If you can build up some savings and put it all on the line with your doctor friend, it puts some of your skin in the game too.  

You also have to have a location within you home or a office period to get their service as the information is sensitive and they must know you are operating a business so make sure you have at least a llc. 

Im sensitive to her situation but also leery about a winter vacancy complete with heating bills to pay.

You are asking a stranger to lend you basically all the money for a deal with no experience and no skin in the game. 

@Libbie Grant Welcome to the wonderful world of real estate investing where there are a million ways to skin the cat, all depending on your goals.My family has been in the Mount Vernon area for 20+ years now, so that's my farm area, while Anacortes is my place of work and hopefully live soon.

IMHO, getting skin in the game by investing time and money in a property will force you to learn. 

hmm; too many factors are sensitive to the locale, so I would be amazed that you're getting any correlation to FMV

I know that might be a bit of a stretch but I have excellent credit and am willing to put skin in the game.

There are many ways to find motivated sellers - you have to think creatively...there's more than one way to skin a cat!

I've got some skin in the game too, just not enough of my own to kick this real estate journey into another gear.