How quick you're able to save up money will be a factor - but I'd not be in a hurry to get ahead of yourself - waiting til your lease is up is a very small period of time to be patient with in the grand scheme of your life. 

I'm outside of Pittsburgh - not too far from you in the grand scheme of things.  

It's not a "get-rich-quick" scheme no matter what tickytock says.  20 years ago, all the rates were 7%-8%. 

I refer you to this explanation of Buffet's investment scheme.

You can read it here: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/08/08/is-your-significant-other-on-board-with-your-hair-brained-house-flipping-scheme/

It looks like FHA won't cover a pool, but at the end of the day, if you will finance these luxury improvements,  it should 1) add value based on comps and not be an unwise finance scheme, right?

Minor stuff in the grand scheme of things.Having said that: why would this not cashflow?

It's a pyramid scheme tied to a great educational resource that shouldn't cost nearly that much and the people signing everyone up are making a ton of money.  

What they mainly are is an industry protection scheme promoted originally by union plumbers and electricians and now continued by all the licensed trades to keep outsides from cutting into their profits.First, most building inspectors are just about useless.

It's pretty transparently an equity/appreciation harvesting scheme.