These should be reflected in the purchase price or negotiated as part of the terms, such as the seller carrying some of the renovation burden.Use seller financing to your advantage by proposing a price closer to $225,000-$250,000 with terms such as 20% down, a low interest rate (4-5%), or interest-only payments for 3-5 years, with a balloon payment once renovations are complete and cash flow stabilizes.If the seller is firm on price, consider negotiating higher down payment terms to reduce the financed amount, paired with interest-only terms or a price reduction tied to renovation milestones.Key questions to address include the condition of the septic system, which can be a significant expense if it fails.

In its current state:Current NOI: $79,058 (based on 80% occupancy).Current Cap Rate (at $1.25M): 6.32%, reflecting the property’s as-is performance.Value at a 7.5% Cap Rate (Market): $1.05M, based on current NOI.Given the renovations, vacancies, and risks tied to stabilizing the property, I’m considering offering $850K to reflect its current state and value-add potential.

(because they're bona fide by being tied to the reviewers BP account).

Business owners won't want to get tied up in litigation and if there is a good chance they will lose, it is easier to simply follow the contract.How would that work with a lower-end tenant? 

Highlighting the strong profit potential and taking measures to address any concerns about costs, scope, or holding risks will make this an even stronger pitch.

With time rents will go up and you'll start cashflowing in year 2 or 3, and year 5 to 10 when interest drops you can lower your payment and cashflow much stronger.

I would try to tie those experiences and skill sets to your REI path.  

I'm unsure if you would be able to combine both loans given that the HELOC is tied to a different property than the one you got traditional financing on.A work around is if you are able to purchase the new property with the HELOC at a significant enough discount, bring the property value up via renovations or additions, then refinance the property, pulling out enough money to repay the HELOC. 

*As a side note, I think maybe it would be fun also to try and identify where new technology or machine-learning driven approaches could increase efficiency in the spaceAs for my financial situation, personally, I have around 50k saved but 20k of it is tied up in assets I don't want to pay capital gains tax on.

It’s a smart move, especially since it ties in with your goal of saving for your first investment.For skills, you probably already have a good foundation with your sales experience—things like communication, organization, and dealing with clients are all super valuable.