A good property manager can guide you in selecting properties that will attract a tenant segment with a high concentration of reliable people.Access to cost-effective resources for renovation and repairs.Lease terms enforcement.

Personally, I advocate for a long-term investment strategy and would recommend investing the funds, provided you are comfortable with the expected return on investment over time.

I've seen some lenders offer as low as 15% down on an investment property but the terms they'll impose for doing so aren't usually worth it imo. 

Phoenix contains a rare combination of elements that have created an outstanding market for distressed property investments, including the following:Cost Savings: Distressed properties are sold below their market value and enable investors to take hold of properties at a trifle compared to traditionally listed properties.Strong Market Fundamentals: Being among the fastest-growing cities in the country, Phoenix ensures a high demand in housing and rentals, hence good potential for resale or income from rentals.Value Creation Opportunities: Most distressed properties need renovations; thus, such situations present opportunities for investors to increase equity by adding value.Population and Economic Growth: Phoenix remains among those cities in the country which are attracting more and more residents and business; therefore, this presents good, long-term appreciation possibilities of property appreciation and income creation.Challenges to ConsiderWhile the rewards can be great, distressed property investment is not without its challenges.

Raising money is all about marketing and sales (not real estate specific) so either hire marketing agency and read sales books, or hop on some LinkedIn courses on marketing and sales.Not sure the legal structure to use: talk to accountants and attorneys.Need deal flow: talk to brokers and go to a lot of networking events.Lending terms: start calling banks and loan brokers.From there, it is all risk mitigation. 

Owner-occupied commercial properties generally get better interest rates and terms when compared to pure investment properties. 

Until the conditional use permit is applied for, an operator of a short-term rental is required to apply for a short-term rental permit.

Must have tools: you need some type of evaluation metric and/or tool that you are comfortable with and are willing to walk about from a deal if it doesn't meet your requirements.also, a deal is a term for a transaction, not to be confused with a "good deal".

Both options have pros and cons, and the right choice depends on your lifestyle, experience, and long-term goals.

@Michael Carbonare The rent to own strategy has been good to our business model as a long term buy and hold investors.