I was able to negotiate down the price.

@Stefano Vrolijk it all depends on your credit history, whether you have an SSN/ ITIN and how much you can put down.

This gives you control without needing a large down payment or a mortgage.🔹 Profit Multiple Ways – You can rent the property for cash flow, sell the option at a profit, or buy it later at a pre-agreed price (often below market value).🔹 Great for Sellers & Investors – Motivated sellers can turn a vacant or hard-to-sell property into income while investors secure future deals without a huge upfront commitment.🔹 Ideal in Any Market – Whether home prices are rising or falling, lease options allow you to lock in today’s price while benefiting from future appreciation.Other creative strategies—like seller financing, subject-to deals, and the BRRRR method—can also open doors, but lease options remain one of the most powerful, low-risk, minimal cash out-of-pocket ways to build a portfolio.

Pre-construction homes, which could build $50-60K in equity within a year or two.I can afford a 20% down payment, but I’m torn between focusing on equity (pre-con) or cash flow (resale).

I love that you’re already narrowing down specific zip codes and doing your due diligence.I’ve heard good things about 73170 and 73135, especially with the proximity to Tinker Air Force Base, which tends to attract stable tenants.

I used all the rent and any extra money towards paying them down.

Here are the key numbers:Potential purchase price: Mid-$400k rangeAppraised value: Estimated at ~$500kRehabbed comparable properties (comps): ~$580-600kMonthly PITI (with 5% down, including mortgage insurance): ~$3400First-year PITI (with 2-1 buydown): ~$2900Monthly income (after taxes): ~4-5kLiving expenses (utilities, groceries, etc.): ~$1600Savings available: ~15-20% of the purchase priceCash to close: ~$34kRehab estimate: ~$34kRemaining reserves: ~$20-25kTo fully fund the rehab, I’d need to come up with an additional ~$15k in the short term, which I anticipate paying back quickly once the rental portion is generating income.

I know it is still down season, so listings are thin (especially for MF which is our preferred route), but it is starting to discourage me; like we've already missed the train of cheap debt and rapid appreciation/inflation that so many others took advantage of in recent years.Are my expectations set too high for my target area? 

I wanted to invest where I wanted to live and I am also from Elgin so am constantly headed further nw. 

I would drop that down to $10k/mo. $40k a year for not doing much is a great investment on $40k unless you are putting in a ton of work into the property.Who operates the property?