Cost Analysis Performed as Rental PropertyIn:Rent - $19,176.00 (Verified as accurate)Out:(Annual) Actual Taxes - $1,433.00(Annual) Estimated Insurance - $1,342.32(Annual) Property Management (Optional) - $1,629.96(Annual) Estimated Utilities/Lawn/Vac -$1,917.60Total Costs - $6,322.88Net:$12,853.12Earn:Total yearly net equates to -$12,853.12Total monthly gross equates to - $1,598.00Financials – Due to my personal finances being intertwined with my financial plan, I'm going to leave this vague for the purpose of this post.  

A pure lease and a pure option that is not intertwined or dependent on each other is not involved with Dodd Frank or the Safe Act.Once you make performance of the lease subject to the lease or or use rent credits as a financing arrangement, now you have issues Dodd Frank or the Safe Act.Bill Gulley may want to comment.An option alternative is a ROFR, see http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/3/blog_posts/38...

It is your decision that is keeping your life intertwined with their finances.  

@Melissa Nevich In your PM, you seem to have been intertwining the terms EM and down payment.  

My need for advice is part real estate and part life planning, but if you do this game right the two seem pretty intertwined.

It's not a coincidence that those who "WIN" are those who understand how to play the "GAME" not only that, but they understand what influences the "RULES" to winning.My advice is "LEARN THE DATA" understand why it's important and how it all intertwines. 

Helping your son is a noble idea however it appears you will be deeply intertwined with a start up farming operation that may or may not work out (my family farms).If you want to help I would purchase the home yourselves and give your son an option to purchase it.

It seems weird to have my medical career intertwined on one account.

Either way, the two are very much intertwined. 

I am just starting to learn but it seems like many investors take a macro view of the property and area they are investing in, cash flow is only one part of the deal (albeit it's usually intertwined with the macro view).