When you pay cash for a $400,000 home and rent it out, your rate of return will likely be less than 6%.You could invest in stocks and earn 7% or better.You could put the money in a high-interest savings account and earn up to 5%.I don't understand why anyone would pay cash for real estate, erasing many benefits that increase the rate of return, while exposing themselves to the risk of loss (turnover costs, bad tenants, capex, etc.). 

Materials have increased more than 20% in the last 5-8 years.

Last year it went from $99 to $149. 

I have 0 experience ground up construction loan program nationwide that does NOT require GC to sign anything, only provide proof of 3 C/O's (certificate of occupancy) over the last year I.e. built received occupancy permission now unit is on market or habitable. 700+ FICO I can get you 80%LTC loan to cost on the project on ground up construction for 1-4 units.

Why would you literally wait until the last minute, when a flat tire or difficulty finding a parking space be the difference between keeping and losing your home?

He’d likely play the role of buyer’s agent, contractor, and rental listing agent—something we successfully did last June.

I've been an entrepreneur for over a decade, most recently launching a successful recruiting agency the last 4 years.

Our lease contains a clause stating the security deposit cannot be used for the last month's rent. 3.

Our big cost is the mortgage interest, which is 8.3% on approximately $360,000, last year our mortgage interest was about $25,000.

Again, I have extensive experience over the last 10 or so years.All the best