I know that I can buy a lot and use that as a down payment, but I have two pieces that are making me a bit nervous.

REI's aren't buying properties, they are buying pieces of a market. 

I also like leaving for 2 weeks having only 6 pieces of mail in my mailbox when I get back.

Are you looking for a certain amount of protection just in case something happens or piece of mind?

Then, once we have that dialed in, I'll probably work the same strategies in other markets and just do the lead gen piece.

This means ONLY make your listings live when everything is top-notch and ready to go - photos, listing, email workflows, house guide, etc.”This last piece of advice is SO key, and we see this ignored by homeowners all the time.

The best advice is don't wait, make the connections, and put the pieces together now... that way you will be ready when the time comes.

Here are some quick pieces of advice: - GET MARRIED BEFORE BUYING A HOME TOGETHER (It would likely be a nightmare if you guys break up and own property together) - The more comfortable you need to be, the less of a "deal" you'll most likely get (that's not a fun thing to hear, but I wanted to make sure you did).

A lease purchase is an excellent way to get into a piece of real estate without coming out of pocket upfront!  

That's my biggest piece of advice is to just get started so the momentum (and equity) can start building.