When you finance through national lenders, in your experience, is a balloon a common requirement for commercial loans of this nature or is it possible to get a fixed rate for 30 years?  

I'm still in the process of growing my portfolio, but have heard others 1031 all their smaller properties into a larger building and have a property management company manage, OR, set up a seller financing deal with another buyer that gives you the cash flow you desire. 

Low down payment AND it cash flows also AND buyer has title.Maybe I am asking too much, but I don't think so.Perhaps you just market to homeowners.

From what I have heard, primarily through these forums, it can be tough to do just about anything yourself. 

I was able to secure $27k from them and $8k from our savings and the deal went through!

We love investing into properties that we can hold long term and we have been fortunate enough to have great tenants through our intense vetting process that stay with us for long periods of time.

IF you plan on going back someday, and this is the home you want to move back to, then renting it would be a good idea as long as you estimate that it will cover itself, or preferably, cash flow, which it appears that yours will at @ $2K or so per month (after expenses). 

If you want cash flow, start or buy a business.

I learned a difficult lesson buying Class C "cash flow on paper" properties in Indianapolis metro area (and I knew that area and lived there before, just not down to a detailed level).

So what kind of property would it take for you to increase your cash flow by $2000 - $3000 a year.