In a small multifamily if you allow pets there is no reason you need to allow multiple pets. even if I as a landlord had 3 pets I would never allow a tenant to have 3 dogs.

the reason for this idea is that the agent usually very pushing, kind of want to do some research and even want to do it by myself.

And sometimes using hard money at a reasonable hard money rate is well worth the end result - especially if you're doing a significant value add project.The most common way given your scenario (I'm guessing you've already completed your sale and started your 1031 exchange) is to do an improvement exchange. 

The reason being is we have much higher property tax than the rest of the nation to make up for the lack of state income tax.

Given that housing prices are hard to estimate until they hit the market, is there a way to come up with a reasonably conservative price which would not be considered a gift?

Of all the BP podcasts or success stories on here I don’t think any have said that they went to an expensive seminar and that was the reason for their success .

For example if it is a three bedroom and they all have reasonably equal rooms and use of the house, you would take 2/3rds of the expenses (mortgage interest, depreciation, repairs, utilities you pay etc) as reductions to rental income on your tax return. 

The reason is to protect the relationship between you two.

This is assuming that this is the reason they wanted out of the deal.

I've met him many times, he seems like a reasonable guy to me.