Looking forward to learning from you all and of course becoming a millionaire real estate mogul and eventually President of the Universe.Welcome Chris: I’ve been a landlord for over 25 years now and I know some good local resources I use to make life easier too! 

If you're considering just "winging it" please watch Pacific Heights starring Michael Keaton so you can get an idea of what life will be like inside the same building as rent control tenants whose rent control you are trying to terminate.

You can give notice to one of the tenants, then move in and rent out rooms to further cut your living expenses.Yes, something I've considered but does require me to move from CA to TN, so big life change. 

I have not paid yet- pls help a senior citizen salvage his entire lifes savings!

Partnering with a wholesaler sounds fine, but check the real estate licensing laws in your state before bringing a buyer for a commission.You might consider getting your real estate agent's license and legitimately earn what your skills, drive, and experience truly command. exactly wholesaling or bird dogging is not a life time or long time occupation  RE sales can be lifetime and if your any good at it at about year 10 you should be getting all your sales from referrals and such.

That being said, life happens, and the mortgage police are not going to come looking for you if something unexpected happens and you have to move out of the house before one year.

I've been doing this basically my whole life and I can tell within about 5 minutes of a phone conversation if I'm dealing with somebody that I can trust and also dealing with somebody that knows how this system works.

Otherwise, if something horrible does happen, you just opened up a huge lawsuit that could destroy your life!

It can sometimes happen even shortly after buying a unit - life forces change sometimes.

Quote from @Karl Kauper: The tenant should figure his own life out.