If you want to gamble a little this could be a long term payoff but must being able to deal with the monthly loss.

Has anybody used a direct sale web service?

Donald Cressey is The Fraud Triangle: 1- A perceived unshareable financial need. 2- Perceived opportunity. 3- Rationalization.Financial pressures change in life, medical care for aging parents, a family member becomes ill, college costs, mid-life crisis, substance addictions and gambling, jealousy/feeling "owed" or wronged, social pressures to "get ahead"...The biggest losses are always where there are no checks & balances, no separation of duties, no policies and procedures in place. 

Her web site is www.thenotebuyer.com.

you're going to continue to try to get free help from the web and not pay a professional to help you out?

As more and more tourist income comes from non-gaming activities at least it's less dependent on gambling.  

This means you can't have a balloon payment though unless you are willing to gamble on appreciation.2nd, you could make an offer for 250 with a clause saying that the seller will get their other 50 when you sell the property, or some variation on this.  

The web site advertises them for $997, which on the one hand is a lot of money, but one deal pays for it, if you get a deal, of course. 

Appreciation is gambling, but sometime “the house” doesn’t always win.

When you are gambling a huge factor in your success is limiting your downside risk.