The agreement is contingent upon the buyer securing financing which I was not able to do and have provided a denial letter.The seller is requesting money for damages because the appraisal came in at the purchase price but needed a heat installed in the kitchen which the seller agreed to install (Not in writing).

Who is your favorite DM list provider and why? 

We used one of our existing local lenders to provide the majority of the purchase, and the rest was provided from our investors.

They can provide valuable insights.Run the Numbers: Create detailed financial projections for each property you're considering.

My bookkeeping firm provides me with a steady active income, which allows me to keep doing deals, cover unexpected expenses, and navigate the occasional black swan event.

A service is provided, you must pay for it, period.

If I were you I would house hack in RI, specifically in Providence in as good an area as you can afford. 

Doesn't sound like any of this has been provided. 

My core investing philosophy is pretty simple, and has done very well across almost two decades and numerous cities:1) Invest in cities with population (and job) growth2) Invest in parts of the city where household income is near the median (or slightly below)3) Invest in properties that provide cash flow from day 1 Thank you for sharing that. 

I've found the easiest solution is to have a really strong banking relationship and then they will be able to provide non-standard offerings.