BUT I think you are playing with fire.My primary job function is outside sales building relationships with realtors. 

At the time I was busy with my main business working with tax foreclosed properties, and I didn’t really have the time to do NPNs on the side, but it seemed like something I could expand into in the future so when Scott approached me with a JV (Joint Venture) proposition to passively invest in some CFDs he was buying it seemed like a great way to get some exposure to how these played out.

If really interested to vet the reality of the Proforma I would be happy to give many names that can speak to the integrity of our numbers and how they have played out in reality.  

Price has been reduced twice significantly so something else is likely at play. 

Next, if you are comfortable with the numbers a long term rental would provide, keep that as a back up strategy and play with the numbers a mid-term rental in this area would bring.

Yes, this totally makes sense, but I'd like an Excel modeler that has this available to play with.

There will be times where you have cash flow in your appreciation play.  

You can always just "play the lottery" and see if you get anything matched to your home. 

If you day-trade or read the tea leaves for hot stock tips or play the ponies or simply put your money in index funds, do any of these things occupy your interest like real estate?

Watch some YouTube videos and role play with someone on the common objections (price, how assignment works, etc).