I've thought about the same ideas you pose in your question - some fantastic BP Podcast Episodes that relate are:#9 - Using Hard Money Lenders to Grow Your Business with Ann Bellamy - this one could be interesting for you because you could be the money side of a deal#28 - Note Investing and Raising Private Money with Dave Van Horn - If you sold a business at 19, you must be money savvy so check out note investing#138 - Self Storage, Systems, and SEO with Michael Rogers - Self Storage can provide very attractive potential depending on your geographic region...something I'm looking into myselfIf you find decision making & behavioral psychology interesting, some books I highly recommend are:The Power of Habit - Charles DuhiggInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert CialdiniLogic of Failure - Dietrich DörnerLet me know how things go and good luckMike

She inherited the house which is almost paid off, and her kids were raised in the house as well, leading to high psychological attachment to the property.

I also know a lot of experienced investors who have been selling for the past year or two so it kind of makes you wonder.I'm trying not to generalize here, and you clearly have some experience doing some work so if anything I think that could help you out if you get in over your head, but generally speaking this is the environment to start being cautious, not getting caught up in the fever.I do think that the Fed's recent change will buy us some more time, maybe a couple of years, but markets are based on human psychology, which hasn't changed, and I still think caution is warranted now.In any case, the offer is in, and if it gets accepted and the source of your down payment passes muster, given that you can do some work yourself it'll probably all work out.

I have  background in psychology but I've always been interested in investing since the time of Carlton sheets.

If you psychologically are okay with the debt, it makes more sense to stretch out payments on SL as long as possible.

@Wayne Brooks : From Wikipedia: "Social engineering, in the context of information security, refers to psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information."

Not for career purposes but just to find out how much I didn't know about less "practical" subjects like Philosophy and Psychology.

The funny thing is the lack of liquidity with RE helps me from an investing psychology.  

In other words, rents do not tend to drop substantially in economic downturns.There is no doubt, that signing a commitment to a lender for hundreds of thousands is psychologically jarring for any financially responsible person.  

I see what you mean about me still being on the hook anyways and I'm not actually reducing any risk by maximizing leverage.I think it's just a psychological thing, about wanting my sweet cash in my hands.