@Chase KimbrellLenders look at your debt to income ration (DTI).

From my experience, the best ration of price of money vs value of investment you’ll get after $100K. 

But what you said about the risk to reward ration makes sense with the nicer neighborhoods and not having to sign a loan with a company with your cash.  

@Duy Nguyen I understand you rational to connect you another newbie, but it's not what you need.

You're rationalizing (see:  emotional decision) this into a good deal.You said there's a rental shortage, and the property should rent right away...but it's been on the market for 30+ days. 

They end up rationalizing a bad deal into a good one, because the date circled on the calendar is fast approaching.

Foreclosure lists are distressed conversations, but many times the lists are not great and you deal with many sellers who have not even rationalized that they are in default.

I am primarily looking at pop growth, rent v own ration, unemployment rate, and school rating.

A refinance will likely not go higher than 80% Loan-to-Value ration ("LTV") of current appraised value.

My point is, you can get silly creative in a way to rationalize to the IRS, lenders, etc. that everything is on the up-and-up but it's still a misrepresentation of your intentions and (therefore) fraud.