Yes, you're missing the underlying appreciation of the house, the value of storing money in a physical asset versus an alternative and capex costs.

It is hard to justify an expense that would eat up all of a majority of your cash-flow.An investor doesn't necessarily need 'any' professional but it really depends on your knowledge/amount of time you have.For example, technically, most people may not need a painter as the tools are available to them in Home Depot or most stores.

By the 3 more years to qualify it means you are in the guard/reserves. 

Make sure to factor in 5-10% vacancy, taxes, insurance, mortgage, repairs & maintenance, lawn care, pest control, management fees, utility costs (goes in your name when vacant), turnover costs, and capex reserves. 

We only refund purchases made by error (I think that's fair - our refund policy is already very generous) to users account balance and not their card (kinda like store credit).

If you want to break the USD, which dethrones USD as world reserve currency, which dethrones US as predominant world power.....

It may be a pet store, a pizzeria, movers, renter's insurance.

So if the property is $250,000 and it needs $50,000 worth of work, you would need $10,500 as your down payment (technically $10,675 as there would be "contingency reserves" baked into the renovation budget). 

Protect Documents: Store originals safely and keep digital backups.2.

I'm not trying to squash your dreams but have lots of cash reserves if you decide to proceed.