I really hate the city because of taxes and water bills but the charming neighborhoods with a strong sense of community seem to be Lauraville, Beverly, Hamilton and Franklintown.

It just didn't seem like it would be worth my time or money. 

When I looked at PPR's notes, PPR had second liens, and I wanted firsts, and it seemed like their inventory was fully priced. 

Too many newbies seem to think they can blindly follow "old" advice in today's real estate market and be successful.Many, basically get taken advantage of by those in the industry that have an incentive to keep newbies blind to new realties, just to keep their good times rolling.What many newbies have figured out is that they can't make the numbers work on rental purchases in their states - like California, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Washington, etc.What they have NOT figured out is that if they go to cheaper markets, they aren't being shown Class A rentals to buy.

The second son is married but has not lived in the home at any point during the last 20 years so this doesn't seem to present any options for savings.I thank everyone in advance for your thoughts. 

But I would remain open to long-term rental as an option as this seems like a more stable option in terms of income, again this may be my inexperience talking.However, I have always  been somewhat risk averse and investing in real estate is always a big venture, in my opinion/experience, in terms of capital.

I shopped all of my state's CU last time so I only called the top few this time around, it does seem like the best way to go about things.

The property will be strictly for investment purposes, not a primary residence.I’ve been looking into two potential financing options:Hard Money Lenders (HML) – I’m drawn to this option for its speed in closing, but I know the rates can be higher.DSCR Loans – This seems like a great option for long-term rentals, but I’m unsure if it’s the right fit for my auction property since it might need some rehabbing.I’m also considering purchasing through a land trust or an LLC to add a layer of protection and privacy.So, my questions are:What’s the best way to approach financing for auction properties?

This to me seems too skewed. 

It does seem very interesting (and lucrative), but also overwhelming!