Among the benefits of this are:1) you can claim the deduction even if you do not itemize your tax deductions2) it can lower your AGI, which may make you eligible to claim additional tax deductions or credits

If trying to find a common interest or connection isn't part of your current script maybe you can try building that in.

I think the best way to evaluate an additional investment is "Return On Investment".  

Retire , additional income , ?

There is an additional acre of land that can be subdivided and sold off that was once part of the original farmland about 200 years ago.

This is more common than we would like to think.

One last question, is 100K minimum investment for a note JV reasonable/common?

In addition to storage containers (which can be costly to have delivered depending upon where you are located) there are a few companies that actualy make a "portable" single storage building that are shipped flat and you tilt up the walls and have a rentalable "no building permit and no tax hit" unit ready to rent in a couple of hours.

If you've been on here for a while now I'm sure you've seen the many great resources that are available.If you're looking to network or chat, besides the resources and connections here on BP, I'd also recommend attending a local real estate group such as Black Diamond REI in Mass. or RIREIG in RI.Also with your design and aesthetics background you might try networking with some stagers as you probably have a lot in common :)

Additionally, you can offset 25k of active income (like W2) with passive losses if have an AGI of 100k or less.