Say we buy a property for $1 million, but we structure it so it's 0% down but a bank/note buyer is in place at closing to buy the note from the seller at 80% value so they walk away with 800k in cash. 

I've identified one that I really like and have been actively digging through the Grantor/Grantee Index at the local recorders.I have a few questions:1: The home was originally bought for cash, and a few years later a “Cash out loan” was taken.

The woman reached out when she received the check and said that she could not even find or get ahold of the ex boyfriend (I had also been contacted by the police who were looking for the guy so I was inclined to believe her).

Maybe start finding deals to wholesale, which will sharpen your deal evaluation skills and generate cash for future investments.If you find really good eals, you could even require that you participate or get a piece of the deal.

I can find a lot of options in the UK and elsewhere, but not really in the US that's not like "break the bank" expensive. 

Treating them with respect and providing a good experience  keeps them there for a very long time; pushing your cash flow  and building your equity.

I have cash that I'm sitting on so don't need more.  

However, I feel I could try to find other ways to put that money back in my company somehow instead of real estate since it’d take years to see a real return.

1) Rarely paying asking price or even "market price" for a property.2) Understanding how they may be able to reposition a poorly managed property for increased cashflow and value.3) Looking for creative financing, so they don't have to deal with a bank for a purchase loan.4) Understanding ROI, Cash-on-Cash, NOI, etc. and using those numbers to determine HOW MUCH they should offer on a property to meet their taget performance numbers.Funny, appropriate, recent interaction with a plumbing company.

Now you are over $2k and only bringing in $2100… If you don’t care about the cash flow at the moment and have a good income that can support an unexpected large expense then you should be ok.