One tenant who got laid off manages an office for a very successful dermatologist, probably makes more than I do.Our industry is all about housing people but do not let the government force us into social service responsibilities without some backstop.

If you are worried about tenant payments look at what industry they work in and also look at getting rent payment insurance.

You will miss the 3-yr window that you correctly identified, but you might still qualify for a reduced exclusion.

One concern is that the property is in a not-so-great, industrial area (some newly constructed homes on the street, but some foreclosures, including the neighboring property as well), I'd also be interested in hearing other's stories of their first investment/experience w/ duplexes. 

Real Estate Industry can be a tool to get you there because REI is a great potential for growth and life balance.

Right now I’m a consultant in the luxury portion of the general construction industry, and will be getting my general contractors license for rehab projects.

I personally filed for a home health care agency where their elderly clients don’t want the service providers to come into their homes.This hits so many industries 

I have a question regarding the Section 121 Exclusion.

Look for ExperienceExperience is a big plus in many industries, but it’s crucial in property management.After all, you’re entrusting your property in someone else’s hands.

Key TakeawaysEven a simple understanding of the cash flow basics can improve an investor’s ability to realize profits.There is perhaps one benefit buy and hold investors covet more so than any other: rental property cash flow.Real estate cash flow is a great goal to strive for if you want to realize a passive business strategy.You could argue that there is nothing more investors aspire to achieve in the real estate industry than passive income.