There's no guarantee your money will grow with real estate, but the odds are more in your favor especially if you know what you're doing and/or have a good team helping you.

I know it comes down to screening but if the home isn't in a favorable location, how hard would it be to market to decent tenants?

And from my limited understanding the cfd is favorable to the seller as they keep the title so if and when buyer defaults seller doesn't have to get the title back but apparently in judiciary states a foreclosure is still required.  

I do this for any vendor I use each year, as I carry workmens comp on my properties for myself and workers I know aren't covered themselves. but if I can prove my vendors have insurance when I'm audited, so my insurance agency compute rates in my favor, because vendors had their own coverageAs far as lien waivers, it's good practice to have anyone that worked on the house sign they have been paid and a lien waiver is used for that. 

Since the responses seem to be all in high favor we have decided that we will start a monthly meet up here in Fall River at the Cameron Real Estate Group's Amarelo Team office.

I will be looking for multifamily properties in the $80K - $120K price range and would be able to put about 20% down.I’m really looking forward to the future and hopefully one day return the favor to some other “newbie” looking for advice!

So I'd say the seller(s) should consult with an attorney or accountant, but it's possible they may owe much less than 15% or nothing.Also as Account Closed said, seller financing is also often attractive to people who are concerned about taking a big tax hit in one year - instead it's "pay small amounts as you go, over time as you receive the money" and is great for a number of reasons (no or a favorable interest rate for you, no bank BS, build long-term relationships and credibility with future sellers, possibility to discount in future with a payoff offer, etc.).It's worth having in your mental toolbox even if you don't use it on this deal.

Those I've known who have done this successfully have been in a favorable time and market to do it.

Do yourself a big favor and don't get caught up in the occupants' sob story.....it's not your concern (and they ALL have sob stories). 

"Less desirable" properties are many times entered incorrectly by agents, and human error can work in your favor =)