Grand Rapids is an excellent investment opportunity for the long game where appreciation and equity build up are the priorities. 

If you don't play the game, then you won't win.

Share your strategies, experiences, and tips for crafting private money deals that deliver results!

And investors need to understand ( which I know they really dont) that sometimes return of Capital is a HUGE win..

They look like great homes and they are in an excellent market.  

Sherry, Chris, and Nathan - All of the above are excellent feedback.

I guess I am in the wrong so my bad on this.Perhaps I am coming from a perspective of a conventional strategy where banks  barely interact with their borrowers and treat them like a statistic on their Excel spreadsheet - again my bad on this.

Having a deposit in hand guarantees being paid but suing in small claims court even if you win probably means you will get paid LESS than 50% of the time in most states.

But then again if I offered more than I wanted and did win, I would not have been happy with my numbers.

Make it a win/win- he gets to show the tenants some appreciation and kindness while you get to walk through your end buyers.