My $2000 also covers stuff that inevitably break under normal use - I had to replace a washer $700, a stove $600, a microwave $100, and a grill $400, all  within last 2 years, and paid close to $1000 for various service calls by electricians and HVAC techs and pest control. 

Normally “Developing” gets a higher returnthan Buy/Hold due to the Occupancy risk.

Normally you would think your asset value would go up if inflation goes up, but if the Fed is put into a position to print money to meet Fed Interest payments, US assets will probably devalue. 

I normally have one piece of advice for people just getting started, do not take on too much risk.  

While I am normally in the do-not-sell camp, in this case it might just sell and buy at the new location.

We would normally negotiate this on a case by case basis.

Is it normal that a Turnkey provider doesn't allow you to send your contractor to check the house before closing ?

Oregon and WA made foreclosure rescue lease backs totally illegal.We did not have a problem on the lease back we did have to evict many within the first year but it was a normal eviction and we had enough juice in the deal to make it work. 

I know her prediction doesn't state today, but for activity to jump in February and then again in May to June that doesn't appear to be in a common volume trend of a "normal" year if that exists anymore!

With $250k I would look at these neighborhoods: Normal Station, Audubon Park, Colonial Acres Sea Isle Park, and  Bartlett TN.