Buying now forces you to either liquidate, be an out of state investor, or move back to this area.If you keep your head down, work hard, save, continue to learn and avoid the pitfalls that A LOT of junior enlisted make (expensive cars, rushed marriages, etc), you'll be set up perfectly for when you decide to get out.

There has to be SOMETHING I can do, SOMEONE who's passionate about healthy marriages who have never fought or caused disruptions and want with all our hearts to live together.

You can't have a great marriage, successful business, or reach your potential if you don't work for it.

Folks - if I buy a property today (pre-marriage) with a large 30% down-payment, will this down-payment be protected in a divorce settlement 5 years down the line?

Just a marriage license.There's only about 5 or 6 feet off a ladder that he could fall.

If the education turns out to be a good investment perhaps a portion of the cost could come back from the next 6 deals you guys do.We always pay for our learning one way or another.Remember a partnership is like a marriage without sex, but that doesn't mean you can't get screwed!

The homeowner and his first wife purchased the house but never had any children but the first wife had children from a previous marriage.

It's like marriage.  

@Kathleen Wilcox be really cautious about offering a 5 year lease with option, Due on Sale Clause IssuesHere are the exemptionsd) Exemption of specified transfers or dispositions With respect to a real property loan secured by a lien on residential real property containing less than five dwelling units, including a lien on the stock allocated to a dwelling unit in a cooperative housing corporation, or on a residential manufactured home, a lender may not exercise its option pursuant to a due-on-sale clause upon—(1) the creation of a lien or other encumbrance subordinate to the lender’s security instrument which does not relate to a transfer of rights of occupancy in the property;(2) the creation of a purchase money security interest for household appliances;(3) a transfer by devise, descent, or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety;(4) the granting of a leasehold interest of three years or less not containing an option to purchase;(5) a transfer to a relative resulting from the death of a borrower;(6) a transfer where the spouse or children of the borrower become an owner of the property;(7) a transfer resulting from a decree of a dissolution of marriage, legal separation agreement, or from an incidental property settlement agreement, by which the spouse of the borrower becomes an owner of the property;(8) a transfer into an inter vivos trust in which the borrower is and remains a beneficiary and which does not relate to a transfer of rights of occupancy in the property; or(9) any other transfer or disposition described in regulations prescribed by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board.

We are buy and hold investors who*self-manage in 3 different states*don't follow the 1%, 2%, or 50% rule*buy class A properties*buy in areas we know will appreciate preserving our cash-flow*don't do partnership outside of our marriage*work full time in demanding careers allowing only so much tim on investments*highly leveraged *etc*got started with 0% down personal properties.The point is that you need to find YOUR way.