My net rental income was $300 to $500 a month, not enough to cover the mortgage payment (PITI) so I'm negative on what was supposed to cash flow on paper.

A “contract to hold” binder payment equal to a month’s rent would also be collected at that time.

On top of that you can find some great deals on TLC properties that need a little work but offer a strong ARV to expedite your initial cash back out with room for the next REI down payment.  

A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

Do they use a servicing company to make the payments directly to the , or do they make payments directly to the seller and hope they pass them on to the lender?

So my inclination is to compromise her 50% request payment to 25% as stated by Mark and Martin. 

If you're a single mom with student loans, a car payment, and living paycheck-to-paycheck, then $20,000 would be devastating and a reserve is critical.

Here’s a quick breakdown of our financials:Operational expenses (excluding mortgage): $33k (Jan-Dec 2024)Annual mortgage payments: $58kTotal needed to break even: $91k+Income earned this year: $80kClearly, we need to bridge a gap of about $11k just to cover our expenses, and I’m exploring options to increase profitability.

2) Your credit score3) Purchase price and down payment amountI would recommend shopping rates with a few local mortgage brokers.

. - The home is 2 payments behind and already got a letter from the lender about future foreclose.