Can I use leverage to purchase real estate?

Can I use leverage to purchase real estate?
Yes you can use your IRA money as a down payment, then your check book IRA LLC get a loan for balance. However, you will not be able to personally guarantee the loan. It must be non-recourse loans, meaning that if your IRA fails to make payments, the only recourse the lender has is against the property itself. Furthermore, there will be tax consequences to doing so; UDFI (unrelated debt financed income) tax applies when the loan was obtained. That means what ever percentage is then borrowed
the same percentage of the profits are taxed in your IRA. You will want to meet with your tax professional about what forms will be required.

My IRA is small. Can I personally co-invest with my IRA?
It is prohibited transaction to co-invest with IRA. However, there are certain formalities to be observed, and there are some situations in which it is not recommended.