If you aren't OK with living in this area, are the types of tenants that you are looking for going to want to live in this area?

Can even find one from Craigslist for a song.

There is no reason to for a bank to forgo all the due diligence they have done to get this loan done just to help you out.

The previous owners allowed him to forgo paying rent for a few months when he first moved in “to get him back on his feet.”

The previous owners allowed him to forgo paying rent for a few months when he first moved in “to get him back on his feet.”

I would also love to be a snowbird sooner rather than later.What's your reasoning for going with VRBO over Airbnb?

Or maybe just tell me if I'm crazy for going as low as I want to?? 

There's something to be said for going passive when you're ready...and the stress reduction that brings :) They're a great planning tool for sure.I found TICs and DSTs when doing research for a solution for my father who was in the hotel business and trying to find a tax favored exit strategy at retirement. 

The biggest benefit I see for going with a conventional mortgage is the fact that in most cases the Mortgage Insurance drops off after paying down your mortgage balance to 80% of the home's original appraised value.

These are really great for going back in time and looking how markets have changed and performed historically.