Use the "extra" income to build a reserve for maintenance, vacancies, and other expenses that don't happen regularly.

If everything else checks out we ask for an extra deposit or advanced rent.

At a minimum you can put your extra funds into a high yield savings account, or even better 4-week treasury bills that give you state tax exemption and keeps you liquid for your next acquisition.

They see the lower rent and don't factor in the extra expense. 

Well, do they have a job to pay that extra $200 plus utilities per month?  

We do get a better fee/split structure, and that's a fair trade for the extra work of managing a large investor base and it's associated extra accounting and tax reporting overhead.I also find the advice in the OP to be contradictory. 

Just be aware that this adds another layer of complexity, and you’ll want to check with both your lender and a real estate attorney to make sure everything is set up correctly.When it comes to terms, owner financing gives you a lot of flexibility:Interest rate: You want something attractive to the buyer but that compensates you for the risk of holding that second lien.Repayment schedule: You can choose a traditional 15- or 30-year schedule, or go with something shorter if you want to be paid off sooner.Balloon payment: Many owner-financed deals include a balloon payment, meaning the buyer pays off the remaining balance after a set period (usually 5-10 years).

Retail guys get benefits, have offices paid for, have departments they pay for that they don't use, have layers of management than earn on their production.Brokers get access to wholesale channels.

Consider how it will be used and if the floor can function as storage, rec room, family room, extra sleeping space, etc.From what you've shared, my concern would be the "hills" that may cause a tripping issue.

Do you have a full-time job already, assuming you have extra time, do you want to spend it doing another brain-draining task or would you rather spend it enjoying yourself?