His bills were paid involuntarily out of his paycheck on a very regular basis.

Also, does anybody have any experience of qualifying as a real estate professional when they have a regular W-2 job?

This includes new wiring insulation gutted kitchen and bathroom 2 walls knocked down and my basement (which right now is just a regular bricked basement with water and toilet hookup.

I’m not in it for the appreciation I’m in it however the regular and recurring payments that will support me in retirement.

Here's what happens.1 - Interest payment is based on 30 year mortgage2 - Extra payment goes to principle, which pays down the principle, but the interest is minimally affected...and most of the regular payment is interest.3 - The actual effect comes at the end of the mortgage, which if you sell or refi...you never reach

Instead, he is routinely taking terrible tenants who don't pay rent and have prior evictions.

Although the Midwest may be catching up to this as it becomes more of the normal routine method of financing properties.Thanks again!

My advice would be to set up key-word alerts here on BP, and check in regularly to the BP marketplace.  

Read the 'eat an elephant' post in this thread, check out my profile (click the 'profile' button to the bottom right corner of my picture), or go to "Meet the Investor" under "Investor's Focus" in the left hand column of your web page and look up my interview.You are also welcome to do a search on my posts or ask me any specific questions.I am a slow and steady wins the race kind of guy and have amassed $2M in properties as a regular Joe... the son of an electrician... the first to ever go to college in my family line... the grandson of 4 immigrants, well, you get the picture...

They just asked for the regular documents..ie. tax return, bank statement, pay stub and 401k statements.