While automation and calculators can certainly improve efficiency and reduce human error, they can’t replace the judgment gained through repetition and real-world experience.

My head is spinning on how to make this run as smoothly and efficiently to help maximize gains and bare minimum, break even after expenses.

we are build to rent developers in columbus ohio. we a direct builders for investors around the country. we don't sell on the open market we build from scratch and it's very relationship based. it's very different but I would consider us turnkey. we build at 75% of market value with land and investors can refinance out and do it again and gain approx 100k equity each time. ours is an infill triplex in columbus ohio. that's just my 2 cents. turnkey is deal by deal 

And it has been gaining recognition as a vibrant, desirable place to live, especially for younger professionals and first-time buyers. 

I haven't lived in it long enough to be exempt from capital gains, good point on that.

My main question is whether it makes more sense to go the seller financing route and pay off the principal in 8–10 years or stick with a standard 30-year loan.My thinking is that the tax deductions from a mortgage wouldn’t outweigh the potential equity I could gain over those 8–10 years.

But it would give you time to save up for the 20% on a refinance in 2 years or give you the ability to use any equity gained to refinance in 2 years.

You are going to gain a lot from this group of investors. 

They gloss over the actual REI experience only to have people pay $10k for it when you could have simply put it into a property and learned on your own to gain experience.

Seller will be taking a 30k+ loss with this route.325k with 50K down to seller, 3 years of payments $1600/month, and a balloon payment of 215k at the end of 3 years.Benefits to me: (1) 10k less downpayment, (2) with the conventional route, the loan would be at 228k after 3 years of payments, so I will gain additional equity with the 2nd option since I will owe 215k (presumably I will have to refinance at that time).Benefit to seller: she gets over asking price, 50K upfront and $300/month of cash flow.Does this offer and structure sound reasonable?