And if you are trying to rent them for a while, but ultimately flip them for cap gains then this is a good proposition.

Re-read your statement carefully - the word "presume" should make you stop & think (and if it doesn't - I'm telling you to stop & think about it).Ultimately expenses are allowed if you incurring those expenses is reasonable and necessary to carry on a profit making activity.

I have the time to commit as I'm single w/no kids and just have my full time job commitments.My ultimate goal is to be able to live comfortably off of passive income from rentals but am unsure of the best way to get started.

Check out "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing."

Furthermore, when I start negotiating, I will start by removing that agent fees because ultimately the buyer pays for the commissions from the purchase price.

We have covered this issue on BP before and the problems that ultimately arise with financing when a lease and an option are under one cover.If an Option Price is more than sufficient for a down payment for a financed purchase, the concerns of having two seperate agreements deminishes.

@Mark Robertson We agree that several platforms may not survive.

As for starting, we have a few places I like to point people to:First, check out "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing."

Check out "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing."

I couldn't help but feel that such a reduction would ultimately have some effect on my employment.