Home warranties are kinda like "insurance" (not exactly insurance but for lack of better word)....you may never use them for years but when you do need it, its great to have. 

Sure, some might argue that painting every room the same color lacks creativity or variety, but for me, it's about creating a sense of unity throughout the house.

About collecting rent through Zelle, though, there are a few key reasons why it might not be the best fit for you as a landlord or property management firm, especially in the long run:Zelle is Designed for Personal Use: Its features are great for sending money to friends and family, but it lacks the business functionalities that landlords need, like automatic rent tracking and late fees.No Rent-Specific Features: You'll miss out on handy features tailored for landlords, such as payment reminders, lease management, and maintenance requests.Transaction Limits and Dispute Resolution: Zelle has sending limits that could interfere with rent payments, and it doesn't offer the same level of protection and dispute resolution you'd get with services designed for rental transactions.Given these limitations, while Zelle might work for now, as you grow and manage more properties, you'll likely need a more robust solution that's designed with landlords in mind.

That said, many of the issues you pointed out have more to do with the policyholder than the product often times and ironically are parallels to what I'm certain to be issues many of YOUR clients face (inability or lack of desire to understand finances, nuances of financial planning, budgeting, investment options, taxes, retirement planning, estate planning, etc.). 

Lacking access to the financing to buy and build on large acreage, my thinking was to start small with a couple acres and build one or two homes, get some experience working with a lender that I can hopefully parlay into a bigger development the next time, and so on …Would love any advice/thoughts on this!

Banks would call this lack of skin the game.  

The problem I see for most agents is the lack of adaptability or foresight to see an opportunity.

Agents will continue dropping out of course, there have been more agents than listings in the last few years and that's not sustainable, but probably more will drop out due to the lack of inventory than the NAR settlement. 

While approval might pose a challenge due to your lack of flipping experience, a solid renovation plan and clear exit strategy can bolster your chances, especially with strong credit.

Most seller financed deals are to borrowers who lack sufficient credit to get a conventional loan, so their risk of default is much higher.