I missed the nephew and his large pick-up truck again this afternoon; I would like to have a remote camera across the street to stop wasting trips - lol.

My favorite is the Black Diamond meeting that alternates every other month between their Waltham and Worcester locations so you are in a decent area to go to both, this month is in Waltham.  

An alternate would be to cash out refinance your next down payment, but this will hurt your DTI more, increase your risk,  you'll need to make sure it will still cash flow under the refinance.Buying the next place works best in a down market.

@Jill JohnsAs mentioned above, if you want access to alternative assets such as real estate (a popular option around here), you will need a truly self-directed IRA or 401k.

Assuming a water softener is not the best option, I was looking for other alternatives for preventative maintenance.

Alternatively take that info to see if you can track down a telephone number.Andy

As there is not enough space to build it on flat land with the normal slope setbacks, I understand that to take advantage of the "alternate setback" regulations, the setback would need engineering, and approval from the building department.

I currently pay $300 rent at my parents and have a paid off truck which was how I was able to save my $.

Self directed IRA & 401k plans are about having different choices to diversify your retirement savings into alternatives such as real estate - but that retirement savings is very much bundled up in the tax code so as to be reserved for your post 59 1/2 future.  

., this is a great question which comes up a lot when people are considering alternative financing options, especially on real estate investments.If you think about a typical mortgage scenario, most real estate agents will want you to get Pre-Approved before showing you properties.