max the 401k, but change allocation to bond.

you will then be off to the races, you can repeat these steps periodically to strengthen your score!

There are no best or worst when it comes to investing, whether in real estate, stocks, bonds, business or anything else.There is only the risk inherent in the asset and the market.

I seriously don't understand something which I'm sure is very simple to everyone else, but in the real estate world, I often see people use the arithmetic annual average as above, but in all other investments, stocks/bonds/finance/banking, I see the geometric average annualized return which for above would be 16.9%, to go from 500k to 800k in 3 years.

Where I invested in Georgia everyone gets termite bonds(added cost) water heaters cost almost the same as they do here in California, rent growth is very slow (in the last 10 years here my rents have more than doubled), "qualified professionals" are harder to find.As others have stated I would definitely have a hefty reserve and be prepared to travel there periodically to put your eyes on things.

@James McGovern, to me the answer is synonymous with why would someone invest in bonds vs in bitcoin.  

Because if you have a lump sum of cash conservatively putting it in some index fund or bonds or retirement vehicle might be better off.

Quote from @Bond Dan: HI all,Need some help. 

An agent who suggest 5-10k in due diligence in Raleigh is only foolish if they are suggesting that without any basis or suggesting that when there were other alternatives to strengthening the offer. 

Allow me to put the money I'd pay for the property into gov't bonds paying roughly what the lease payment would cost, and 3. would give them ~$320K in total lease payments including the offset of capital gains, while it would be equivalent to me purchasing it for cash today at $225K.I know there is an income tax liability on the seller's part for the lease payments, but I don't know their situation to judge the impact of that.I've never done a transaction like this before, so please poke holes in it, or if you have a better option, please let me know.