Multifamily real estate has traditionally been a stable asset class, and the Washington D.C. metro has traditionally been a stable market area, making the two together a good safe bet, especially for anyone with a long-term view of their investing strategy.

If not, you could always maintain 2 separate IRA accounts, one self-directed for private lending, and then another for your traditional investing.

My firm has several lenders who can seamlessly close in 15 days on 'traditional' mortgages at/below market rates and we've been doing so for a couple of years now. 

Maybe we can do seller financing for the $172K and then get a traditional mortgage after the fact with delayed financing?

It seems a traditional sale gobbles up half of it in closing costs.We refinanced early last year, and another refi would cost ~$5k, plus w/ the LTV, I don't think the numbers work out just right.Too bad we were too naive to even consider those offers when they were handed to us.

Jimmy,You need to show (2) years of 1099 SE income in order to use FHA, or traditional financing to get approved for a mortgage.

Thank You for the input, it's confirmed there is not a straight forward traditional mortgage option.I'm looking for a property in the 100k range.

For the ballon payment I would plan to refinance into a traditional 30 year loan.

Similarly, homes that have unusual layouts or less traditional features often benefit from full staging, as it helps buyers envision how the space can work for them.That said, even in more budget-conscious markets, full-service staging can still provide a significant return on investment, especially if the home has been on the market for a while or if it's empty and lacks warmth.

On the contrary, uncertainty is the breeding ground for creating wealth.The core of the issue is whether you are willing to step out of the traditional investment framework and explore new business models and market opportunities.