And unfortunately if the deal gets to this stage the original seller is getting their credit hammered unless they are making the payments when you are not. 

I always look at house hacking vs. renting, not from a cash flow perspective but just simply whether or not I am paying less rent than I normally would be living in that area.The better question is when you move out in a year or two will it be positive so that you arent coming out of pocket as you move forward...No matter what buying in good areas will always be a great move 5-10 years from now...you just need to figure out if you can out last the beginning stages.

Now here we are, and I’m just trying to figure out how to move from stage one to stage two.

At this stage, based on your post, you would wait until its listed then contact the listing agent to purchase it.

I don't have any insight as to how the investor game is yet, as I'm still in the researching/learning stage and trying to get to the next step, but I am definitely interested in networking with other investors!

In this 60-minute session, @Dave Meyer will walk you through the key stages of picking a real estate market.

I own a medical office in Manhattan but have retired. I have been approached through an agent with a possible lease to buy proposal but need guidance in how to negotiate such a transaction. I appreciate anyone with ex...

I'm in the early stages of a divorce.  

Hi all, I am new to RE investing and am currently in the research stage trying to develop a strategy to pursue.

Could you elaborate on how you arranged that (legals, title?