I have my way which has been tested in reality and not just in theory.

AND I'll bet if you had the turnkey buyers vs sydication players take a re investment IQ test...results would favor syndication peeps by massive margins.

If I cannot test a component (if the utilities are off) I assume the component is not functional.

You can run test ads in Craigslist and local Facebook groups to see if folks are interested in taking over the homes.

You can take the classes and decide later if you want to take the test.

Chan,As for being an agent there is a required class to take, a test to pass and a fee to pay for the license once you pass.

He sounds like he is testing you since your newer to this.