I can make the down payments in the smaller market on cash-flowing deals, but these bigger markets require 40-70k to make a deal the conventional way, and I just don't have that to invest.

I learned how much an escrow account check matters to your overall mortgage payment.

I would then find a 2-4 unit deal that I could put down a 3.5-5% down payment on as an owner occupied rental.

Those willing to go beyond that could be good partners for real estate investors.Traditional banks/Local Banks and non-bank lenders - If they are a portfolio lender, meaning they actually hold on to the loan and don't just collect your payment, then they have the ability to be flexible.

Many distributors also offer financing and can give you an idea of what monthly loan payment you’d be looking at.

Got $16k in 1st time home buyer grants for the down payment & closing costs....$8.5k from Obama who was trying to stop the bleeding on the housing crisis and another $8.5k from the city who was doing the same.

What I love about Baselane is that it was built BY real estate investors FOR real estate investors so it's really dialed in to what you're going to need in order to prepare your taxes, keep your books up to date and the more operational aspects of being an REI like tenant vetting and processing rent payments.

My price range is between 250 - 350k (less would be better, but if more than I would have to be mindful with the interest or down payment %).

The front end can sometimes be tedious to get approved by the local housing authority, but rent payments are always timely.

If you sell a property, and do a 1031 exchange with the proceeds, but don't need all the proceeds for the down payment of the next property, are you taxed on the additional profit that isn't part of the exchange?