I think that’s a great approach. 

Would love to hear different approaches, thoughts, etc. on this. 

I would probably approach your tenant with this information and say, "If that is the way you want to play it, so be it... but be aware you are really screwing yourself if you go that way" and explain that situation to him.  

Here’s how I would approach your situation:If you’re in the early stages of buying, you'll likely need to take the vacant unit due to existing lease agreements and oregon laws.

A bit about me:I live in Portland, OR (which is quite expensive)I’m a first-time homebuyerI’m interested in the "small and mighty" approach to real estate investingI’m actively contributing to my 401(k), maxing out my Roth IRA, and have $30K in savings.

So if I approach a listing agent and refuse a commission and the seller lowers the price, your position is that is a taxable event?  

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach the occupants?  

Hello Emory,I guess, like you, the potential tenant's approach is a bit concerning.

This doesn’t occur often, but the deal is so good, just a few of these in the course of your real estate investing career will turbo charge your pathway to large net worth.Since examples can provide clarity, I’ll provide two examplesA number of years ago (7 years) I was approached about purchasing a note from a property owner who sold his retail center and carried back a $500k note, current principal $476,000.  

Has anyone dealt with something similar and how do you approach it.