This means you can't have a balloon payment though unless you are willing to gamble on appreciation.2nd, you could make an offer for 250 with a clause saying that the seller will get their other 50 when you sell the property, or some variation on this.  

Appreciation is gambling, but sometime “the house” doesn’t always win.

When you are gambling a huge factor in your success is limiting your downside risk.

I've chosen to fund my first REI with cash from my self-directed IRA.  

Those who have had experience, were there signs at the beginning that you may not have chosen a good tenant, or is it a complete gamble and you just don't know what you're going to get.  

Properties that are unique in their neighborhood are notoriously difficult to calculate for accurate investment value.Do you want to be left stranded, committed to buy at a price the Seller already thinks is the best net-price they can get, and you would be gambling it wasn't?

Similarly, if you're the riverboat gambling type, you can try looking into an equity deal where the buyer pays you X% of final sales price and/or a percentage of rental income if buy & hold.

I would start seeing what kind of multi-families you can find in your chosen areas, then model them for profitability.

I've been on the BP site for a couple of months, and have chosen the wholesale approach, with the option of rehabbing/sell if the right deal comes along.  

The gamble is whether the annual loss on the rental scheme will be mostly covered when I eventually sell the condo.