Now I do not know if the investors who were offered payment plans were part of the REIT but if I was in their shoes,  I would take the installment payout solely out of concerns related to the valuations. 

So your best bet is to put yourself in their shoes and shop around just like they would be.Also, some markets are definitely seasonal, and your market rent could change drastically from winter to spring/summer.

If complaints are lodged against those unlicensed sales agents and its proven true not sure the penalties but i would not want to be in their shoes.

I definitely have some rose tinted glasses on and am drawn to the idea of 'lifestyle investing' hence why I am trying to get more realistic/experienced advice here.Kathryn and Jonathan, if I had to summarize your feedback;-If it seems so great, it will be competitive -If it is competitive, I am massively disadvantaged not being local/experienced in the market.

Last trip, I stopped at Goodwill and others and bought a ton of Cargo pants, Black dress shoes, and dri fit shirts for around USD$1 to $3 each. 

He said appreciation and how much these properties rose. 

If you were in my shoes, what would you prioritize at this stage of the journey?

Quote from @Elizabeth Rose: @Josh Bowser this tip of doing a quick search on county GIS or software to see if homes in a neighborhood are owned in personal names or LLCs is gold, thank you!

Now, if the deal is so sweet that someone may want to step into your shoes prior to closing for a large fee, make the contract including the seller financing terms freely assignable and ironclad.Good luck.

Lord--- I pray one day I am in your shoes one day so I can come back from that S""" like the Gladiator!