Having two people paying rent, but only one living in the house is not ideal unless both understand clearly they are liable. 

My two cents are with 400k,  pick a market and get started. 

The net result is basically the same, but it keeps the two properties separate from a lenders perspective.Any low down payment money, particularly on an investment property, is going to come from a private money lender.  

Two of the investors that I met with in Chattanooga and Nashville, I connected with them on BP.  

The first house I bought was a 3/2.5 home in phoenix and I rented the other two rooms out by the room. 

Two notes:1) The solar company may give you the best interest rate.2) If the power goes out, you still don’t have power if you have solar. 

Expect, to only get about 8% (or lower) of the properties you buy redeemed.If you pay close attention to the type of property, and do research to protect your interests, the percentage does jump up to about 30%-50% on the properties eligible for two year redemption.

Not sure, but the way it was presented it seems like you were putting these two approaches in similar buckets. 

Look at the third listing with my name. 

My current portfolio consists of 8 units, a fourplex, a duplex and two SFHs, in 3 different states.