It would pan out this way.

Hi Michael, curious as to whether this panned out or not.

They were cooking w a pan filled w oil and started a large fire and damaged the microwave above the stove.

In theory I agree that may be a different avenue, but nothing has panned out for me there. 

I did have my son drive by as I live in another state.It turned out to be a good deal and has tripled in value in the 5 years I’ve had it.I’m eager to hear if you got the deal...and how it pans out over the years.Best, Eva

Once you have a general idea, I would recommend just calling some local hard money lenders with the numbers to see what kind of questions they ask you..I'm sure you could understand whether or not the hard money route would pan out after a few conversations.

@Yongjian Pan Yes, mortgage interest for a rental property is deducted on Schedule E of your individual return against rental income. 

I also want to retire around age 50-55 comfortable, which I would define as 150k/year in a lower cost city, and the retirement plans aren't good until my 60s.That is my goal, nothing more or nothing less.About me:I'm a mid-30s single without kids working in the Pacific Northwest , making around 190k on a W2.To help you understand my mentality, When I moved here several years back, I did not buy a house which in the appreciation mindset was a mistake.  

I like your advice, put the numbers to paper and see how things really pan out in front of me.

There is a drain, though the pan has an extra hole, which renders it generally useless.