I know I can't write off the lost income, i.e. if it'd rent for $2,000 a month, and I donate the use of it to the church, I can't write of the $2,000 as a charitable gift.I know if I just treat it as a 2nd home, I can write off the mortgage interest and property taxes, but how do I set it up so I can write off the entire mortgage, insurance, utilities, etc?  

Find out the taxes for the year.  

What I keep finding out is that my target price is always at least 20% below seller's asking price.Here are my rules/metrics:total economic loss after property is stable is 12% (15% in lower quality areas)incremental rent growth after the property is stable is 2%expenses grow by 2%/yearproperty tax is 90% of the purchase price multiplied by a local tax rate (usually doubles tax from whatever seller pays)payroll $1000-1200/unit regardless of the property size (brokers claim that 30-units don't need payroll but I don't believe them :-) )reserves of $300/unit counted in expensesexit cap rate is 100 basis points higher than current cap rate (e.g. exit at 8% if current cap rate is 7%)cash-on-cash ROI 10%+ starting in the second year; first year may be lower if this is a value-add5 years total ROI (assuming sale) is at least 100%IRR 15%+ over 5 years (al ROIs are net to investors after 20% sponsor override)I can adjust may metrics to some degree but in order for me to get to the seller's acceptable price I have to adjust most or all of them to unsustainable levels.So, what should I do other than keep underwriting and waiting until the market turns down and all of a sudden my numbers would make sense for a seller?

Inspection cost-Lender fees-Closing cost-Mortgage payments-Property taxes-Utilities-Insurance-Commissions-Selling closing cost-Home warranty-Termite letter-MLS fees-

I know the strategy is similar to Wholesaling for marketing (postcard/yellow letter, Etc.) but I was wondering if anyone has purchased Raw land from Ebay/craigslist, Delinquent County Tax sales (OTC), Etc and been successful in the resale?

Pike township.Purchase price is $119,900Rent: $1,17520% down + closing cost: $26,858Principal + Interest (4.75%): $500Property Tax: $200Insurance: $60HOA: $18Property Management (8%): $94Vacancy (5%): $59Maintenance (5%): $59 Assuming I get $1,175 I am looking at $185 cash flow for a 8.2% CoC return. 

Regardless of which route you go being thorough with your accounting can save a lot headaches come tax time.Thanks,MH

Taxes and water vary a lot from town to town here.What is nice about quads, is they qualify for fixed rate financing.

Underwriters are going to look at the cash flow from your tax returns in analyzing the rentals. 

THEN when I was selling it  4 months later, we discovered that they did not pay all the taxes.