There are some great books out there but things are constantly changing so I would get an accountant who is experienced with tax preparation for RE investors.A down payment can not be deducted but the closing fees and other expenses almost certainly are.Whether you can take the deductions vs. deferring them also depends on your other income.

Rates are coming down so it will be in your best interest to wait anyway ( depends on market area ).

It could take a little longer but, believe me you are not in a hurry because you are not going to get rich fast any way.Know for sure your success depends on "Marketing" to generate your own leads not others so called 'leads' that are pulled out of many websites using some scripts then labeled and categorized to you as motivated sellers for example when in fact they're not motivated at all.Real estate investing starts with marketing and you need the money for it.

The cost really depends on how aggressively the tenants fight the eviction. 

Make sure you check off room or entire unit depending on what you are renting. 

It all depends on host/person, but right now the biggest pain point is finding a cash-flowing property with conventional financing. 

@Brennan Guiles this really depends on what you are looking for and purchasing.  

What you decide to do depends on a few things.

Depends on how you structured the loan but I think you're gonna get 'clipped' by your bank. 

Need more info to determine if it's a good deal or not...Cleveland RE prices vary drastically depending on the neighborhood, but also condition, market rents, if it has a POS,  etc.