Just because I am not an accountant does not mean I am providing bad advice in fact my comment correllated with a few things you mentioned as well.

As far as Cleveland goes, you really have to know the specific areas that are good and bad.

Like in any business, there are good turn key companies and there are bad ones as shown right here on this forum.

The BP app seems really bad..too many things to go into detail.....I avoid it and have to log in each time with chrome...I have better experience  from.laptop than phone..Is it on my end? 

If RE market was bad, and your basis in the property was higher than the FMV than there could be gain, but highly unlike in this market. 

The problem is that you have to find a house where someone is in a bad situation so that you can buy the house at a below market price.

When things get bad, people trade down.  

In principle, if that's where you'd like to live for the foreseeable future, then sure, paying off a mortgage and keeping it maintained for about the same price as you'd be paying in rent anyway, is not too bad an idea.

I thought I didn’t need it but as I started dealing with “agents and agencies”that had bad habits which cost me good deals.

So it is not bad, but I just wonder is it worth it?