I love all the debt funds where investors are saying "first position secured liens" - well yes that is what THEY invest in, but read the fine print that states "your investment is unsecured and not tied to any of the liens"....

I think I was so excited about finally securing a medium-term rental that I moved forward with drafting and sending a lease for them to review and sign.

I suppose in a round about way, putting nurses or other medical professionals in the description does omit groups who live off disability or social security. 

That is a beautiful thing for a single income household but is nowhere near enough to reach the financial security and lifestyle I would like for my family. 

My question to you is which trajectory do we take to secure our next home/rental property?

This higher return reflects the increased risk and responsibility on the buyer to secure a large sum for the balloon payment or refinance the loan within 5 years.

The rental company doesn't need to pay the security deposit back to the tenant because it's "insurance." 

You could charge their security deposit, but it likely wipes it out leaving you with no security at all.

They value properties equipped with smart home features, such as automated lighting, thermostats, security systems, and voice-controlled assistants.

Unless you are an experienced builder, securing a bank loan can be difficult, and hard money loans often have high interest rates, which can become costly if your project faces delays.