How much lower depends on what time of year the home was completed- Usually can charge a much higher rent for new homes.

@Jinglei Shen depends on the builder.

It also depends on whether your next purchase is a rehab, turn key, flip or hold.

A place like this may do ok with displaced parties, but not likely for travel nurses or contract workers based on your description, depending what else is out there. 2 bedroom single-family homes are great rentals because they cost way less to buy and don't rent for much less than a 3-bedroom home.

You should definitely be able to find decent multifamily properties for under $200k, and multifamily would be my suggestion for starting out if you can swing a larger down payment (depending on loan type, you MAY need 10% more for a multifamily vs a single family, but not always).

If you pay retail, you'll be looking at 500k to 550k depending on area and lot. 

These have a much higher CoC ranging from 18-30% depending on how involved you are, the property specific and its execution from a design/amenity standpoint to management.  

We will never have the right answer; everything depends on your circumstances.

some gurus teach this method.. thats all this is.. seller is going to have to pay inputed interest to the IRS though.. to me it would depend on down payment..

I work with several investors in the area. and a deal for one will be different depending on what you are looking for.