In most cases, a person who can't do basis stuff like that moves to a condo.

See IRS Publication 936 for all the good stuff, but  important bits below:For you to take a home mortgage interest deduction, your debt must be secured by a qualified home.

If you are regavbing keep them to cosmetic stuff. 

Being on LOCK-DOWN almost feels like being retired, home all day (prospecting, sending out contracts offers to out of state sellers, partnering deals I never ever see, practicing  my art; water color, sketching and getting lots of stuff done at home - WOW!

She was running a Hair Salon.

This stuff happens all the time.

It makes a bad handyman seem more legit and applicants don't flinch when I ask for holding monies and stuff because I have real business cardsFor lion boss types that act like and want people to know they own the place, it may be much less beneficial. 

You can't use the 401k for a down and then fix stuff up with non-401K money or put income from the property into any other account.

I used to save a lot of stuff, and still have a lot of it in a storage container in my back yard.

This would be a basis for me to outline a business model if I were doing what you do (I used to but bought stuff along the way that I can now live off my cash flow.