Additionally, you can still find deals that will cash flow and hit the 1% rule and amazing appreciation potential. 

Here are some warning signs I’ve come across, but I’d love to hear your experiences:1️⃣ Upfront Fees – Are application, due diligence, or "insurance" fees ever legitimate?

Any advice on this and experience/tips from others having gone through similar deals would be greatly appreciated!

It’s possible to start small, build experience, and scale over time.

So yeah, my experience has been outstanding and they customer service has been exemplary.

Considering moving, but we have no interest in losing this property - it’s unique and a great investment asset all things considered.I have no experience whatsoever with renting out a property.

Any realtors out there can suggest any and explain your experience with them?

I agree with the others here that say you need to have some skin in the game, if you are going to live there yourself, get an FHA loan rather than owner financing, you can get a 3.5% down loan, personally I do not love these as they require  PMI which is an additional expense, and you also need  bring additional funds for closing at least for taxes, title, attorney and transfer fees . borrowing from anyone else for the down payment, to include a personal loan from the bank is not a good idea, those again will be higher int. rate.

Additionally there is always a healthy nouveau rich following that attempts to mirror their predecessors achievements.

I have no personal experience with them but they are the only company I know of that are built more for self managers and small portfolios.