Chris Watkins - Freestone Mortgage NMLS 2465391

09/09/2026

What does a lender think you earn? The answer is often NOT what you think you earn. Talk with me as early in the process as possible to make sure that you aren't surprised by the answer when it's too late!

07/24/2026

Summer nights in Eugene.

06/29/2026

Watch out for lenders trying to charge application fees! Real lenders get paid only if and when we close a deal.

05/21/2026

Big news that can help a lot of folks save money when buying a house. I don't say the words 'game changer' often, but it applies here. Could this help you get over the hump into home ownership? Let's find out!

05/02/2026

Had a great evening at ! Check them out for a unique experience of pinball, past and present.

04/26/2026

Took down one of my goals for the year. Great day for a race!

Powered by Nerds Gummy Clusters, and

04/25/2026

Fit check for tomorrow's (running the half). I should be pretty easy to spot, say hi!

Fueled by gummy clusters and

04/22/2026

Two Truths and a Wry- Choose Your Fighter -

It’s come to my attention that my email server didn’t deliver my last few newsletters to over half of my charming and beguiling subscribers. For shame! So I’m re-sending out my most recent offerings. If you received this twice, read it again!

04/20/2026

This is where things start to get more strategic:

Real Estate Professional Status.

If you qualify, this changes the rules.

Normally, rental property losses are considered “passive”—which means they’re limited in how they can offset your income.

But if you meet the IRS criteria for real estate professional status, those limits can disappear.

Result:
You may be able to use rental property losses to offset **active income**—even high W-2 earnings.

Where this really shows up is in a two-income household:

One high earner (doctor, attorney, etc.) with a significant tax burden

* One partner who qualifies as a real estate professional
= The ability to use real estate losses to reduce overall taxable income

It’s a more advanced setup, and the qualifications matter—but for the right household, it can be a powerful combination.

04/13/2026

This is where real estate starts to feel a little unfair (in a good way):

Depreciation.

The IRS assumes your property (not the land) wears out over time—so they let you write off a portion of its value every year over 27.5 years.

Even if your home is actually going up in value… you still get to claim that it’s “losing” value on paper.

That annual write-off can add up to a meaningful tax deduction—without you spending any additional money.

And the best part?
This is typically handled automatically by your CPA or tax software. No advanced strategy required.

It’s one of the core reasons real estate investors can build wealth while reducing their taxable income at the same time.

Full Video here: https://youtu.be/KvGt4U1o6pw?si=-eyth2ZRTuto_iMt