Slow but sure. 

Use all of the suggestions above, and do whatever it takes to make it work....good luck.I will keep that in mind, I have a couple of reservations, but the stays are not until December, so the only contact I have had is just a quick hello email, and ofcourse as you and some others have mentioned things do often get off to a slow start, so I am actually less concerned than when I initially posted because of the feedback.

That said, with rates going up home sales may slow, meaning future prices may be lower (you lose equity if you buy now) but there will also be more renters.

Even a month delay to starting rehab would slow me down since I am looking to get HML with hefty interest rates. 

I've been seeing appreciate slow down and last year, I became interested in turnkey rental properties in other states.

Slow appreciation and an area for growth so I think it better for a buy/hold.   

My question to you experienced investors is this: with 20/20 hindsight, if money weren't an issue when you were starting out, would you have gone straight for the big deals (8-50 unit multi-family), or do you think it's more prudent to go the slow and steady SFR route?

My buyer had a preapproval from a bank that is notoriously slow, and seller wouldn’t accept an offer from anyone using them. 

Withdraw or borrow from a 401k?

and 2) would waiting for the tariff war to abate and for demand to slow affect pricing, or are these typically ratcheted up with no hope of correcting substantially?