I found the son on Facebook and sent a quick intro giving my condolences, expressed my interest in purchasing the property, and provided my phone # in case he decides to follow up.I'm in the process of preapproval with a couple lenders, and have reached out to a couple realtors in my area to see which may be a good fit.

MarketFinder: Helps you identify potential markets across the US that fit your criteria for investing and shows you this info below plus more based on zipcode, here's an example for a zip in Denver. https://www.biggerpockets.com/marketsDealFinder: Once you find a market you can dig into specific homes on the market at  https://www.biggerpockets.com/deals

He wanted to ask me tons of questions to see if I was a good fit but wouldn't answer any of my questions when it came down to how much the program costs or what I was actually getting as a member. 

Also, if you were in our position, what questions should we be asking the lenders to make sure it is a good fit?

Something a couple of my beginner investors like to do is live in the property for a year or two then move into the next one and rent out the first one.Most important thing you can do is research the different niches within real estate investing and decide what fits best for you.

There are a lot more dangerous, and horribly structured investments being offered every day.I can see this investment fitting into an investors portfolio of the investor meets and has contact one on one with the sponsor.  

If you know of anyone that would be an ideal fit for this role, please encourage them to apply.We're looking at designing a mobile experience that will, in the long run, offer:1) Networking and Community features as powerful as Reddit or LinkedIn2) Educational/News features as powerful as the WSJ or NYT applications3) Market and Deal Finding Capabilities as powerful as Redfin, Zillow, or Realtor.com4) Portfolio Analysis, Property Management, and Wealth Management capabilities.If you have any additional suggestions or features that you'd love to see in our next mobile app, please post here, or message me directly.

However, consider STR seasonality, local regulations, and management demands, and ensure your equity loan and new primary residence costs fit comfortably within your budget.

It's a market that fits a lot of out state buyer's buy box due to the price-to-rent ratio, but investing out of state is not easy.

It might be helpful to narrow down your options by focusing and researching for markets with strong rental demand, growing job markets, and property prices that fit within your budget.