-Build a strong network in Detroit of real humans over a period of months, buy a better deal, hold it for 10+ years, weather early storms:  better chance for success.Even on that latter deal though, are you going to cash flow in month 1 or year 1 or even year 5? 

This is the tenants responsibility, period.

Does financing period match the investment period?

I'd purchased it on a land contract, paying interest only for the first 5 years, with the ability to extend another 5 years if I'm not able to find favorable financing to refinance within that time period.

(your 55 days of vacancy was for the most part the holiday period).Vacancies are pretty high and based on BLS statistics, population growth has been flat. 

It sounds like a very interesting way of investing and I would love to see someone that has used them do a detailed post on their entire experience with them, especially someone that has been using them for a long period of time. 

To qualify for installment sale you must selling an investment property, it was a rental for at least a short period. 

Given how chaotic that period was, their response was reassuring.Truly Hands-Off Experience:Their white-glove service does deliver on the “hands off” promise.

However what happens when the tenant vacates and now the unit has to be turned over/takes a few months to find a new tenant and during that same period of time the sewer line goes and you get hit with that $15,000 cap ex expense in addition to the vacancy and turn over costs.

Then, after I had experience and several wins, people were willing to partner with me on deals, or lend to me in second position for a short period of time to help with the down payment and with repairs and then I would pay them back when I would refinance.