It sounds like you want to:1) Lease the cottage,2) Have an option contract on the entire property, and3) Use seller financing when you exercise the option (see https://www.biggerpockets.com/...)These are three distinct steps, but each of them is fairly straightforward and just requires you and the seller to agree to terms and sign a contract (1.

I make the distinction because the bigger guys don't want the medium ones as they are more difficult to manage from afar because they don't support a dedicated on-site manager and handyman. 2.

The premium savings is so little to drop to $500k.For over all risk management of your personal assets, a persons largest exposure are not the rental properties, but your personal auto. 

Occasionally we will have draws usually 4 draws with the largest draw being the final draw, when work is complete.

You might find deals there but you'll likely pay gringo pricing and you'll also potentially have the bad deals and scams as there too as that's where you find the foreign buyers that know very little about the overseas property markets.You can find listings through the local agents, as their main or largest clientele will be local buyers.

The Blackstone founders worked for someone else in investment banking prior to launching what is now one of the largest real estate companies in the world.  

The valuation and market value of a multi family property differs from a single family and you want someone that understands the distinctions.

The RMLS, which is the largest MLS in the state, certainly does.   

So I know multifamily is the largest part of the path, but we're new to the field.

The valuation and market value of a multi family property differs from a single family and you want someone that understands the distinctions if you go that route.