You are losing up to 3% on each investment property purchase, also, you get a lot of great tools for evaluating properties, market research, etc.

Hello,I am looking at several tools.

Get your real estate license, this way you have the tools to evaluate properties.2.

In the booming market in Memphis, I've found that having the right tools can make all the difference.

Thank you for your inputMatt,The tools mentioned in this thread are the big ones.

I'm pretty handy, and over the years, I accumulated a lot of tools and can do a lot of things myself (minor and major plumbing, HVAC repairs, major remodels, I've done it all, but sometimes I prefer to pay someone else to do it).

Hard money financing can be a powerful tool, and your lessons are spot-on.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a more seller friendly tool?

There are pros and cons to these loans and as long as you know WHY you'd use one, they can be a great tool. 

I would strongly recommend reaching out to a lender who understands investors and various loan types out there, there are a lot of great lenders on the lender finder tool here - https://www.biggerpockets.com/business/finder/lenders