Could have held until this winter and gotten his occupancy up to around 80% and would have added another $500k to the value.Downpayment $310kAll in cost plus loan: $1.3mmSold for $2.4mm; with 250k seller financing for 5 years. 

most realtors deal with primary / retail buyers and sellers and they too aren't going to just walk properties for you. 

Today our inventory is so low, that sellers don't have to give me 50% discount because of poor condition.

I predict that the guys who are fully leveraged and cash flowing $100 per month will be motivated sellers when the next big correction happens.actually its either them or they walk and its their lenders selling that is what happened in that time period.. and was pronounced in certain markets.for me personally  I don't want to risk  my credit and finances and borrow 75k to make 1200 a year... or even 2400 a year if its a market that has a history of no appreciation and I don't feel there is going to be any significant appreciation.. 2 to 3% a year does not cut it.but I will take 500 a month negative or 10k a month negative if I think there are huge gains at the other end.. 

I've briefly thought about that, where the seller will be moving on to.

The beach has taken about a year and the jungle house will take about 4-5 years because we are paying off some seller financing with the revenue from the short term rentals.I would say that I can definitely make more money investing in real estate in the United States than in Costa Rica.

We tried to get an extension so that we could get an inspector to scope the pipes but the seller wouldn’t grant that extension.

So, I’m curious how you are managing to find your deals, whether you are buying at auctions or via marketing direct to sellers.

I became the bank- selling 90% of my free and clear multis with seller-financing. 

Normally when a  property is advertised as "cash only" the property is in poor condition and/or the seller wants to reduce contingencies and opts for a cleaner transaction.