However, the potential downside is enormous.

To that end, PMI is a very reasonable cost associated with the enormous advantage of being able to buy property with $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 less down.Now to your point about it increasing your effective interest rate over the life of the loan - you are absolutely right.

It takes an enormous amount of hustle,  a large marketing budget, and excellent negotiation skills, but that is what we do.  

I just dont want to continue to put a majority of my investing money into a 401K account that I wont be able to touch until I turn 65 years old (without getting enormous penalties for early retirement withdrawal). 

The rental market in SD seems to be forever stable in the higher dollar range, but the cost of entry is enormous, unless you're going for a condo.

I know there's a lot of people here that have an enormous amount of knowledge to share.

With the transportation grant from the Feds, the new ENORMOUS metro park development on the West side, and downtown sprawling out further and further, it seems as if we are heading toward continue prosperity in real estate prices for some time to come. 

There is an enormous amount of information here. 

Vinyl will work, as will vinyl plank, tile is another option but the installation costs there are enormous.

My local store here has an enormous room full of all shapes, sizes, and finishes of cabinets.