I do text marketing and came across this seller that was wanting to leave AZ and head to NC.

I get the head of the company when I want. 

I've always purchased and I have always been told by family and friends "it's always better to purchase"...buying builds wealth...I just did it without question. 3 homes bought and sold later and I'm scratching my head because I've always sold my homes for way more than I bought but still never seem to come out better.Thank goodness I also put money into investments.

remember your first home is not your forever home, it's your first rental so it doesn't need to be everything you want.look for homes where the bones are good, but cosmetically needs love. don't by pre 1960 if you can help it. you'll end up just having to replace all the guts like plumbing and electrical at some point. it's inevitable. look in areas where the path of growth is headed, but might not be currently. think 5 years out. look for resources like your local chamber of commerce to see what businesses are coming in and where. your city planning office should also be on your call list as they can help show where most permits are being pulled for development. follow the money. go to local investing meetups. crowdsource local knowledge and form meaningful relationships. those who've gone before you typically will help out and help you avoid the mistakes they've already made. onward.

For example, an owner headed to foreclosure might sell you a property "Subject-To" where you take over their loan at a LOW LOW rate which changes the math a LOT when analyzing a deal!

In Brandon Turner's book "The Book on Managing Rental Properties" he talks about accepting the initial deposit as a deposit to hold the unit and has verbiage that the "deposit to hold" will automatically convert to the security deposit upon move-in.I'm working my way through the book now, so it's fresh in my head.  

Is it in foreclosure and heading to the courthouse steps?

I shake my head at how they would contradict their own note unless you signed the mortgage or amendment agreeing to this.

I sat in on investor Due Diligence meetings with the heads of all departments, learning how leasing was done, property management, bank financing, corporate finance and budgeting, etc. 

Thank you for the heads up.