Wondering if you have advice on me just being the bank, where I purchase a house and structure a rent to own with him and have him build up a 30% cash down payment and some equity and then me sell the house to him at a locked in price.  

There needs to be some structuring, for sure.  

I currently am a resident here (so distance is non-factor) and I possess some handy skills that could save renovation costs (besides HVAC, structural issues, plumbing, electrical work).

A good real estate attorney can help you weigh the risks and structure things properly.As for markets, it’s smart to focus on fundamentals rather than personal connections.

The rental market is pretty rough here in the Austin area due to a glut of supply.

@Shayan Sameer,The really brief answer is that most of TN is pretty affordable apart from Nashville, which is an expensive, supply-constrained metro.The median home price in Chattanooga, for example, is about $300,000, which is a little above your $200,000 budget.

A lot of newer investors are overlooking key details like their interest rates, LTVs, and bridge loan terms, which can lead to trouble when it’s time to refinance.At the end of the day, this is simple math, and sitting down with your lender upfront to structure the right deal can make all the difference.

For structuring your business, consider whether you actually need an LLC or if umbrella insurance might be a simpler alternative.

We all work really hard to obtain assets, and I don't about you, but structuring your investments now can pay off in the end.

The easiest thing to transform them into is storage unit places but there is only so much of that before you have an over supply.