Better might be something that pays the bills but exposes you to RE (construction, office work for a company in the field).At some level assume that a sales job might be great training for life but a real negative for credit.

What is the best way to find rental and vacancy rates for an area?

The other rentals in the area are at that level.

Anthony de MelloAt some level you are already see things differently as you see streams of income when most people do not even notice.

The law has the effect of raising the HOA dues when the projects are first sold as the developer can not set a low level and ignore future work.See if there are any state regulations that define what an HOA needs to do.

Hard to say given the info posted so far.At some level forget what agents tell you good or bad unless they are working your market.

Right now your average mid level family house sells between $230,00 up to $270,000 depending on the area.Second, I think many homeowners refinanced with an adjustable rate and now they are paying for it.

I think you need to time the drive and check again.Kelso & Longview WA do not have rent levels the same as metro Portland.

The foreclosure process is handled at the state level.

(3) I get him paid up, and then we have a legal agreement that we "co-own" the house and he has to keep making payments, and if he doesn't, I can buy the house for a pre-determined price if he gets behind again - I read about this somewhere, but it's not clear how this would work to me I'm leaning toward (2), to draw up a legal document saying that he is selling the house to me, and at the same time, pay off the bank for him and get everything level so that the sale can go through and I have time to get conventional financing.