Hey Ryan- DSTs offer you instant diversification, and diversification helps protect your portfolio.  

THIN FILES are ironically the new norm now that Credit Underwriting  and ID verification tends to be more strict.he's only 25 and assuming you have his SSN, DOB, and are running an address he's been at least a year, at least credit INQUIRIES themselves should have generated a file so if theres a thin file its one thing, but if he's really actually previously UNKNOWN then he is now instantly KNOWN to at least one of the big 3 at the moment u pulled the credit report. assuming those 3 pieces of ID (SSN, DOB, ADD) are all accurate, cuz if any of those 3 are 'novel', it will throw off the data and likely also give u a thin file flag.

Just wondering how investors here are doing and dealing with this crazy market where homes are selling almost instantly as soon as they are listed and bidding wars are common? 

Instant equity.Cash flow + appreciation + wonderful low maintenance and super high income tenants?

Be very careful that you do not purchase a property that falls under rent control.Learn the values in your area and be very careful to buy a property that has a lot of instant equity.

I mean, like a loan-shark... instant cash, higher rates, etc.What's the collateral on hard money?

The seller sold a house they had trouble selling and the buyer of your option and the house instantly gets $50,000 of equity from the house and of course you made your $50,000.In conclusion, as you can clearly see using the Lease Option and Option methods are creative ways that A Real Estate Investor or Entrepreneur can use to easily make money in real estate.

Am I wrong that even if I buy at ask, I'd be getting about $48,000 instant equity?

Basically, I would look for any debt holder (Including govt. agencies), any jurisdiction authorized to compel an action (HOA, City, County), and would attempt to educate/convince them as to the value of placing a lien that I would promise to instantly purchase.

Since you will be sending out mail monthly this will turn into a big cost savings.A post card instantly gets your info in front of your audience.